Dear Noah,

It was three years ago today that the Ethiopian courts officially added you to our family as Hojawaka William Finley.  It was certainly one of the best days of my life.  A few days ago you turned 41-months-old.  It is so hard for me to believe how fast you are growing and changing.  You are amazing and hilarious and you certainly make me laugh more than you make me mad–so that’s a good thing.

You are now officially a boy–you are all about Spider-man, Batman and Ironman now and anything that has to do with being a boy.  It is cute and funny.  You saved up your sleep fairy money and managed to buy yourself a Batman Helicopter and are convinced that Batman, Spiderman and Ironman are bad guys.  I try over and over again to tell you that they are good guys who fight the bad guys but you are insistent in your view of the world and that they are bad guys.  But you like them anyway because they shoot webs and fly.  You have informed me that you can’t do those things but that you like to pretend to shoot webs and fly and that someday you will be big and strong like them and will be able to do all that they do.  Well, it is good to have goals little man.

You can now ride your trike and drive your car around the block without any help from me or dad in terms of steering.  We just tell you to keep in on the road and you correct us that “its not a road mom it’s a sidewalk.”  It’s quite funny.  You can pedal your trike the whole way around the block and you are so proud of yourself when you do it.  I’m pretty sure you would do it all the time if I was at home and we would let you.

Being your mom is a real pleasure and I have loved every minute of it.  You continue to grow and blossom and this month you got to spend some great time with your Grannie Sue and cousins and had a blast. You have met you fellow classmates from Big Boy school and are excited about going.  You learned all the lyrics to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and you sign the contantly (I’ll post the video of it soon).  You love to play games and are in love w/Dayton your next door neighbor.  The two of you cry and scream if you can’t play together because it is dark, or dinner time, or 6:30 in the morning.  It is so sweet.  You continue to be an awesome big brother and  you love your sister so much.  You play so nice with her and give her lots of hugs and kisses and you teach her how to share–You take what she has and when I tell you to give it back you say, “But I want to share with her.”  It is cute how the 3-year-old mind works.  But it is only sharing if you take turns not take it from her.

I am proud to be your mama.  I am proud you are my son.  Keep growing and playing and laughing.

I love you baby,

Mom–(as you have stopped calling me mommy)