Dear Noah,

On Tuesday, your turned 36-months-old.  I cannot believe you are three.  Time has gone so fast.  I remember so vividly meeting you for the first time.  When you were so small and sick.  We were so worried that you would not recover.  But you did and I believe it was finally meeting your mommy and daddy that pushed you to make such a speedy recovery.  You’ve barely been sick a day since–we won’t count the plane ride from Orlando when you puked all over me. 

Your vocabulary has continued to explode–in part thanks needs to be paid to Pinky Dinky Doo.  You now talk about things being unusual, about being flabbergasted and frustrated.  You collaborate with me when we make breakfast.  While I like to take some of the credit for your articulation and verbosity–I can’t take it all.  I do owe some of the credit to Dora, The Backyardigans, and Pinky.  Sorry Max and Ruby no thanks to you with Max’s one word conversation ability.  Nick–not all kids speak in only one word. 

You’ve hit a new developmental phase.  You cry when I leave the house (not all the time–but more often than not)–whether you’re at home with your dad or we are at the gym.  Thankfully you don’t cry at school and that’s nice. 

You are still fascinated with Cars and Kung-Fu Panda which reminds me that I need to look into Karate classes for you.  You act out the movies with the characters and it’s pretty cute.  You also much to your straight uncles chagrin love the Care Bears.  You have the action figures–you picked those out at your birthday party with all the tickets your uncle won for you.  He insisted that you get something cool and you insisted that Care Bears were cool.  I had to laugh.  Already standing up for yourself and what you like.  That will do well for you as you grow old. 

We mailed in your school acceptance letter with the deposit.  I am excited and happy but also have four words for you before you can start school–Must. Be. Completely.  Potty-trained.  You are fighting it–part of it is you just have so much going on.  I have bitten the bullet and put you in big boy underwear at home–I have to clean up some pee but you are getting to understand the whole potty thing.  Because in a diaper you don’t really get why you need to use the potty.

There is so much more I could say, but I don’t want to go on and on.  You are an amazing little boy (even though nearly 50% of people who meet you think you are a girl).  Your smile lights up the room and your laugh and spirit influences others in ways I am surprised by.  I am so proud to be your mother and so very lucky to know you. 

Love you,

Mommy

Noah, Noah, Noah,

What to say about you this month.  You are almost three and I can’t believe it.  You have grown so much and are becoming such an amazing a little man.  You aren’t potty trained yet–but you are coming along–kinda.  You’ll get it baby if it kills me, you’ll get it–thank goodness for hardwood.

You continue to amaze me with your language.  Your new world this month that flabbergasts me is technique.  You ask me about my “technique” all the time and “what your technique” and “tell me what technique mean again.”  It’s so cute.  I laugh often.

You are loving school more and more but also beginning to understand that you have some independence.  You are starting to comprehend that you don’t necessarily have to do everything you are asked/told to do.  Your teachers have had to threaten you with “time-out” at school.  They haven’t had to use it, but they have held it over your head.  But you love school and you like to see your friends.  You talk about “big-boy” school as a couple of  your friends from Mom’s Day Out have matriculated to “big-boy” school and you want to know when it’s your turn.  Don’t worry little man, your turn is coming–but you need to be potty trained first…hint, hint.

It is getting harder to write these letters some months, because I am just so busy with school and work and raising you.  It’s tough and I feel bad that during the day, I don’t give you all the attention you want/deserve.  I hope you will forgive me someday.  I am pretty sure that you will because I am pretty sure all you will remember from this time is all the cool toy Cars you have and how your sister likes to steal them from  you while you are playing with them.

You still come down into our bed almost every night between the hours of 2am and 4am.  Your dad now sleeps on the outside of the bed and you bug him to help you up into bed.  It’s sweet.  Your father use to hate it when you would come down, but now in the middle of the night or early in the morning he notices you aren’t there and he’s a little sad.  You daddy loves you so much.  It is great for me to see the two of you together.  If you turn out like him, you are doing well.  He’s a great guy.  I think both of you are amazing.

You still light up every room you walk into and you make friends every where we go.  We went to the zoo one day this past month when it was warm and you made friend with a boy about 5 and you looked at me and said “We walk with them.  I like him.  He’s my buddy.”  It was so cute.  So you all chased each other around and played.  I love watching you and I love how you are not afraid to put yourself out there.  I hope that continues because, sadly in the world we live in there will be people who won’t want  your friendship.  I of course think those people are crazy.

I count my blessings everyday that I get to be your mother.  It’s an amazing honor and priviledge.  I love you baby.

Mommy

Dear Noah,

I can hardly believe that you have been home with us for nearly 30 months.  How time flies and what a blessing you are.  I am so lucky to have both you and your sister and I could never have dreamed to have such a perfect family.

You are two months away from turning 3 and you can’t wait.  You have begun to ask a little more often “when my birthday is?” and we remind you that it is in March.  You take that info and then ask “is it March?”  It’s cute.  You have also mastered holding up 3 fingers to indicate your age and relish that you becoming a big boy. Now if only we could channel some of this excitement about being 3 into excitement about becoming potty trained.  We’ll get there. 

You are growing so fast and developing at an alarming rate.  Your vocabulary is expanding my hundreds of words a week.  Some of the things you say are hilarious and have me laughing out loud.  Your personality is also blossoming and you really are a sweet kid.  You have your moments as do most toddler/pre-schoolers.  But over all your a joy to be around. 

The above face is one I see often, but it doesn’t last too long and generally returns to the happy “Silly maaan” face.  You have overcome your Kung-Fu Panda obsession and are now obsessed with Cars.  You ask to watch it a lot–at least 4 times a day that movie plays all the way through.  Now don’t get me wrong–you don’t watch it all the way through each time–I’m not even sure you sit down long enough to watch it one full time a day.  But you are all about Lightening McQueen, The King, Doc Hudson, Mater, and company.  You have a collection of cars you carry around with you and that you dad and I spend a good portion of time trying to find as they get dropped or left in the most curious places.  We also spend a lot of time playing cars and I hear “Mommy that not how you do it” more often than I care to admit.  Who knew there were such rules to car playing? 

“Mommy lets play Candy Lane.”  I tell you “Sure but it’s Candy Land.” 

You reply…”No, I think it’s Candy Lane mommy.”  I have learned there are somethings I just can’t argue about with you my almost 3-year-old.  We play lots of Candy Land and you are getting pretty good at it and understanding the whole concept of rules and turns, etc.  I am pretty proud that you have mastered turn taking and are a pretty good sport.  You don’t get mad when mommy beats you and your also a pretty good sport when you win.  Dad gets mad at me when I talk about winning and losing, etc.  But it’s a fact of life and I sorry, but I really like to win.  You also enjoy a good game of Memory or Concentration whatever it’s being called these days.  You are not so good at that one, but you do okay and you just seem to really like playing.  You’ll get better. 

You continue to keep me on my toes and you have grown quite fond of your sister.  You play so very nicely with her and are rarely mean to her.  You share your toys with her and have learned that if you want to take something away from her that you have to give her something else or she’ll cry and you’ll get in trouble.  I am so happy that you can spend a good chunk of time playing with your sister upstairs and no one gets hurt.  It’s pretty awesome.  You are pretty awesome. 

You are sleeping in your big boy bed and it’s getting better.  You still manage to make it downstairs and into mommy and daddy’s bed every night/morning somewhere between 3:30 and 5:30am.  You have learned quickly to sneak into the bed quietly so that no one takes you back to your own bed.  I have to admit I love waking up and feeling you all snuggled up next to me.  I know it won’t last forever, but I will enjoy it while it does.  Keep rocking it little man and you will go far in this world. 

Love you baby,

Mommy