Paul is THREE years old!

My first sweet born baby is already three years old.  He just got a hair cut and looks like Dennis the Menace (in a good way).  And acts like him too (again, in a good way.  Sort of).

I don't even know what to say about our Paul.  He talks constantly.  I mean constantly.  He narrates the car ride.  He tells me everything that is going on in his head.  He tells me what he believes Charlie is thinking.

One of his favorite remarks to me these days is after I tell him "No."  For example, as soon as he woke up this morning he wanted to play on my phone.  I told him NO since we were trying to get up, get dressed and out the door to daycare so his parents could go to work and afford the phone he desperately wanted to play with (dramatic).  Anyway, he said, "Mom don't say no to me.  Just say YES."  Oh.  If only it were that easy.

Sometimes Paul eats a lot and sometimes he eats nothing.  For whatever reason this is not a battle I fight that often and feel mostly over it.  If he is hungry he will eat, if not he will throw it on the floor, proclaiming that the dog is starving.

He likes to play with cars, cars, cars, and more cars.  He likes to pretend they are on top of mountains, and then he likes to crash them.  He likes any sort of ramp the cars can go over and sometimes he just lines them all up and pretends they are talking to one another.

His favorite place to hang out is under our dining room table.  He calls it his cave.  He brings some toys and stuffed animals under there and plays.

He likes his new doctor set from his birthday and enjoys giving check-ups and especially seems obsessed with giving people shots.  That's super.

He likes to paint and to color and pour glue on things.  He likes markers and marking on his hands and sometimes face.  He LOVES to be outside and to take walks.  He still talks about the pool and I am sure this summer we will be spending lots of time there.

This age is fun to watch him figure things out.  For example, my dad gave him some flashlights (yes, plural) for this birthday.  He loves to turn off all the lights and play "flash."  I was in the bathroom getting ready and he wanted to turn off the lights and play his beloved game.  However, he could not reach the light switch.  So he walked into the closet, carried two of my shoe boxes over to the light  and made a "ladder."  Smart.

In all honestly I am liking Paul more.  I know that sounds mean, but potty training threw off his whole routine and this kids thrives on order.  So when things get a bit messed up my sweet baby turns into a lunatic.  When we went to the doctor's office for his third check-up the doctor asked me if I had any questions.  I said yes, "Why is he such a jerk?"  She laughed and explained that the terrible twos are only a warning into the testy threes.  Super.  But ever since I called him a jerk to basically a stranger, his behavior has really improved.  He listens more and doesn't want to be in time-out.  He tells me how much he loves me, and wants to snuggle on the couch.  If this is what it takes to get him to mind, I am not above doing that again.

Paul's favorite observation is what a big happy family we are.  But we can not be that family if one family member is missing.  So if Ryan is at baseball practice, Paul will tell me, "I wish we could be one big happy family, but Daddy's not home."  And he says it in this really sad, defeating voice.  You would die.

Although challenging, Paul has a sweet soul.  He doesn't like when other kids cry or get in trouble.  He usually likes to do the right thing, and he certainly loves us.  But I think the person he loves the most is his brother.  To see them together will melt the hardest of hearts.  Paul gives him hugs and tells Charlie he loves him and tells Ryan and I that he really likes his baby brother.  When Charlie rolls over, Paul claps and tells him how proud of him he is.  It is so incredible.  I can't wait until they can play together and really destroy my house and nothing will ever be clean again, but maybe I can put my make-up on ALONE.  AND IN PEACE.  Here's to hoping.

Happy Birthday my Big Boy.  We love you!