TJ is 3!

My sweet TJ is  THREE!  Gah!  The fact that he is three isn't all that shocking.  He's very "three."  But the fact that I have a three-year-old is a little shocking!  I'm a little nervous for all that three brings with it.  TJ has not been a terrible two-year-old.  We had more tantrums, we had more meltdowns, but mostly, he was still my happy-go-lucky little guy.  My number one dread has been potty training, which we started yesterday.

Now enough about me! TJ is always on the move.  He's only still when he first wakes up, and boy is he crabby if you make him move too much before 8:00.  Right now his favorite show is Dragon  Tales.  He still loves cars, dinosaurs, trains, and construction vehicles (especially diggers).  

TJ had his first ER visit (technically urgent care) last week.  He ran into a wall and cut his head on the molding half way up (is there a word for that?).  It probably was fine but it was right on his part line so I wanted it closed up to minimize scarring.  Tyler took him to instacare for me and they put in a staple.  We took it out ourselves on Friday with a tool the doctor gave us.  The tool had scissor-like handles and TJ was completely traumatized because he thought we were coming at him with actual scissors.  I made Tyler take the staple out while I held him still and he kept screaming "Daddy no cut me!"  Once we finished (it only took like 2 seconds) he ran to his room and yelled at us to stay away!  I felt bad but it was so funny.  He's been telling the story of his owie head over and over and I was mortified when he started saying "Daddy no cut me!" in front of strangers.  Anywho, first hospital-worthy injury.  I have a feeling that we will have many more for this boy.

 After several months of speech therapy TJ's talking has improved greatly!  More people understand him and his English vocabulary grows daily.  He understands Spanish but is speaking it less and less.  My hope is to enroll him in a bi-lingual or Spanish preschool in the fall.  If we are lucky, we will end up somewhere with a Spanish immersion program for elementary school.

 Now that Eli is older, he is TJ's best buddy.  They play and play together.  Sometimes he needs a break but usually he only stays in his room for a few minutes before he comes out to find Eli!  They also fight and wrestle fiercely when there is a dispute, but when Eli gets hurt or pushed around TJ is quick to defend him.

TJ loves nursery.  He wants to go to school so bad but if we started now he'd do three years of preschool!  I cut out some letters and we are going to start learning the alphabet and sounds this year. At least...that's the plan.

 His interest in reading is dwindling a bit but he usually chooses a dinosaur book to read before bed.  He still loves to cook with mama and occasionally will slow down to help me with laundry too.  TJ loves his friends and asks for specific friends to come over frequently.  Since it's flu season everyone has been sick on and off, but we are looking forward to more play dates this year.  TJ is a gracious host and always remembers his friends' favorite toys - when they come over, he pulls out the ones he knows they like.  He doesn't mind sharing (most of the time) and

 TJ has started singing in the last few months and it is my all-time favorite thing.  He sings the alphabet song and "stay awake" from Mary Poppins.  We also sing the Ducky Song (four little ducks went out to play...).  He knows other songs but those are the ones he sings to himself before he falls asleep.  It's so cute.  

TJ is Mr. Fix-it.  He likes to take things apart and use his tools (or daddy's, if he can get his hands on them) to "fix" things.  He's learning some great skills from Tyler, who is amazingly patient and always lets the boys help him.  Almost nothing is more exiting than when a toy needs new batteries, because he can do the fix himself (with parental supervision).

 I had to include this picture because TJ is suddenly in a crazy salad phase.  Maybe not a phase?  He has always loved to eat vegetables.  But I started serving salads with dinner and he just digs it.  I finally had to buy this giant bag of croutons because we were going through a bag a night (mostly because croutons are the only part Eli eats).  For his birthday dinner we had Cesar salad with a side of fettuccine alfredo.

 The night before we blew up a few balloons (not as many as last year) and put up a streamer curtain for him!  He was so excited when he got up and came to tell me- "Me birthday came!  Get up mom!"

 We went to a trampoline place in the morning with a few friends that he had requested.  He loved it and was so, so happy.  Tyler had to work in the afternoon so we just stayed home.  After his super fancy dinner we opened presents while skyping Grandma and Grandpa Smith.  He loves having and audience, especially his grandparents, to show his cool toys to.  The telecommuter and a firetruck one of his friends gave him were definitely the big hits!

 He also got those awful glow-in-the-dark stars you put on your ceiling.  He loves the stars and the moon so that's what Tyler picked.  I'm not a huge fan but the kids loved them and I have to admit, it looked pretty magical after we got them all put up.

 I just bough a cake this year because I'm lazy.  At the store they had an adorable dinosaur cake but it was way bigger than we needed so I bought a dino to put on TJ's cake.  He was so excited about having cake, but only ate like 3 bites.  He really was just excited about the candles.

 Also pulling out the candles.  But he burned himself on the wax so hopefully he's learned to let mom and dad deal with that from now on.

 Last year we did a glow stick bubble bath for his birthday and it was so fun I wanted to do it again.  Eli was horrified.  He did not want to be in the bath with the bubbles, so he got right back out and just sat on the side and played with the glow sticks.  TJ loved it and was so happy.

I've thought a lot about the way TJ came into the world lately.  Out of the blue he has started asking to hear his "born story" so I've told him about how he was born blue and was sick and had to stay in the hospital.  It was such a hard thing at the time but in hindsight, it was just a fraction of this whole amazing life that TJ has lived and has yet to live.  TJ is so great.  He really is the ideal child.  He's not perfect, but he is so sweet and happy.  Most of the time when I tell him "no" to something, he says "Ok" and walks away.  What toddler does that?  I'm just so lucky to be his mom.  Happy Birthday TJ!