Vida. Risa. Amor.

This is the last week you will get to be three. I'm not sure why this is such a big deal for me, but having you turn 4 is definately making me realize you are my last child on their way out of the baby stage, and I think I'm realizing it's happening too fast! It always makes me smile when after I tell you I love you, you tell me right back. I love it when you tell me first.

You've kept me busy this past year that is for sure! You never like to be left behind when I have places to go, and you're a fun little sidekick to bring along when I run errands to the library, grocery store, and your all-time favorite: Target. If I buy you popcorn and an icee I can get you to sit in the cart the whole time....that is until we get near the batman toy aisle. You tell me you're "just going to look" and you just want to have "one little ting" but I have to remind you that your birthday is coming up and you just have to wait. You've gotten a little better about not crying horribly when you don't get your way, and sometimes I can get you to stop crying if I tell you we're going to McDonalds after so you can be happy with the toy that comes with the happy meal. I always eat most of your cheeseburger anyway...so I guess that makes us both happy.

Today you jumped on the trampoline naked. I know I came out and yelled at you and furiously put your clothes back on quickly, but when I went back inside I laughed my head off. That was seriously the funniest thing I've seen any of my kids do. Ever.

I love watching you line up your star-wars toys mixed with superheroes, and lightning McQueen cars. Every day I clean up a few darts in random places around the house from your nerf guns. Pretty much everything you play with get's turned into a weapon and I'm so happy you are smart enough to know you don't have true super hero powers and haven't attempted to jump off of anything too high.

Every night you start out sleeping in your own bed and end up stumbling onto the floor of my room around 3 a.m. Sometimes I don't hear you, but this has become such a consistent habit that I don't even fight it anymore and have a bed set up right there for you. You don't ever go anywhere without your "dee-dee" either, (your blue ni-ni). You cuddle with it while sucking your thumb. You probably only have one more year left until that won't be so adorable anymore.

You know a lot of words to the songs on the radio and it's funny to hear you sing them in the car....your favorites are: "Shawdy's like a Melody in my head"..., and "Give me Reason....(the transformer song), and "shush girl, shush your lips, do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips"...Yeah, so I'm pretty sure I'm failing in teaching you proper preschool songs and that your Kindergarden teachers are going to have their work cut out for them. I keep hoping you're learning a little something from Moose-A-Moose on Nick Jr. or the Mickey Mouse club house since that's on for most of the morning while you throw down a few milk sippy cups. I've been a little concerned that the batman cartoon DVD's we've rented from the library are way over your head, but you always tell me it's okay. I tried to get you into a free preschool program for kids with special learning needs...we even tried to stop teaching you proper pronunciation so you could qualify, but turns out you're just too smart. We hope to get you into a preschool program this year.

We've said good-bye to the crib and diapers, and soon it will be the training wheels on your bike. You're a big boy now, and I really should make you walk instead of pushing you around in the stroller....but I'll love you forever and you'll always be my baby man....my chunk punk lee...my stunk chunk loo....my super cool dude.

Your birthday is on Mother's Day this year.
You'll be 4, and it reminds me how much fun it is to have FOUR!