Dear Preston
Oh Bubs, where has the time gone? It feels like you just turned 2 and now here we are celebrating your 3rd birthday. This past year you have fully embraced your toddler status yet little by little starting morphing into a little boy. You have so much to say these days whether it is telling us all about what you did at school each day, asking questions or making observations as we are driving in the car. You have continued to embody all things boy with your love of diggers, dinosaurs and danger. As the only boy among all the girls in the family, it would be easy to say that you are all rough and tough. While that is true 99% of the time, you still love are a little lover and give great hugs and juicy kisses. It melts my heart every night when you ask me to sing you “Sunshine” and then tell me, “I wove you, Mommy,” as I kiss your good night.
I was warned by my fellow boy moms that you would be develop a strong interest in construction equipment somewhere between 2 and 3. Lucky for you, there is always a construction site nearby whether it is on the route school or in the neighborhood. You love to point out all of the construction equipment and tell me which diggers are “sweeping” (aka sleeping) or not doing any work. My favorite line to hear you say is, “what that digger doing?” or “what that worker doing” when we drive past a construction site. While diggers are your favorite, you love to point out other big vehicles like school buses, fire engines, ambulances, and garbage trucks. No matter which one you see, you always say, “Wook it, Mommy!” and quickly ask, “Where they going?” As I said, you are full of questions and wonder. As exhausting as it can be sometimes, I love getting a glimpse into how your little mind works.
When I think about your love of dinosaurs, I realize that it is more like an obsession. A healthy obsession but definitely an obsession. As you have started to talk more, that obsession has gotten stronger and stronger as you ask questions about dinosaurs and learn the different types. It is funny every time that you roar like a dinosaur. You really think that you are as scary as a T-Rex. When I was planning your birthday celebration, I knew that a dinosaur theme was definitely the way to go.
From the day you first met Eloise, she has been the light of your life. I love that you look forward to seeing her every morning and insist on saying goodnight to her every night. For the most part, you guys get along pretty well. Of course, you have your moments where you are still the annoying little brother stealing her Barbies or knocking over her doll with a big truck or pretending that your dinosaur is eating her shopkins. One of my favorite things to do is watch you two play “Baby.” You love to let Eloise mother you and pretend to treat you like her baby. It is super funny to hear you fake cry and Eloise rush to you and say, “Baby! Mommy is here.” These moments can be short-lived but they are still fun to watch. Last year around this time, you were calling Eloise, “Sheesh” and we loved it. Because you are a big boy now, you call her Eloisey. Trust me, just as cute. You used to have to try so hard to keep up with her but I’m pretty sure you can run faster that her on most days.
About a year ago, the sleep struggle started. First, you started climbing out of your crib. Solution: toddler bed. Second, you started getting out of your toddler bed and coming into our room. Solution: big boy bed. Third, you won’t stay in your big boy bed for more than a couple of hours each night. Solution: snuggle with a little maniac whenever he makes his way in and pray tomorrow night will be better. See, when you were still in my belly, I bought this cute little wooden sign that said, “You are my favorite reason to lose sleep.” Well, crap - wish granted. Joke is on me for buying a cute sign like that! We will figure this out eventually.
Your Daddy & I joke more often than we should that your saving grace is how cute you are. If I could find one, I would get you a shirt that says, “Straight Outta Timeout.” You test our patience and all the limits with a cute little smirk on your face. You are a fearless thrill seeker or what some may call a “no limit soldier.” The world is your obstacle course. Or on most days, the couch is your trampoline. Every day that we avoid the ER is a good day! Last summer you coined the phrase, “3-2-1” as code for wanting to jump in the pool. By the end of the summer, you were basically jumping in somewhere between 3 and 2. I can only imagine what this summer will hold for us! Your first day of swim lessons 2 weeks ago, you teacher said, “I never had a kid be so fearless on day 1.” I just smiled and said, “Yep, that’s Preston!”
Over the past month, you have started repeating back to me one of the things I said to you while you were potty training – “You are the biggest boy ever!” You really have become the biggest boy ever. I’m so proud of you for being potty trained by your 3rdbirthday. Cue the bonfire for the burning of all the diaper things – changing table, diaper cream, diaper bag, diaper genie, diaper caddy etc! In the next few months, you will be staring Preschool. I can’t believe it but I am so excited for you.
Happy 3rd Birthday to my dinosaur roaring, macky-cheese loving, daring boy. You are loved for the boy you are, the man you’ll become, and the son you’ll always be.
Love,
Mommy
