More on Three

Some snapshots of what John is like these days ..

Favorite food: Cheese. This is usually his first response when we ask him what he wants to eat. We've come a long way from the days of lactose intolerance and soy milk! Of course, more often that not, his response to us asking him to eat his food is "I don't like to eat. Just drink." Other favorites -- pears, apples, couscous, carrots, and ice cream.

Favorite toys: Legos. All Lego, all the time. Followed closely by his "people" cars (from the movie), trains, puzzles, Lincoln Logs, sidewalk chalk, and Candy Land.

Favorite shows/movies: Super Why. The only time he knows on the clock is 9:00 a.m., because that's when Super Why starts. Thank you, PBS.

Favorite books: Richard Scarry books (all of them. Thanks, Mom!), anything about tractors, alphabet books

Memorable Quotes:
"Mom, that's ridiculous." (Thankfully, he doesn't say this when I'm asking him to do something; it's more of an observation.)
"The sad is in my ears." (Mid-tantrum, when the tears streaming down his face end up in his ears.)
"I need to take one drink, and then we can pray." (Every night. It's now his routine.)
"I just want to go downstairs and play Legos." (First thing he says to Tommy in the morning when he gets out of bed. Not good morning, not Hi Daddy. Just Legos.)
"Mom, what are you doing?" (Every day. Often set to music.)

He is still very much a boy of routines. He likes order and patterns, and does not like for them to be interrupted. Whatever is on his mind when he goes to bed is the first thing out of his mouth in the morning.

Along these lines, he has decided which parental responses are appropriate and will coach us on how we should react to whatever he is doing. For example, he will tell me "Mom, say 'Yay, John!'" And then I'll say "Yay, John!" in a tone that seems good enough to me. And then he'll say, "No, say 'Yay, John!' bigger and clapping like this -- YAY JOHN!'"

He's a total ham. Every time he gets to the door of his preschool, he'll peek in the door and then hang back, and wait for his teachers and classmates to yell "John!" before he'll burst into the room. His teachers tell me that he is very patient and sweet in class. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in there for a day.

So, yeah, we have our hands full. Can't wait to see what 3 is like!