Three!

 Less than a week old, October 2009

First birthday, October 2010

Second birthday, October 2011

Third birthday!

 

 

 

 

Yesterday was my littlest man's third birthday...as you can see, we celebrated in style.  I didn't get any good shots of the decor, but we did more than just completely mummify Will's chair in crepe paper!  That was Josiah and Annika's job, and they used almost two entire rolls of paper to do it.  After we finished with the cake and opening of gifts, they tore all that paper off and had fun messing around in it (again, why do we spend money on toys?!).  At one point, they all three had red headbands and were pretending to be ninjas.  Good times.

 

Well, I can't believe that William is three.  I shouldn't be surprised, having gone through this two times prior, but I am still delighted at his growth.  In the last few weeks, he has matured so much:  his language has exploded--his words are clearer and easier to understand and he's stringing together longer sentences.  He has all of his colors and shapes down pat and he's starting to recognize letters and numbers.  It's stunning and humbling and amazing how somewhere, deep in their little growing brains, a switch is flipped between "toddler" and "preschooler".  It's a shame that we're not allowed to remember when the age at which the world began making sense, isn't it?  It must be mind-blowing for him, too!

 

He is my little buddy and my last all-day companion.  Mostly happy and sunny, but sometimes a little ornery.  Fiercely independent:  no more strollers or shopping carts for him, thank you very much (yes, this means it's time to sell off the remaining two strollers--can you hear my heart breaking?).  I love him so extraordinarily much and pray for many more happy birthdays like the one we shared yesterday.

 

Thank you for blessing our lives, William!