Dear Knox,
So when you turned two, it was hard for me to say goodbye to my one-year-old, but now that you're not TWO anymore, sheesh... I've really lost my last BABY, and Mommy's heart may not handle it! You are such a big boy, so independent and able to do so much on your own. You surprise me again and again, yet I surprise myself when I'm more annoyed that you can do so much on your own than I am excited. I WANT you to stay little, to need me, but you really aren't and don't. I have to remind myself of just how big you are getting, even when my brain sees you as the baby, the one who needs tending to. The great news is that you WANT me. Heck, if you could climb back inside my uterus, you would! You are always wanting me to hold you, wanting only Mommy, wanting me to come with you, to hold your hand, to cuddle with you, to sit with you. I LOVE this! At times, it can be annoying, because I may need both hands, or I'm trying to cook and it's dangerous for me to lift you up, but I do love that you love me so - because that feeling is mutual!
- You are one happy little boy. You wake up many mornings and say, "It's another beautiful day!" It delights my heart to come into your room and know that you are happy to get up and face the day with such a positive attitude.
- Some of my favorite words you say: "pasgetti,""wollipop,""popischool," (popsicle)"bayoons," "not pussy," (not supposed to), "you farted me" (I have NO idea what this means, but it's said in frustration, so I think it really means "You're frustrating me," but it sure sounds hilarious)
- You think the word "butt" is hilarious and often quote the song from Sing! much like Quinn did at your age: "Oh.My.God. Look at her BUTT!"
- When you toot, you look behind you as if you stepped on something. It always reminds me of an old man who doesn't realize he farted and thinks he heard something.
- Speaking of... you're POTTY TRAINED! I never like to put those words in writing, but you've been wearing underwear since December 27th and keeping them dry nearly every day! You no longer nap with diapers, and you're just about ready to drop them at nighttime too!
- You slept in your crib until your actual birthday ... which is WAY longer than Banner or Quinn ever did. There are two differences: they had climbed out much easier because they were not wearing a sleepsack like you did until only a couple weeks ago, and they had a baby brother coming pretty soon, so I was ready for them to move into a big boy bed sooner. But, you have been ready for a long time, and you proved you were ready during our cruise in December when you slept well in a big boy bed with your brothers. Your first night in your crib-turned-toddler bed was very successful. HOWEVER, you have already told us that you want the crib back together and don't like your new bed. Even though you do great, we may put the front of the crib back. We'll see!
- You still have 2 pacifiers that you sleep with: "Green," and "Blue." You're very good about keeping them in your room after you wake up, but I'd love to see those gone soon, as your teeth are paying a hefty protruding price.
- You love dress-up! It doesn't matter if it's a cape or a princess gown, you will wear it if you can! Many of the pictures we get sent home each day from school (from the daily notes we get) show you in some kind of princess dress - even if dress up time was much earlier. I actually really love these! You'll be listening to a book or doing an activity just hanging out in your Snow White costume or Cinderella dress. And equally, there are days you won't take off the cape you've been wearing at home to go to school, so you just keep it on and I find it in your back pack at the end of the day.
- You still like your rest time. You ask for naps, you tell us when you're tired, and you let me know when you're ready for me to put you in your crib.
- You adore your cousins and your big brothers. You're especially enamored with Damon and Hayla.
- Your favorite friends are Wyatt & Asher.
- Your favorite color is green.
- You can count 1-10 and back again with ease, usually.
- You like to practice your colors, shapes, opposites, seasons, and so much more in your favorite book, What You Need to Know Before Starting School. I like that you like the book, but I'm so sick of reading it every night!
- You LOVE: lollipops, your pacis, pretzels, yogurt (usually with M&Ms or Oreos), chicken fries, mac and cheese, playing on my phone and watching YouTube Kids, Yo Gabba Gabba, Peppa Pig, Super Why, riding your bike (which you've finally started being able to pedal), cuddling, (color) baths, Daniel Tiger songs, kolaches, dancing, singing, Mickey & the Roadster Racers, apple juice, Danimal smoothies, making up names and calling them to people when you're angry ("you oofamagaragofig!")
- You started swim lessons in November at Montgomery, but in January we moved to Emler. You do NOT like putting your face/head in the water, but you're getting better at tolerating it. You don't like when I tell you it's swim lesson time, but I'm hopeful that will change soon!
- You have gotten to be a pro at lengthening your bedtime routine. You procrastinate going to bed longer and longer with special requests: wash your pacis, get a drink of water, go potty, telling me one more thing - even if it makes absolutely no sense or asking to go somewhere tomorrow that usually ends up with me saying, "I'll think about it" just to get you to go to sleep!
- You've been obsessed with talking about a "dragon," and we thought it might have been from the dragon in Shrek, but I can't quite figure it out. When we saw the Chinese dragon on our cruise in December, Daddy and I laughed that "we had finally found your dragon!!" But, that wasn't it, either! No idea what that's about!
- Just like Ms. Valerie said at your fall conference, you can be like the little police. You will tell others "That's not nice!" or "You don't yell at me!" You're all about fairness and justice: "He started it!" or "I had it first!" I can tell 3 is going to bring on all these one-liners.
- You like to stand at the front door and yell to guests who are leaving our house: "Don't forget to go trick-or-treating with us!" ever since Halloween, and that has not stopped.
- My most favorite time of day with you is still holding you in the glider in your room, singing songs and cuddling you close. Even though there are days when I wish you would let Daddy take over so I can spend some extra time with your big brothers, I 100% enjoy my time just us in your room.
- Today, we had your well check with Dr. B. You are in the 50th percentile for height, weight, and BMI at this time. You weigh 32.2 pounds, measure 37.5 inches tall, and have a BMI of 16.
- In addition, we filled out your developmental checklist and were told that you are scoring around the 3 year, 9 month age! We are not surprised. You are quite verbal, very agile and coordinated, and very smart.
- On your actual birthday, after a Friday Family Film Fest night(we watched Overboard with Goldie Hawn), we woke you up with a bunch of balloons in your bed. Then we had donuts for breakfast, went to the gym (one of your favorite places to play while Mommy & Daddy work out), had you first nap in your toddler bed, and then went to Chuck E. Cheese's for dinner and play time!
- Your birthday party was this past Sunday at, of course, My Gym! You had a BLAST! It was a perfect party - with your favorite people and your favorite theme: Yo Gabba Gabba. We had great music playing, yummy cake to eat, some "okay" pizza, and lots of fun and games! You'd been waiting for your party for MONTHS, and it did not disappoint! Your favorite part - and probably mine too - was watching you on the motorcycle at the very end of the party! It makes my heart so happy to celebrate you every year!
Knox Morgan, you have such a charming, engaging, and fun personality! I am bracing myself as we head into this "threenage" year, because I KNOW we are in for it. You are a sweet boy - for SURE - but you are also a sassy one, too. The good news is, this ain't my first rodeo, and I will not fall for your shenanigans that I'm sure are to come! We've gotten a taste of your tantrums, your defiance, your pouts, your demanding instructions, and your unwillingness to cooperate. The way you run from us when it's time to brush teeth, or the way you get up from the dinner table and play with toys even though you haven't been excused; the way you shout "NO!" at us when we ask you to do something, or when we don't act quickly enough for your liking, you demand, "I TOLD YOU TO GET ME SOME YOGURT!!" You cross your arms and hang your head, and you will give the silent treatment like no other. You will sulk, "I NEED A BREAK!" and put yourself in time-out, which nearly causes me to burst out laughing for being so proud of your decision - and cuteness. You will insist I take off your shoes, your pants, your underwear just to pee at a restaurant, and when I don't comply, you will yell at me and shout "YES!!!! I NEED YOU TO TAKE THEM OFF!" You can be quite the little sass! But, you know we have your number, and although you know how to push our buttons, be fairly warned that "mama don't play that." We will get through this year together, my Baby Love. I promise you that. Because I love you more than you could ever imagine, and there's nothing you could say or do that could change the way I feel about you.
We've spent some time these past couple of days looking at your very first photos - being born, being held for the first time, meeting your brothers, meeting your grandparents, coming home from the hospital. Those days feel like yesterday to me. The cuddles, the tenderness, the affection, the gentleness of our relationship - it has all remained the same since those early days with you. These past three years have flown by, and you have brought such joy to our lives! Thank you for being you and loving us the way you do!
I wish you the happiest of happy birthdays, Knoxipoo!
I love you!!
Love,
