Today my love, you turn three years old. I have been loving you hard for 1095 days (+9 months before that). For three years I have gotten the privilege to watch you grow, learn, and love. Your understanding of the world grows day by day as does your heart.
Three might not seem like a big year to some but this birthday is huge for me. Life hasn't exactly been what I planned but through and through you have been so resilient. You know just when I need a hug, you will bust out in random dance parties with me and your little laugh makes all the scaries go away. The world is a better place because you are in it. Not only do you make my every day brighter, you brighten that of those around you. Frequently I hear, “your son is so sweet” or “what a sweet personality.” You just make people smile, my love. I should’ve expected that from the moment you were born.
I never want to forget how every morning as I make my coffee, you say "mama, it that your Boffee?", "mama, me hold you" when you need a snuggle or what to be picked up, how you ask me to put some jams on in the car and we bust it to Baby Shark or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I love the way you say "mommy ya know, I just love you". How you hold my arm tight at night as you drift of to sleep.
You have grown so much in the last year. Your vocabulary has grown exponentially, and I am constantly amazed by the things you say and know, such as how we go at green lights and stop at red ones. You use hilarious phrases like "mama I was just acting a fool!" and can be quite a deep thinker just before bedtime or right as we are leaving the house, which isn’t always convenient, but you know I will always listen and engage you. You LOVE talking and I LOVE listening to your sweet little voice.
Watching you explore and learn new tasks might be my favorite thing to watch you do. You take in everything around you and you notice the most minuscule little things. You love to check out the world around you and you analyze how things work with a curiosity that I never knew existed. You watch me complete a task once, and you can carry it out yourself right after. You've even learned to ask "LaLexa" to play your favorite songs. I can't wait to see where that mind of yours continues to take you.
It hurts my mama heart that you are growing up so fast but I LOVE to watch you grow. You have mastered potty training, getting dressed all by yourself, you are a little fish in the water, you are such an adventurous eater everything from pesto and scallops to blue cheese and risotto-you amaze me.
I pray that one day you get to experience parenthood so you can finally understand how much I love you. How proud I am of you. How in awe of you I am.
Today on your 3rd birthday I want you to remember this, I love you to the moon and back, forever and ever, no matter what.
Happy Birthday my sweet boy!
