Caiden Turns 3

Honestly, how is it possible that I have a son who is 3 years old?! I vividly remember thinking when he was 18 mos old that he was half way to 3 and it seemed like a lifetime away. It is quite possible that he could be starting preschool this fall. How did that happen?!

I have to say that this past year has been quite an adventure. Caiden has grown SO much in SO many ways. To me, he still looks a lot like he did about this time last year, but his imagination, vocabulary, coordination, and a myriad of other skills have just exploded this year.

Here are his stats from his "3" year appt (actual appt was on May 22, 2011)
Weight: 36.4lbs (50/75%) He gained 6 lbs from a year ago (was 30.6lbs).
Height: 3ft 4in (95%) He grew 5 inches since last year (was 3/4in short of 3ft).

Let's see how much I can remember and highlight here:

• He sings his ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle, Wheels on the Bus, Hello Goodbye (The Beatles), and a whole host of other songs he makes up. He is also very attuned to what is on the radio and often asks what the name of the song is. If I don't know it, he picks out a phrase in the song and declares that as the title.
• His imaginative play continues to amaze me. After seeing bits and pieces of Toy Story 2, "Buzzbee" became his new best friend. Buzz would play with him, ride in the car with him, and protect him from "The Scary Man" (Emperor Zurg). He also loves to pretend to make piles of garbage and transport his garbage or recycling from place to place. Watching him play with his new Toy Story toys has been so much fun as he walks them around or makes the dinosaur roar. He also likes to make me dinner in his kitchen and he'll whip up a batch of pancakes or cook up some eggs. I also enjoy listening to him "call" people on the phone. He likes to say: "Hi. How are you doing this morning?" Then he'll add some other things in and close with, "Call me back! Love you!"
• Books. This boy loves his books. (And I love that he loves his books.) There are times where he loves to just sit down and look through a pile of books. Bringing home a stack of books is like Christmas morning to him. With his reading nook in his bedroom, he enjoys sitting in his chair and looking through book after book. He also loves having us read to him. I can't wait to start reading chapter books to him!
• He's always been a good sleeper. Except for some random periods throughout the year, he generally sleeps 10-12 hours a night and takes a 2-3 hour afternoon nap. This very week, he'll be transitioning from his crib to a full size bed. I hope it won't upset his good sleep habits.
• He can be very hit and miss about food. We still keep the processed sugar to a minimum, but we do allow him to have treats from time to time. He can be very generous about sharing treats, which I think is the sweetest thing. He eats a fair amount of fruits and vegetables. Some favorites include: broccoli, celery, peppers, carrots, bananas, blueberries, apples, and pears. He still enjoys eating his special recipe oatmeal every morning for breakfast. One of his favorite restaurants is Red Robin which he knows as the noodle place. :)
• He is an awesome big brother. He seemed to have little to no qualms welcoming Ezra to our family and is so good with him. He is gentle, likes to make him smile, brings him toys and is all around a fabulous big brother. I hope he and Ezra will always be close.
• One of my favorite stories this year is when we went to dinner at Marrakesh and found him to be positively enamored with the belly dancer. It was one of the funniest things I've witnessed in my life.
• Caiden has really gotten to know his older cousin Christian this year. And he positively adores him. So much so that when B asked Caiden what he wanted to be when he grows up, he responded: "Christian." My heart just melted when he said that. He just has the best time whenever Christian is here for a visit, and Christian is so good with him. I am so happy that Caiden got to have Christian here to celebrate his birthday this year.
• It hasn't all been roses this year. Caiden has had many days where the terrible twos have been in full force. Tantrums have become a big part of our lives, and they aren't fun. We've been trying to do a better job of using empathy to help diffuse the situation, and it often works quite well. But there are days when we are all on a short rope, and patience and empathy go right out the window. Caiden has had his fair share of time outs either on the stairs or in his room. We're trying real hard to give him words for his feelings when he is upset, but it is a challenge. I do look forward to him maturing even further and getting to a point where we can more frequently use reasoning with him. 
• There are also many more situations where Caiden wants to exert his independence. He likes to do things for himself even if nearly half the time his attempts make him frustrated and upset. But like anything, the more he practices, the better he gets. :)
• Potty training continues to be a challenge. We've tried a few times, but he just doesn't seem interested yet. He wants to wear his Buzz & Woody underwear and/or pull ups, but he doesn't remember to communicate when he needs to go. We've put the process on hold again and will see if he tells us he is ready to try in another month or two.
• He totally gets the presents thing now. This Christmas and birthday he was all about opening more presents and helping other people open theirs when he didn't have one.
• He really knows his family. He recognizes everyone in pictures and calls them out by name. He can even do this with older pictures.
• He's not as affectionate as he used to be. He will still give hugs and kisses, but often it is on his terms. Often times he will tell me (or B), "No - stop doing that" when we try and ruffle his hair or scratch his back or tickle him. I had figured he would eventually get this way, but it still makes me a little sad.
• He shows empathy to other kids. We were at B's office's summer BBQ last summer, and a little boy had fallen in the bounce house and was laying on his tummy and crying. Caiden laid down right next to him and started patting his back and telling him it was ok. So sweet!!

I know there is so so so much more that he has done or said this past year that I want to remember, but it's hard to recall in one sitting. I might come back and update this entry as things come to me. In the meantime, here are some pictures showing just how much he has grown up.

Birth Day

1 Year Old

2 Years Old

3 Years Old

Happy 3rd Birthday Caiden!! I love you!!!!!