My Bubba is 3

My Bubba Bear turned 3 years old this past month.  It is hard for me to grasp that he has been with us for 3 year already!  These past 3 years have simply flown by.

This year, Bubba accomplished so much!

- He started "school" two days a week this past fall.  He went on Tuesdays and Thursday with Miss Rose & Miss Jenny at the wonderful preschool at the church we attend.  He cried the first few times I left him, but this being my 3rd, I knew he'd stop crying moments after I left him.  And he did.  He grew to LOVE school.  Asked every morning, "I go school today?".  He started school as my little baby but left it this May as my big, independent little man.  I cherished the moments when I picked him up.  He would slow me down as we took he long way to walk to the car, or sat on the bench in the courtyard watching all the children get picked up to go home.  It was sweet time with just him.

- He started taking so much more this year.  I love that I can have a conversation with him and completely (well, almost) understand him.  From, "Mom, Mom, I eat!" to "No take nap.  Nap is yuchy!!", this little man gets his feelings out and tells us exactly what he wants.  He still gets frustrated and fusses but all I need to do is remind him that he needs to use his words or show me what he wants and that usually calms him down enough to get his message across.

- He loves to get tucked into bed (he is in his convertible crib with no side - makes into a toddler bed) with a special song each night.  "Snuggle Puppy" by Sandra Boyton is a book that I used to read to his sister & brother when they were younger.  I made it into a song and it has stuck.  Now he MUST have it sung to him by myself or Matt each night. If both of us are in the room, he directs who sings what part by putting his tiny hand over our mouth when he wants us to "hush". He typically does this to me, as his Daddy is his favorite.

- Speaking of his Dad, this boy LOVES his Daddy.  Runs to him when he gets home after work, insists on Dad doing things for him, and is his little magnet on the weekends.  Matt loves it and so do it.  Brody was just the same way when he was Bubba's age.

- Potty Training. Sigh.  It's not happening.

- He is so BRAVE!!  We took him to Schlitterbahn last week and he wanted to ride all the rides the big kids went on - he had his own tube and went down all the relatively calm rapid rides.  He tried most everything until we went on a new ride and his tube dumped over - there was a lifeguard right there to scoop him up. He much preferred the Toddler Areas after that but we did get him on one more ride at the end of the day - he didn't care.

- He sleeps with a "lovey" which Matt calls "Froggy" (it's manly I guess) and his blanket - they are with him all morning long - my little Linus.

- He has given up his nap.  Sigh again.  On days we are home, he is down in his bed but I can hear him playing during "nap time".  Some days, when we are lucky, he falls asleep.

- He loes to be read to and in the car, he will grab a book and read to himself, making up the story as he goes along.  I love it.

The thing that I love the most about this little man is how easy going he is.  He goes with the flow of the big kids and has all of his life.  He fits right in with everyone, wanting to do everything they are doing (I guess that is where his bravery comes into play).  He is lovable, laughs a lot, and makes us immeasurably happy.

I love this little man.