3 Years Old

Fletcher James. Fletchy wetch. Fletchy Fletch. Today marks your third birthday. You've grown so much in those 3 years that at time I forget just how tiny you once were.  Your first 4 months when you were jaundiced and not gaining weight quickly because of it, you were a skinny little guy.  You were tall and skinny, and for some reason, I just figured you'd always be that way.  Three years later, you've found your appetite and have outpaced your siblings by far in terms of physical growth. We go to the doctor in a couple weeks when we'll find out for sure.

You love to talk...constantly. You narrate your own playtime and say some of the most hilarious things in the process.  You always greet me the second I get home with a rundown of what you did that day and what toys you played with. You also ask questions...about everything. And if you don't really have a question, you just point at the first thing you see and say, "What's that." The other day, you pointed at every building on our way to the store and asked "What's that" about each one.

You still have a very healthy appetite, as long as it is something you chose. There are definitely meals where you eat very little, but you always make it for it the next time we have one of your favorite foods like pancakes, waffles, or fish sticks. You also ask for a "TR" after every meal, which is short for treat. You're brother and sister would spell the word instead of saying it to avoid catching your attention, but now I am pretty sure you think TR means treat.

You've reached that age where your personality is emerging more and more every day. One unique trait that I tend to attribute to you being a third child is that you are great at playing by yourself. You don't need to be entertained.  You have a strong imagination that you use all of the time. You often pretend you're an astronaut or a pilot (more specifically a test pilot). You're generally doing things that involve noise you make with your mouth to sound like an engine, that also involved you spitting a ton and slobbering all over your shirt.

You love to play rough with your brother, which is something I was not entirely prepared for.  Star Wars, spies, space exploration, super heroes, and dogs all make frequent appearances in our home, and usually end up in some sort of battle. You also love legos, especially the ones that belong to your dad and your siblings.  Your sister's space shuttle is your current favorite.

You, like your siblings, sleep consistently and well.  I swear that God knows how much I need sleep, so he gave me three kids that all sleep very well.  You still use a binky when you sleep, so we need to start working on getting rid of that. You still look so precious when you sleep though, especially when the binky falls out of your mouth.

I love you more than words can describe. You will always be my baby boy, even though I am pretty sure that you're going to be the tallest of all my children.  I am so grateful that God blessed our family with you three years ago, and I am looking forward to the many more years of blessings you'll bring to our lives.