Jonah is 3!

Jonah turned THREE last Friday! 

We had a pretty low-key day planned....but then we came out from Sam's Club to discover the van had a flat tire! (It's possible it was flat before we even left the house, and I just didn't notice?? Oops....). We got it changed quickly (thank you, Rescue Rangers!), and then Brandon was able to come switch vehicles, so he could take care of getting the tire patched, and I could get the kids home for naps. (PS - I am LOVING the slower-paced block Brandon has right now that gives him a little more flexibility!)

This mid-afternoon snuggle is brought to you by Geriatrics Block :)

But, back to our birthday boy....  In the days leading up to Jonah's birthday, he really ramped up the pathetic resignation of, "I can't...I'm too small. I'm two." There were so many things he refused to even try, insisting he was not capable. But on Friday, a switch flipped, and now it's all, "But I CAN, because I'm THREE, and I'm big!!" He thinks he can drive the van, hold his cup with one hand (FYI, he's kind of a big deal), watch TV whenever he wants, help me cook dinner, etc.

Jonah is doing SO WELL with his self-control and impulsivity. This was such a hallmark of Jonah at age two - LACK of self-control, that is. His hands were constantly all over everything! I have seen such improvement in this area over the past year, and I am so proud of him! We were at the park the other day, and another little boy rolled up in his police car power wheel, lights flashing and all. I could see Jonah slowly sidling himself up to the car, unable to resist the shiny lights. I gave him a cursory, "Jonah..." warning. He casually slipped his hands into his pockets and stopped about an inch away from the car. But he didn't touch it! I call that a victory.

We love this little boy! He is becoming more expressive and imaginative with his language, and it's fun to see what he comes up with. He is kind to his sister. He bounces. At home he, he ranges from loud and boisterous to quiet and engaged. When he meets new people, he often gets hyper and super goofy, but in large groups he is surprisingly shy and reserved until he warms up to the environment. He loves the zoo and story time and doing anything with Dad. He seems to have no sense of his body and personal space - one of his favorite things to do is throw his body around, often body slamming anyone who is nearby. He still naps every afternoon (yay!), but I have started cutting him off after 2.5-3 hours, because it seems to help him sleep in a bit later in the mornings. Although he's been "potty trained" for a few months, he still can't/won't navigate his clothing by himself (and he can't really aim!), so he is not able to go on his own yet. I'm not sure that actually counts as potty trained....but at least we're not using diapers anymore!

What a privilege to be his parents, to have a front row seat to witness the daily unfolding of his character and personality.