To Henry on your 3rd birthday

Henry Kai. What a boy!! Like every mom, on every birthday, I echo the mantra: "I can't believe you're...." in this case- 3!

As I was filling out your birthday card tonight, I took extra care to write your name in clear capital letters. Because you know how to spell your name, and you know how to read your name. You even know your name using lower case letters. You can identify most letters even in lowercase. It cracks me up to hear you say "Capital I, lowercase i" while making play dough worms. You're getting really good at manipulating playdough, making snakes and "pasta" and circles. You can write the letter H, and almost E. (it usually has 4 horizontal lines). You lose patience though pretty quickly. You don't have the natural skill with a pen/crayon/paintbrush that your sister had at this age, but I'm still so impressed with your recognition and spelling! You know how to spell Lucy's name too, and recognize it in print. And what you lack in writing skills, you exceed with scissor skills! You can cut circles!

What you've really impressed me with lately is your love for the planets! Lucy had a couple of weeks of learning about planets in her science lessons, and we added in some extra books and "lap-book" creations to really sink in our learning. I was learning a lot myself about planets. But YOU son, you know the names of all the planets, and recognize most of them by picture/photograph, and you know characteristics of them, like "I like Neptune because it's blue". (I just learned that Neptune was blue this past month!) Daddy has retrieved his most beloved book from childhood, a national geographic book about the universe. You ask to read from it by saying "Let's talk about Venus, Dad!" and you and daddy go through that book like astronomical geniuses! It is with awe and pride that I listen to you two!

It's hard to see here, but you used this necklace around your waist to tell me that you were Saturn planet with rings.

You have a sing-songy voice, so grown up with a huge vocabulary. However, you have several sounds and letter blends that you cannot articulate. The Museum of Bite is your favorite place, Ludy is your favorite sister, Panes dat By (planes that fly) are your favorite toys, and you can count to 14. One, two, bee, four, fibe, dix.....

You love being outside in our garden. You've created a game called "sticks and leaves" out in our rhododendron bush! And you enjoy watering our container garden of veggies. By some miracle you eat the snap peas and mizuna (you call "yettuce") straight off the plant, which is the main reason I work so hard at killing (er, trying to grow) a garden in the first place!! You are a VERY picky eater. Lettuce is NOT on your list, but you are eating them from the hardly any left mizuna plant! Go figure! (That is a bitter lettuce/mustard green by the way!)

Luckily, you have an affinity for ice cream!

You used to sleep. Through the night even. For a long time. The last few months you've decided to wake up at 2 every single night and demand to sleep in my bed, which is where you then proceed to flap and wap until you're horizontal in our king size bed, with feet in daddy's skull. You successfully make Daddy believe it will be more comfortable in Lucy's bed. You know it's BAD!! We gotta figure something else out! Perhaps a big boy airplane bed will do the trick??

This is a morning when Lucy had joined us too! That little sliver by your head is my spot.

You are still very attached to me, in many ways. You prefer me and won't go to Sunday School if I'm not your teacher. You don't really like people, and even your friends tend to drive you crazy with their toddler ways. Like oh, wanting to touch your toys! Melt down city with every playdate, keeps us struggling to help you learn how to share and how to love. You're getting better. But we kept your birthday party small, for the sake of sanity. You had 2 friends over, and that was just perfect for you. Only one set of tears! We had a Dusty Crophopper theme, with pinata and ice cream cake, and lots of airplane balloons. I made your favorite treat of rice krispie treats in the shapes of airplanes. I know, mom of the year!

This is actually an aiplane shaped quesadilla!

You're so tall, and skinny. You have great climbing skills, but you seem a little lacking in energy for a 2 year old. I can't help but think you are low in some vitamin, despite supplements, since your diet is not too varied. Hoping to clarify that at your next doctor's appointment this week.

Finally, you have a great ear for music. Your current favorite CD in the car is Suessical the Musical! You'll make up new words to old tunes, and have pretty good rhythm. You don't really like to dance, like your sister and I do, but you are singing lots and lots. It's so sweet to hear.

I can't exactly fit you into one snapshot, but this touches on some of the major parts of your life right now, to help me remember these precious days! Happy Birthday Henry Kai!