Ethan, at Three

 

Ethanbear!  My lovebug.  I know that you have gotten taller, gained weight, and moved up a couple of shoe sizes this year, but I think it is your big heart that I will think of most of all when I think of you at three.

You are just overflowing with hugs and kisses these days.  You love to tell me and everyone else that you love them.  You’ll yell it, whisper it in our ears, even flash us the sign in sign language.  You’ve hugged family, friends, dogs and goats.  No one is left out of being showered with affection.  You especially love your brother, always checking to make sure he is right with us, and looking out for his well-being.

In fact, you simply love people.  We can be just about anywhere and you will stop to watch and listen to the people around us.  You love to connect with just about anyone.  You invited the grocery clerk and the hairdresser to your birthday party.  You love to say hello and tell people some interesting information about your life, such as “I brush my teeth every day.  Do you brush your teeth every day?” At MyGym, you will give a little speech before you try a new activity, letting people know what you plan to do and how you feel about it: “I will balance all by MYSELF and I will not be scared or fall down!”   You just find so much joy in connecting with people.  And people love you – your smile can just light up a room.  You make friends very easily – adult and child alike.

You love to be helpful.  You will dust, vacuum, wash dishes, help me cook, do the laundry.  Anything that keeps you involved with me and that makes you feel proud and useful.  It is just part of your generous spirit.  You usually have no problem taking turns, giving a toy to someone who wants it and doing whatever it takes to make them smile.  I am amazed by your selflessness.  You almost always care more about someone else’s feelings than you do about a toy or other object.  How you have developed such empathy at this age, I will never know.  But I admire it, and you, very much.

You are a nurturer as well.  You offer hugs when someone is upset or hurt.  I’ve heard you say to Lucas “It’ll be okay,” “You’ll feel better soon,” and “I’ll keep you safe.”  I hurt my leg the other day and your entire demeanor changed, comforting me, offering me hugs, kisses and rubs.  This same sensitivity provides you with very strong emotions.  You are very scared of certain sounds: hand dryers, bathroom fans, and blenders especially.  You will practically jump into my arms when confronted with one of these.  When you are mad, you scream and turn red in the face.  When you are sad, you will fall to the ground wailing.  When you are happy you will also scream and turn red in the face; it is just accompanied by a huge, beautiful smile!  But you also take the time to enjoy the quiet moments we spend together – cuddling, reading, telling stories around the dinner table. 

My little comedian.  You love to make people laugh.  In fact, earlier this year you went through a phase where you would find something funny and then replay it, making sure we were laughing too – in fact, demanding that we laugh.  You make funny faces, create funny new words, change the words in songs,  and tell silly stories all in the hope that you will get some laughs.  And you do, because you are truly hilarious.  I smile and laugh in your company so much – you are great fun to be around.

You are a bundle of energy.  You have developed some concentration this year, joining your brother in the lining up of cars.  You also love to pour and scoop beans on our little tray in the kitchen.    However, you are happiest when you can dance around, run around and be LOUD.  You sing, talk and scream at the top of your lungs.  Although this happens at the dinner table a little too often, I am truly energized by your spirit and inspired by your love of life.  You seem very comfortable in your own skin – confident about who you are and what you have to say.  I just love that!

You look for feedback from me and your Dad.  You want to know that you are a good boy and did something well.  You feel an incredible sense of pride when you know you have made someone happy.  Just to note - you are a very, very good boy and you make your daddy and I very, very happy.

You love language.  Like your brother, you love to hear and tell stories.  Yours usually involve the things that scare you: tornadoes, hand driers, and fans.  It is a great way to work out your fears – putting these items into stories where they are harmless and silly.    You grasp vocabulary and language incredibly well, just like your dad.  You taught yourself letter sounds and started reading before you turned three.  You can write many of your letters without anyone showing you how.  You LOVE to spell words that you see or that you have memorized.  Any way that you can enhance your communication, you will give it a shot.  You just have so much to say and so much love to give.

You make some things SO easy, which you dad and I appreciate.  You are a great eater and almost never complain about eating anything we present you.  You pretty much potty-trained yourself, which was a huge favor you did us!  You will answer a sweet little “okay” when I ask you to put your toys away and put your shoes on.  Thanks, buddy.

Your favorite things include oatmeal, the color orange, playing with cars and trucks, dancing to the Can-Can, the tuba, pretending to do ballet, screaming, riding your scooter, talking with people, eating mint chocolate chip ice cream, spelling, and most of all, hugs and kisses.

My little lovebug, you were a bundle of joy when you were born and you just bring us more and more joy all the time.  You Dad and I love you very much and am so glad that you are our big three year old boy!