As the typical 3-year-old, you certainly give us plenty of sass and defiance on certain days. Especially when you've gone without sleep (um, hello Independence Day...can you turn down the volume on the fireworks???).

But I have to say that your 3-year-old self is also quite the pleasant little guy to be around. Pleasant and very polite.

One day, a couple of weeks ago, you and Mommy were playing trucks in the front yard. I, always with the annoying need to be doing something productive, was pulling weeds out of the sidewalk while we were playing. (Yes, I can push a truck and pull weeds at the same time.) You decided this would be a fabulous load for the bucket on your truck and began loading the weeds into it to dump into the grass. Load after load. And every time I handed you more weeds to load, you said, "Thank you, Mommy!" Every time. So, so cute.

You've also started to express yourself when you've done something that might hurt someone. Like when you come barreling into me and collide with my knee and I yell, "OUCH!" There's this automatic, "I'm sorry!" that jumps right out of you. Even when you step on the dog's tail. So caring.

On the affection end of the spectrum, you've also started to spontaneously say, "I love you, Mom!" (Or Dad as the case may be.) I'll be driving along as we carry on a conversation and you'll pop out with that one. I just melt every time. That affection also applies to when we drop you off at daycare. You have a routine that needs to be followed exactly: high five, hug and a kiss. And nowadays, even a honk of the horn that sends you and your pals into giggles.

At bedtime you want the same. And you always, when you're actually ready to fall asleep instead of playing in there after we leave, yell out, "Allright, Mom!" If I don't respond for any reason, you yell it louder. It's the signal that you're going to sleep on your terms and is often accompanied by another very sweet, "I love you!"

Posted on July 7, 2007 09:46 PM