Three

Three years ago I was lying in a hospital bed feeling like I had been run over by a truck and dragged a few streets.  After twenty hours or so of labor and one hour and fifteen minutes of pushing... I gave birth to a baby boy who weighed less than six lbs at thirty nine and a half weeks. He was five lbs and eleven ounces. Tiny and feisty. 

 And today he's three. Still small and still feisty. My sister used to call him "little Texidor with a big attitude." Whatever he lacked in size he made up for in personality.

 His terrible twos were indeed terrible. In fact they started about 14 months, not long after he was walking and running. 

 Yet somehow, all of a sudden, he's three. And it actually appears as if the worst of the terrible twos is behind us. I can see our hard work in consistency and providing boundaries is paying off. He's polite. He's respectful for the most part. He may put up a big fuss about doing some things but his obedience levels have risen dramatically over the past few weeks.  His dad has noticed it too...so I know it's not just wishful thinking.

But the best part of all is the fun and imaginative side of him that has been emerging in recent weeks. I've always described Joel as determined and feisty. Now I have so many other adjectives to add to that list. It's as if age two was the long drum roll leading to this unveiling of age three.

 I don't know what three will look like going forward. But today, this little man of mine is a joy to be around. He loves to laugh. Sometimes in the car, I'll look back and smile at him. I mean it to be a silly smile. And he gets it. He smiles right back and we both break out in giggles. It's awesome. He loves cars just like his daddy. In fact, he knows what make and color other people drive. (Not specifically- he can't say my aunt drives a blue Honda CRV. But whenever he sees a car someone we know drives- the same style/ make, model, and color - he says, 'Look, its so and so') This attention to detail astonishes me.  He's a visual learner. He's learned his colors, shapes, numbers, and letters - pretty much on his own. He soaked it up from books and tv shows. He's one smart kid.

The thing I am most happiest about as he celebrates this third birthday is he is surrounded by love. His life is filled with his favorite things. I was thinking yesterday about all the things that Joel loves and blessed that all these things fill his life with joy.

  • He loves his brother. (One of the first things he asks me in the morning is, "Where's Alvaro?")
  • He loves his parents.  
  • He absolutely loves his grandparents and being at their houses. He walks into my mom's house and my in law's house as if he owns the place. (I am sure he's figured out that he pretty much does).
  • He love cars and planes.
  • He loves movies.
  • He loves music.
  • He loves playing with water.
  • He loves playing with his cousins.
  • He loves shoes. Especially flip flops.
  • He loves playing at the beach.
  • He loves painting. 
  • He loves his aunts and uncles and his big family.
  • He loves cakes and chocolate and "E-hops" (his word for lollipops).
  • He loves playing in the park.
I am so blessed that three years after what felt like the longest day of my life, Joel's life is full of love and joy. And I am even more blessed, that my life is full... of Joel. 
                  

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