Boys, you're three. THREE!



My babies are three, and I adore them. I feel very very lucky to be their mama. When I was pregnant, and even since, people have told me that parenting can be hellish and for little reward. I just don't agree. I adore it. I think it's the biggest privilege in my life. Sure, bed time is a circus every.single.night, and my patience wears thin [sometimes more than sometimes], but I never wish I was anywhere else. I've never wished it away. I'm lucky x

Roc,

You're three, going on 34. In the weeks leading up to your birthday, you were telling anyone who'd listen that you were "two now, but next week, at my birfday, I will be sirty-four". You just want to be like your daddy.

You are still the world's biggest talker.  You narrate every minute of the time you're awake. Your language is extraordinary in fact. You know words, concepts and ideas that make me gasp out loud in shock. You're a rapid visual learner, so you can read lots of sight words and are obsessed with spelling. You read everything in sight and want to know what it says if it's a word you don't know.

Your tantrums ended almost as rapidly as they began (thank goodness), and you are generally a happy, delighted and delighful little boy.

You sneak into our bed at about 6am each day for snuggles and you are just beside yourself with happiness when you do. You curl up close with your daddy and I hear you whisper "I love you" to him. Then you creep across to me, put your tiny hands on my cheeks and tell me you love me too. Then you fall into a happy slumber with a smile on your face. You are a very very affectionate little boy.

You're big now too. Really big. So tall! I look at you tearing around the back garden and find it so hard to believe that when you were first born all ten of your fingers wrapped around the very tip of my pinkie finger. You were so so tiny.

You adore singing. And you can sing! Whenever we're out and about people come up to you and tell you you have the voice of an angel and it's such a delight to hear you singing without any self-consciousness. Your favourite tune (which is rapidly becoming my least favourite, if I'm honest, because it's all I hear!) is the Morningtown Ride by The Seekers. You love it. You even sing it every day you're at kindy for your class.

You are so like me in so many ways - eager to please, a memoriser, a chatterbox, always trying to make people smile, just a little bit bossy, and more than a bit OCD (remind me to tell you about the blankets!). And in so many physical ways you're so much like your daddy. You're a version of him in miniature. Like twins :)

You don't like being alone. But we're working on getting you to enjoy 'self-directed play' (or so they call it).

We are immensely proud of you, you chirpy, clever, happy, singing angel.

All the love in the universe,
Your Mama

My darling Hamey-bear,

Happy third birthday, angel-boy.

I just adore you, my baby. You are so soft, and so gentle. You're always ready for a cuddle and there's nothing better than feeling your precious soft cheek against mine.

You are obsessed with Thomas and his friends. You know all their names - every single last one. You know if they're "steamies" or "diesels". You know which ones need what coal. You know which have tenders and which have carriages. Which 'huff', and which 'puff'.

You take a collection with you to bed every single night. Some nights, I'm surprised there's any room for you at all. But you insist. And later on, just before he goes to bed himself, your daddy sneaks in and removes them all from your gentle grasp and puts them on your bedside table.

You're perfectly content with your own company, and happy to play in your own imagination. You love books and insist on two stories every night. One from a book, and one "from your mouth mummy". And then you need a song. You usually pick the rainbow song, but sometimes you want something from deep within your own imagination and then mine gets a work-out!

You're a little chatterbox and you're starting to give Roc a run for his money. You have started asserting yourself more and more and simply shouting over the top of him if he doesn't stop to let you get a word in!

And even thought you're so big now - THREE! - you're still my baby. You come in for cuddles at 5am every morning, which I know I will miss when you stop. You're a wriggler, so not much more sleeping happens at my end after that, but you just need me to be snuggled up against you. "Mummy tucks" are the best thing in your world I think.

If you ask Daddy though, I think he'd say that when you launch yourself at him, throw your arms around his neck, and squeeeeeeeze out the biggest hug you can muster, that nothing can beat it.

I love you so much my kind, gentle, sweet, funny little boy.

All the love in the universe
Mamaxxx