grady turns THREE

dear grady,

oh my goodness! i can't believe you just turned 3 a few weeks ago! THREE! my little/big boy is growing up so so fast... too fast. it makes me sad thinking of how quickly the last three years have gone - kind of a blur. you aren't a toddler anymore! but it does make me happy to think back on all the amazing things we have been able to experience with you - from your first smile smile, step & word... to your huge belly laughs, crazy acrobatics and never ending babbling (in sentences even)! each stage you go through I say "this is the funnest (is that even a word?) stage so far"... then a few months later "no this is the funnest stage so far"...and it continues, each milestone better and better - makes me smile thinking of what lies ahead :-)

you growing up...

from 7lbs, 5.6oz

1 day old, and had already been through so much...

we knew you were strong from day one :)

2 weeks old - newborn pictures

6 months

1 year

21 months

2 years

Now...

what a handsome little boy!

just a few things i LOVE about you 

(in no particular order):

-- the way you say "oh-chay" for orange & basically the way you have your own shortened or abbreviated word for just about everything. even dad and i catch ourselves talking 'grady-talk'

-- the way you get so excited about your books at night, and have to read the SAME ONES over and over for months at a time before accepting new suggestions.

-- the way you light up and say "ma home!" each time i walk in the door & the way you say "ok! bye! have fun! love you!" when someone leaves

-- the way you LOVE cars...all cars, trucks, planes, etc-you're slightly obsessed. we actually took you to the store recently to buy you a brand new bike for your birthday, and you threw an absolute fit because you wanted a $1 hot wheels car instead (i told you we didn't come to the store for another car - so we left with you screaming... no bike, no car - sorry).

-- the way you know your way around the city better than i do (at least anywhere between exits 181-206). you will tell us which way to go to get to the fire dept, gymnastics, to see trains, tractors, or airplanes, the mall, krisitn's  mom's or dad's work, and your favorite stores. you can also pick out any McDonalds, anywhere!

-- the way you love your little brother & your cute ways of showing him - hugging him, kissing him, getting toys for him, showing concern when he crys, or simply just talking about him. (but yes, there are also many times you are a little TURD to him too, and still do those big brother things like pushing him down or taking toys away just to hear him squeal).

-- how you decided to go "potty" outside for the first time at our 1-year photo session at the beach, and instead of going pee-pee, you took a big POO on the sand. i may have been slightly embarrassed at the time, but you were SO PROUD :)

-- how you can alway make me laugh & smile - no matter how good or bad a day i've had

-- how happy you are, just about always :)

...and so much more!

you:

have been potty-trained for almost a year now with less than a handful of accidents

know all your colors & numbers 1-20

are starting to sing songs on your own (very cute)

can get your shoes on and off now on your own (velcro kind)

can occasionally get your undies, pants, shirts on...but that's still a work in progress

go to bed now around 8 or so (it seams to get later and later these days... hoping it's just a summer thing)

still take 1 mid-day nap a day (and usually fight it), but you're a mess without it

wake up each day around 6:30 (sometimes earlier, usually no later...UGH). i am learning to accept this ;)

are so independent now, it's scary. one of your favorite phrases is "no ma, i wanna do it. i gonna do it by self".

are so dang smart & pick up on everything soooo easy. can't wait for you to start preschool this fall - you will do so great :)

i am so thankful for each and every day i get to spend with you and each day i get to watch you grow. each day brings something new - something that makes me love you even more than i did the day before (if that is even possible), something to make me smile and laugh about, and something for daddy and i to talk proudly about before we fall asleep at night. you are the light of our life. 

we love you dizzle bean

love, mom

3 year check-up stats:

35 pounds & 39 inches - just about 75 percentile for both!