I’m officially a mom of a three year-old. Bub himself tells me these days that he’s not a baby anymore. He’s a “kid” now.
When my nephew turned three a while back, my sister said that the first few years of a child’s life should really be spread out across several years. It would give us time to figure out the whole baby thing and most importantly, give us time to really enjoy them when they’re small and so cute. Because in reality, damn, do they grow up fast.
From year two to year three, Bub:
Expanded his vocabulary like crazy - when he first turned two, he could string a couple words together and now, he speaks in full articulate sentences
Learned (most of) the alphabet (he’s still working on his flash cards with Grandpa)
Learned to count to 20 (almost - he still says “eleventeen”)
Can pee on the potty and has pooped on the potty a few times
Lost his chubby toddler cheeks, grew three inches, and gained 10 pounds
Can sing songs and dance
Can play with toys using his imagination
Can run around at full-speed (down store aisles, around the kitchen island, across the soccer field)
Has watched entire movies and shows (and is obsessed with the Avengers)
A year ago, I could carry him around without my shoulders aching. And, I could carry him wherever I wanted. These days, everywhere we go, whatever we do requires a conversation. He has strong opinions now. He can charm and negotiate. He expresses himself through stronger emotions. Leaner and taller, he can reach and climb higher. He can be trusted to fetch things upstairs on his own, play independently while I shower, and feed Buddha all by himself. He often tells me, “Mama, you stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Being alone with him isn’t as much of a chore anymore. It’s more like spending time with a buddy. This time last year, I didn’t let him watch any TV, nor was he interested. Now, he watches two to three hours a day. It’s not something I’m proud of, but it gives us the break we need as parents. Plus, it gives us another thing to bond over. I now know the names of all of Spider-Man’s friends, his vehicles, and his villains. On the bright side, we read a lot more. Moving beyond board books, we can read for longer because his attention span has grown. It’s amazing what he can remember and help me remember.
These days, one of my favorite things to do with him is cook. He’ll help me crack eggs (still working on keeping the shells separate) and add and mix the ingredients. Steve says the activities we do together will only get more fun.
As each year goes by, I enjoy him more. Not because he becomes more enjoyable, but because I’m learning how to enjoy being a parent. When he first turned two, I still obsessed about feeding him a healthy diet, keeping him away from every imaginable toxin, and making the right decisions all the time. Over the past year, I’ve learned to relax when he eats a non-organic grape, goes anywhere with Steve, or watches one too many hours of TV. Perhaps because he’s older and not a baby anymore. Perhaps because I really am letting go of the facade of being a perfect parent.
I’m not sure what year three to year four will bring. I am sure, however, that it’ll involve more patience, more awareness of my own downsides, more letting him figure things out on his own. It’ll require calming myself down when he goes to school for the first time. It’ll demand me releasing feelings of guilt when his little sister is born and I can’t focus all of my attention on him. It’s truly bittersweet to watch him grow, but more sweet than bitter as I watch him discover more about himself and the world. Thanks for choosing me to be your mama, Bub. Happy three years to us ❤️
