Three Years Old

How true is this saying?

"The days are long, but the years are short."

Our baby boy turns THREE today....wow. It feels like just yesterday that I was on bedrest awaiting his arrival. And then I look around and see him today as he was driving his remote-controlled car all around the house, laughing, being mischevious -- in other words -- being a LITTLE BOY!!! He is growing and changing everyday....and we couldn't be prouder!!

Here are some of the little things about our boy that make him uniquely "Charlie" :

• He loves to laugh, to make us laugh, to pretend like he is always in on the joke. He seems to always have that twinkle in his eye! :)
• He is quite the stubborn little guy, he definitely wants things his way!! But he is learning, slowly but surely, how to be patient, how to follow rules, and how to share (we are working alot on these things!!)
• He is not really a great eater as of late --- his favorite food is mac and cheese (just like his mommy!), any fruit, hot dogs, fish sticks, cake, and "bis-ga-detti"....or as most people call it, spaghetti. We can't get him to eat ANY veggies, so V8 fusion has become a staple in his diet.
• He loves Pop-tarts, any time of day, and doesn't seem to understand why he can't eat these for every meal. ***FYI: When I was pregnant with Charlie, we nicknamed him "Poptart" because we didn't want to call him peanut like everyone else. This irony is not lost on us!! We have decided to name all future babies vegetable names during any future pregnancies in the hopes that this will affect their eating habits accordingly.:)
• He loves any and all things outside -- swimming, playing in the dirt, playing with the animals, riding the tractor, finding "smells" (snails), getting the mail and paper, and just being allowed to roam.
• His favorite toys are any and all things THOMAS!!! His favorite TV show is THOMAS. His favorite books are THOMAS. His favorite coloring books are THOMAS. His favorite "big-boy underwear" is THOMAS. (We have become very knowledgeable about the Island of Sodor.)
• He loves his school (TCP), his friends, his teachers, and the playground. He is learning so much!!! We love to hear what new song/story he learns each day -- what a little 'sponge' he is!! He still loves letters and numbers, and loves to sing (current favorite song is either "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or "Away in a Manger"....and yes, we do know it is August, but that song still gets sung at least once a day)
• He is a Daddy's boy and Mommy's baby, and he knows how to milk it!! :) He has got his Daddy wrapped around his little finger (and his Mommy not far behind). He is a snuggler and a hugger, and we love it and are enjoying it as long as it lasts!
• He is learning to pray and talk to God....some of his "thank you's" are so funny ("Thank you God for carrot sticks and eyebrows") but we are so glad that he is beginning the process of learning to talk openly with God! We always end his bedtime prayers with "Thank you God for always woving (loving) me!" It is precious to hear him say these words, and we pray that he comes to understand one day just how much God really does love him!

We can't wait to see how he continues to grow and change into the boy and then one day (gulp!!), the man that God wants him to be!! We love you so much, buddy!!

***Pictures to follow soon!!