Andy, 3 years 5 months

How do I even begin to describe Andy at this age? He has an insane amount of energy, he's excited about everything, he makes everything so FUN, and he has such a sweet, kind heart.  He has such a big personality.  The highs are very high and the lows are very low. :)  He knows exactly what he wants.  He's smart--he knows how to get what he wants and has master manipulation techniques.  He loves people.  He loves his friends.  He knows how to connect with people, and surprises me with the social intelligence a 3-year-old can have.  Some things to remember about him lately:

• He's starting to have a pretty full schedule.  He loves being busy and having all his different activities.  We started joy school with a group in our neighborhood, and he loves it.  He especially loves when it's our turn to host.  He did soccer this fall.  He loved it.  I don't think he understood completely what was going on or the point of the game.  But he had a great time!  I'm hoping he grasps it a little better this spring.  He just finished another round of swimming lessons.  He took lessons with his friend Cayden (which I loved--I got to chat with my friend Amy, Cayden's mom).  They had a blast together!  We didn't love their teacher as much this time around, but it was still a good experience.  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Joy School group.

  

  First day of swimming lessons, round 2. 

  

  Silly boys on the last day of swimming lessons.

• He loves to be busy and leave the house.  He's always asking me, "What's next?"  Like--where are we going next? 
• This boy loves to eat.  I'm always amazed at how much food he can put down.  He'll eat 2-3 slices of pizza.  Full adult slices!  
• He's big! 38-39 lbs.  And tall.  He's taller than most kids who are a year older.  
• He's so kind and sweet.  If one of us is sick, he goes to get us medicine.  He gets Max's binky when he's sad, he gets Max's toys for him.  He has a good heart and is always watching out for us.  
• He loves Max.  He tries to play with him a lot now, but he's too rough a lot of the time.  And he's having a hard time now that Max likes to play with his toys.  But really he loves Max to pieces and lives to make him laugh.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• He's persistent.  He will sit and try to negotiate with me for twenty minutes on the number of bites he needs to eat of his dinner.  He's such a negotiator.  And a lot of the time, he doesn't even phrase things like a question.  He just tells me the way it's going to be and hopes he gets away with it.  
• Which brings me to another point--he's a pretty picky eater these days.  He's always been on the picky side, but it seems to be worse lately.  If it's not one of his go-to foods (eggs, toast, cheese, yogurt, etc.), he doesn't want it.  Even when we say, "This is our dinner.  You don't get anything else to eat," he'll just refuse it and skip dinner.  
• Like I mentioned earlier, I'm so impressed with his social skills.  He holds doors open for me now.  I've never asked him to do it, and Cameron doesn't do it, so I don't know where he learned that.  He's just very considerate.  And when Cameron gets home, he often says, "Daddy, how was your work?" Ummm...lots of adults don't think to ask questions like that.  
• Loves TV.  Oh my goodness, he asks me ALL day, "Mama...watch something?  Just for one minute?"  I never give in and let him watch more than his daily allotment, but he just keeps asking.  Like I said, this boy is nothing if not persistent.  He loves Wallykazam, Paw Patrol, Mickey.  Pretty much anything on Disney Jr. or Nick Jr.  
• Potty-trained.  Kind of.  I still put him in diapers during nap-time and at night.  And he usually reserves pooping for one of those times.  He'll all of a sudden have a day every few weeks where he has 2-3 accidents too.  Not sure what that's about.  
• He had his first trip to the dentist, and was a champ! 

  

  My Aunt Steph was the best with him.

• He's starting to say funny things.  The other day, he was brushing my make-up brushes all over his face, put on this flower headband I have, and put on some of my fuzzy socks then announced, "I'm ready to get married!" He makes me laugh all day long.  
• His favorite things to do are painting, going to the museum (discovery gateway), playing at the park, playing with friends, seeing grandparents, going to the store (especially the hot dog store AKA Costco where he is obsessed with samples), playing hide-and-seek, and playing with friends.  

  

  A hiding spot during hide and seek. 

  

  He loves the library.  This picture cracks me up. :)

  
  
  

  

  Another hiding spot.

• He's very into dressing himself these days.  Outfit of choice is a long sleeve shirt, shorts, and his boots.  Ha.  And he thinks he looks good.  :) 
  
  
  

  

  What, you don't wear socks with your flip flops?

• He loves to be silly.  He's always singing songs with gibberish words or coming up with silly names for things.  

  

  He's full of laughter! So many giggles all day long.  

  
  
  
  
• He can still throw a tantrum to be reckoned with.  I don't think it's as bad as a year or so ago, but every few days we deal with it.  This kid feels things really intensely.  
• He loves to take pictures.  My phone is has hundreds and hundreds of his pictures.  Most are pictures of the floor and walls, but some are pretty cute.  I need to do a post of some of the good ones. 

  

  Taking some shots at Sara's wedding.

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  He also loves to have his picture taken and he's always asking me to take his picture.

  
• He loves to help me cook and bake.  As soon as he notices I'm starting to make something, he rushes over, grabs his stool, and wants to help.  
  

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  Loves to clean.  He sweeps up my piles.  He helps clean windows.  Lots of times I come in to get him from naps and he's using a million wipes to clean his walls.  :) 
• He sleeps pretty well.  Goes down for the night at 7 or 8.  He's always been an early riser, and tends to wake up about 6:15-6:45.  I would say he naps about 25% of the time.  On the days he never falls asleep, he does quiet time in his room.  He does the funniest things while he's in there.  He'll put all of his socks on or all his ties on or line up all his books in a line on the floor.  He does some not quite as funny things too.  Lately, he's really into changing his own diaper.  If he poops, he just cleans himself up, with wipes and everything.  Occasionally he does a pretty good job, but more often there is poop EVERYWHERE.  He's also peed down his vent.  And he told me all about it, like he was so proud.  He's a character, this one.  

How we love our Andy.  He makes our lives exciting!