It is insane that my little boy has turned 3 years old! I remember thinking about writing a post about him at two years old...and I still haven't gotten there! Ha. So here are some things I want to remember about Leo at 3.
This kid LOVES his bike! He started riding on an old hand-me-down bike last summer and has really come to be quite good at it. He has already begged for me to take his training wheels off, which I declined for now. I think he would be just fine to be on his bike from sun up to sun down if I let him. We are lucky to live in a cul-de-sac where he has lots of room to ride and good neighbor kids to play with. I am so glad it is getting warmer so we can spend lots of our day outside. He also loves riding the tricycle and scooter that we borrowed from Livi.
He still loves Daniel Tiger on PBS and has more recently gotten into Thomas the Train. I think he'd watch Word World every day, unfortunately it is only on once a week now and I can only stand watching the same episodes so many times.
Speaking of Thomas, he has developed a love of trains that matches his love of cars, almost. He knows all of the different trains on Thomas
(I can't tell most of them apart) and knows exactly which ones he hopes to get next. He got a train table and train set for Christmas and has spent many hours pushing those trains around the tracks. I'm glad we don't have to live at Barnes and Noble anymore :) However he still has a soft spot for anything with wheels! He loves when we have to get the oil changed or tires rotated and thought it was awesome when Nick's car wouldn't start and got to ride on a tow truck.
(Past bedtime on the other side of Houston, we didn't think that was quite as fun...)
Leo is funny. And he wants to be funny, which is funny. He is usually so happy and is always coming up with new ideas for us. He is considerate and very thoughtful for a 3 year old. He says "please" and "thank you" almost all of the time and will put his dishes in the sink when he is done. And he is SO loving! He frequently takes breaks from whatever he is doing to come tell me he loves me or give me a hug. He says "I love you" at least two dozen times a day and fights with me often over who loves who more. He loves to hug and cuddle but has recently started designating only one day a week where he leaves my kisses on...all of the other days he wipes them off. Below he is insisting to carry my purse for me and cuddling with Dad when they had a sleepover in his room...all part of a very elaborate plan to work up to camping in a tent :)
He LOVES letters. He has known his alphabet for quite some time now and is always trying to sound out words. He pretends to read all of the time and my favorite is when he tries to make up what is on the back of the books...it usually is something like "this sturdy book is the best in the whole wide world and is good for kids who like to read and..."
So far he can write 18 of his letters so that you can tell what they are every time
(since I started working on this post like a week ago he has pretty much mastered all 26 letters...he loves to practice writing!) The others I am sure will be quick to come...he is mostly mad at me that I want to only focus on practicing one new letter a day. Just today we wrote numbers 1-10. He very clearly can write his name and can spell "Leo Vernon" by himself. Again, he is mad at me that I haven't taught him "Nicholas" yet.
His drawings are getting more fun- he has started doing his version of a person and a car. He loves drawing on his magnadoodle and with a pen if I ever give him one. He is dying to go to "real school"
(not pretend school or pre-school) and when I ask him what he'll do there he says "learn with my friends". I just love his sweet innocence, not to mention his love for learning :)
Leo loves rules and is always very concerned about who is following the rules. We are lucky and able to do so many things because he is very cautious and worried about doing things as I've said. Like bake. He loves to bake and is pretty good at doing it without making a mess. He is not interested in anything that gets his hands messy but can stir just about anything and keep it all in the bowl. He also loves to play board games and is very good at following the instructions on how to really play. He is getting better at pretending
(thanks Livi!) but is very concerned with making sure everyone knows it is just pretend.
He loves bath time, although he will take a shower if he has to. He loves his bedtime routine and can tell anyone exactly what to do and in what order. He loves reading a story before bed and is getting really good at saying his own prayers. Below: bath time and new birthday jammies from Grammie.
For his birthday Leo got two new books from Grandma Lyndy and Grandadoo: Steam Train, Dream Train and Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site. They are really cute books and great for reading before bed. Leo already has them both completely memorized! And these aren't tiny little board books! For awhile I couldn't understand what he was always mumbling under his breath but then I would recognize it as a stanza from one of the books. He is a funny little guy with a real knack for memorization! Now most nights he "reads" to us.
Oh and does this boy love his daddy! I frequently tell Nick to never do anything wrong because I'm pretty sure Leo would follow him through fire. He can't wait for Dad to get home from work every day and I don't think he'd miss me if I was missing on the weekends when Dad is home to play ALL DAY! Consequently and obviously, Leo is a Broncos fan. And even though they lost, we had to show our Bronco support in the Super Bowl with some new jammies...although Leo did take a break from the game to play Eric Carle's ABC game...which we play at least a few times every single day. I told you, we LOVE letters around here.
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Leo was so proud to turn 3 so that he could go into his gym class by himself. Up until now we have been doing the mommy & me gymnastics class and I was worried about the transition, but he is thrilled to go in by himself...and I enjoy the little break I get to just sit and watch! He normally isn't the most daring kid around, and I doubt ever will be, but he is getting more brave in his class and I love to see him conquer not only new physical feats but his own fear too. And he can somersault like no one's business :)
We are currently in transition to a big bed. He loved his crib and never tried to get out so we let him stay in it until now. We have taken the side off and put the toddler rail on and he has done awesome- he is so excited about his new bed. And so far he has done really well with the clock we put in his room so that he stays in his bed all night. This week we took the toddler rail off his bed completely so it is basically just like a mini daybed. He still is doing awesome and is excited for his "own bigger bed".
Leo is getting so independent. He has mastered going to the bathroom by himself
(angles singing) and can get undressed by himself. He can put his shoes on put all his dishes away out of the dishwasher. We haven't given him any formal chores yet because he is always so excited to help with anything.
Did I say he loved his dad? Here he is on Valentine's Day when we decorated Dad's car at the park-n-ride and him using his new "shaving" kit he got for Christmas.
He is a master of technology, like all kids these days, and has no trouble using a mouse, touchpad, ,or touchscreen. He frequently tells me he has a message he needs to text to someone and asks for my phone. I am happy though that he really doesn't seem to be addicted and want screen time all day long...except for when he is sick. Below he is catching some early morning cartoons after a long, sickness-filled night. All four of us cuddled in my bed and it felt like heaven on earth :)
Leo loves church. Period. He loves wearing special church clothes like Dad. He loves going to his nursery class. He loves getting to take his turn passing the bread and water trays. He loves going to find a seat in chapel. He loves singing the songs. And lately he especially loves when Dad takes him to the bathroom at church and he gets to use the special potty...aka urinal. Ha! And all in all I have to admit he is really great at church and is dang cute when he is all spiffed up :)
Last week, even though Leo had pneumonia, we stayed up late to go to the big Pinewood Derby race that the cub scouts were having. Leo thought is was great to stay up late, go in his jammies, eat treats, and watch cars race! We had a pretty fun time with him too. He is really at such a fun age where he isn't completely a rat yet but is definitely old enough to enjoy some fun things. I'm sad for the day when he doesn't think his dad and I are the most awesome friends!
Of course I am his mom and I think he is amazing and I could brag about him forever, but I have to actually publish this post sometime. There is just so much I want to remember about this age! Leo is such a sweet boy and we are definitely loving being 3 :)
