Oh my little three year old! It's hard to believe that it's already been a year since I wrote my last letter to you, yet here we are. You've grown a lot this year in many ways, and let me count those ways.
At your three year appointment you weighed 32 lbs and were 39 inches. That's tall enough to ride some of the rides at Sea World! Your height in fact was somewhere around the 80th percentile. You were always a tall drink of water. Sadly it's also a good height to run into our counters. Luckily there is no permanent damage that we can see (yet). You tend to fall a lot but pop right back up and keep going. Such a wiggly, on the go, little man. You can't keep still, but you're happy about it.
You have a good vocabulary, your problem right now is annunciation. We don't understand a lot of what you say and we do our best to understand through context clues. We are having a speech evaluation next month to determine if you qualify for speech therapy. I know you can string 3+ words to create sentences! Another thing we can work on is potty training. I bet you can do it. The few things holding me back is the awful experience with your brother, the fact that you pee so often, you aren't dry in the morning, and that we are going on a road trip here and didn't want to mess with any routine that we might establish! But come next birthday letter I'm determined to say that we are potty-trained!
Now, beyond your physical growth and capabilities, you've had other learning to do. You had to learn to be a big brother. I feel it wasn't too easy on you and for a while we butted heads a lot. You didn't mind your sister so much, but I could tell that the lack of attention you received was hard for you. You had to learn how to be patient. You had to learn to share your mom and even receive help from dad instead. Your number of tantrums exploded and I had to lock myself in my room to stop me from doing anything I would regret. In fact, I didn't think I could write this letter and say anything nice about you. I quickly came to learn that it wasn't you at all. It was your age and circumstances. This past month I seen some changes for the better (more patient and more obedient) that let me know you are still my beautiful Eli and it was me that needed patience. You also now love your sister and comment how cute she is and try to play and talk to her.
You can be so particular it's almost comical. If you need to change clothes, it has to be what you want to wear, and it usually involves Paw Patrol. If you need to eat, it has to be what you want, how you want it cooked and served, given to you by a specific person on a specific plate. But that's not enough. You've thrown tantrums over shoes I've worn, bowls that other people eaten out of, etc. It's actually gotten better, but combined with us trying to figure out what you're saying, it was very frustrating for you. You even have names for things that I just have to know what you mean. Chocolate cheerios are really Frosted Cheerios and actual Chocolate Cheerios are brown cheerios. So heaven forbid Igive you actual chocolate cheerios when you've asked for chocolate cheerios *insert eye roll* You are such a funny kid.
You used to be my little helper, but you've lost all motivation to help mama. Instead, you love to play with your puppies and Paw Patrol, watch Paw Patrol and other shows, and go outside. I feel bad that we do not go outside nearly as often as we should, usually because of mosquitos and heat. You also love my attention and are still a mama's boy. Your favorite foods include cereal, candy, yogurt, chicken nuggets and fries, milk, and donuts. Still a very picky eater, my hope is you will eat real food one day. You tell me I'm your best friend and that you love me often, and it melts my heart as well as make me feel guilty because I can be a little mean to you when I lose patience. You are a very forgiving little boy and I have so much to learn from you.
I hope you continue to learn to love and share with others. I hope that you do well as a new Sunbeam at church! I hope you know how much your dad and I love you. I hope you learn how much Jesus loves you too!
Love,
Mama
