AQ turns 3.

Alexander,

Well,  just like that....you my little baby friend are THREE. Three is always kind of a sad age for me, because well, THREE. Two year olds are still babies, they need an incredible amount of support to survive, I mean they can't even pee alone. But three year olds. They CAN DO IT BY MESELF! And this time, it is extra sad because you are MY LAST THREE YEAR OLD EVER. Sob.

You are an expert snuggler. You have the sweetest smile. And when you're real happy, you turn your face downward and nuzzle into my shoulder or a pillow. It's an attempt at coy.  You adore both of your big brothers. Like they hung the damn moon type love. And the feeling from them is mutual. They dote on you lovingly. You make them laugh harder than anyone and everyone.

From the day you were born you pretty much completed our family. Just seven pounds of pure satisfaction. Yup, he's what we needed. Didn't know we were missing anything - and you came along and we knew. We had totally been missing YOU.

 And still today, we need you. Each morning we all wait to hear your tiny little feet run in to the kitchen, with your sleepy eyes and cartoon character pitched voice. Such a delight. Just what we all need. I hope throughout your many years you continue to possess the quality of joy. The other day I asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? I was fully anticipating you to say a baseball player, due to your new infatuation with all things baseball. Instead you told me you were going to be so happy. And geez, I know with all my heart that is true. Happiness. You brought it to us when you were born, you bring it to us everyday with your silliness, and every night you leave a little happiness in my heart as I watch your eyelids go heavy and your breathing turn to tiny snores.

Most mornings you come downstairs and quietly (and sneakily) climb in to bed with me. You fall sound asleep for the next few hours. I am fairly certain you think you are getting away with some big crime.  I never really open my eyes, but I don't have to, I know its you. Sometimes you take your soft, cold little hands and push my bangs out of my face to see if you are going to be caught. It's not that I'm too tired to take you back to your crib. It's just I don't want to. I want to savor the next hour feeling you breathe next to me. And there is nothing sweeter than being woken up to a little toddler kiss. You are the sweetest little muffin in the land.

Currently you love baseball, waffles and carousels. Oh, the carousel! You ask daily if we can go ride it. And a lot of days, I take you. Cause, MAN! How can you say no to these twinkling eyes? You love to play baseball with the boys and no matter what really happens you always protest loudly about your HOMERUN. No one has the heart to argue with you.

There is so much about you being three that I love. I want to remember it all, though I will certainly forget the majority. I want to remember how you always held both cheeks of my face before kissing me. I want to remember how you loved to have dance parties before school. How you would shuffle your little feet, swap your tiny hips and sing like no on was watching. I want to remember how you would not go to bed with out socks on and being read to a million times. So much so that you can recite four or five books by memory. I want to remember how excited you get each morning before school. Three looks good on you baby.

Happy happy birthday Alexander. I love you so much it hurts.