Dear Milo: Year 3

Dear Milo,

You are three years old! I'll be honest, more than once I've had to do the math to assure myself that this was in fact your third birthday and not your fourth. Somehow it seems impossible that you've only been in our lives for three years. Plus, you're really tall. You're wearing the clothes your brother wore just last Fall. 

First of all, I want to thank you for everything you are to this family. You are hilarious and are never happier than when we're all laughing at your newest bit. One night when Gehrig and Dad were gone, you and I were eating dinner and you said something {I couldn't understand what it was} and you laughed SO hard at yourself that I couldn't help but laugh, too. That made you laugh even harder, which made me laugh harder. Pretty soon we were both in tears and I still don't even know what the joke was. When Gehrig laughs at your antics, you turn to him with a gleam in your eye and say, "Do dat again?" He says yes and you do. And he laughs. And it goes on and on and on. I love that you get joy out of others' laughter. 

You are so sweet to your baby sister. "Mom, baby awake?" "Can my see her?" "Can my hold her?" "Baby otay?" "Mom, can my kiss her?" I hope you always look out for her like this. She's a very lucky girl to have you for a big brother.

You are still such a cuddler when you finally slow down. If I'm sitting on the floor, you move in behind me and hug me around the neck. After I change your diaper {yes, you're still stubbornly in diapers}, I pull you up by your hands and you immediately wrap them around me in a hug. Every time. I'm anxious to potty train you, but I will miss those hugs. You wake up too early every morning, but are usually willing to curl up in my bed for a little while before demanding breakfast. You really love to eat, but cuddling is a close second.

Dad and I always say, "It's good to be Milo." You are such a happy kid who finds the fun in everything. You love to be with your siblings, but also love to play by yourself. There are few things cuter than listening to you make up conversations between your toys. You're also in a big nurturing phase right now. You carry stuffed animals around, calling them your babies. Sometimes you put me in charge: "Mom, take good care of my babies!" But most of the time you carry them around, tuck them into blankets, and find places for them to sleep {laundry baskets, your hat, a kitchen cupboard}.

You are imaginative, sweet, loud, funny, and you bring so much personality wherever you go.

We are all so in love with you. Happy happy birthday, Bugs!