Orion is three!

Student Driver

Orion is three, and even celebrated his birthday three times!  First at school (with rhubarb cake), then in Virginia on his actual birthday (with Grandma's trifle), then at home. 

Orion at three is a hug monster and full of love, I-love-yous, and arm pettings.  He adores his stuffies, too, and will bring Baby Margaret to watch the iPad or tuck Big Giraffie under his arm to sleep. 

On the road with Daniel Tiger, Mr. Penguin, Mr. Mouse, and Bear

It's been wonderful to watch his friendship with with his buddy K grow. Often the only report we'll get from him of what happened at school that day is whether or not K was there.  It seems like you're never too young to have a best friend.

Three is still a time of many transitions.  In the last few months O finally gave up his binkies "to the babies," started sleeping through the night (at long last), and is beginning to use the potty (although that transition is just getting underway).  This week, his class moved up to the preschool wing at school and he is running with the big kids!  Did I mention he's also starting to give up napping?  

Metamorphosis to little boy nearly complete!

Three also appears to be in the thick of a stage I think of as "the feels" (the source of this phrase is lost to time and poor memory, but it translates to watch out for tantrums).  It started near two, but at three there are so many more big feelings, both joy and frustration.  And sometimes that frustration is so great you really do just have to lie face down on the floor, and maybe even thump it with your frustrated fist.  My favorite parental coping strategy is to note the strangeness of whatever brings this reaction on.  For example, yesterday O went over the edge because he couldn't simultaneously have and not have milk.  O: "I want milk" A: "ok, let me get you one." O: "But I don't want milk!" A: "well, let's just sit instead."  O: (sobbing) "but I want milk!" (cycle indefinitely).  Other times it is because his shirt needs to be changed, because it is dinner time, or because there is a bear in the house.  One trick, of course, is to remember that no amount of explanation ("bears cannot actually come in our house, sweetie") will actually help.  This is a challenge for (all) family members who pride themselves on logic!  

Occasionally I wonder whether, as a second child, O has experienced only a small fraction of the attention and experiences Ronan had at his age.  If that's true, he seems none the worse off for it.  O is strikingly independent, and finds great joy in all that he does.  I cherish his enthusiasm and openness at this age, the songs he sings to himself, the narration I overhear on the monitor when he engages his stuffies in conversation (complete with different voices), that dimple, and his Orion-ness.  Well, in between all the moments of the chaos, anyway.

Quotes (April-June 2018):

[As parents depart our house after a playdate drop-off]
O: They forgot Ethan!

O: I want to try chai [tries some]
A: Is it too spicy for you?
O: It's yummy for me because it has good flavor

O: Hey, I shot a dart in the bathroom.  Wanna come see it?
R: No, I'm good for now.
O: No but you have to come see it!
R: No but you can't control me, so that means I don't have to.
O: No but I can control you because I'm stronger than you!
R: .... Uh, okay .... Wanna have an arm wrestle?
[Arm wrestle ensues]

O: I'm turning into a golden cow
A: You are?  Why are you turning into a golden cow?
O: Because my mommy is a golden cow

O: I need help, I need help! I can do it all by myself!

A: We might not go if it rains
O: But rain is good!
A: Rain is good for plants, but I don't like it on my head.
O: Then grab a coat and put the hood up!

D: What do you think you might be when you grow up?
R: I don't know.  Maybe a scientist?
A: What about you Orion?
O: A kitty lion.

[Waving foam bop sword]
O to R: Want to have a battle fight?

[Repeating from a babysitter]
O: I'm not down with that right now

Word evolution in process:

• Popiscle has changed to popsicle (sigh)
• Pattern is padrine
• From Diego he learned the phrase "help, help, ayudame, ayudame" for animals in trouble.  Not sure what the Spanish words were, he turned this into "help, help, I'm using it, I'm using it!" which is hilariously appropriate to his most common call for adult attention (i.e. sharing issues).  

A census of favorites at this age:

• Food: blueberries (and whipped cream)
• Toys: diggers, magnatiles, balance bike
• Stuffies: Daniel Tiger, Baby Margaret, Big Giraffie, Little Giraffie, Bear, Mr. Penguin, Mr. Mouse, Okapi
• Song: You are my sunshine.  Also: Good morning sunshine, the Pickle song (Arlo Guthrie), The Day I went to Sea, and many others.
• Book: so many favorites!
• Game: Bonk
• TV show: Go Diego Go