Robbie has been counting down to his birthday for the past month.  Every morning, he wakes up and asks if he’s four yet.  Finally, we got the calendar and circled the 28th in bright green and started crossing out the days.  And now it’s almost here.  When getting dressed this morning, Robbie grabbed his “I am 3” shirt to wear one last time.  As he fell asleep, I held him a little bit longer, since I’ll never hold him as a three-year-old again.  Two was tough – brutal even – for so many reasons.  Three, however, has been incredible – for the most part.

• Robbie started pre-school.  Sure, it started out rough, getting called in for a parent conference after four days.  But he has learned so, so much.
• He had his first “real” Halloween.  We musth have celebrated all month, planning pumpkins and costumes and candy.  We moved into our new house two weeks before and spent the time decorating for Halloween and getting ready. Robbie trick-or-treated with friends.
• For the first time ever, Robbie woke up in his own house for Christmas morning.  He got to see what Santa brought him under his own tree, and Justin and I got to get everything ready for him.  What’s more, we didn’t have to face a 16-21 hour drive in winter weather.
• Robbie learned to write letters and spell his own name.
• He started doing things for himself.  Using the bathroom, brushing his teeth, getting dressed, fixing his own glass of water, grabbing a snack.  All the things that make my life so much easier.  But kind of break my heart because he doesn’t need me to do them for him anymore.
• We started swim lessons.  I have never been so nervous in my life; we signed Robbie up for advanced beginner even though he had never had a lesson in his life because there were no beginner openings.  We started a week late, and Robbie simply clung to his instructor.  But, three weeks later, he was swimming the better part of 20 feet to the rope by himself.  Under water.  I don’t know that I’ve ever known pride quite like watching Robbie figure out how to swim.
• Robbie decided that he wanted to start sleeping without a shirt on.  I’m not quite sure where this came from, but he announced the change to me last night.  When it was time for bed, he came in only wearing his pajama pants.  Robbie looked at me and said, “Mom, I’m going to sleep with my private parts showing tonight.”  I must have looked concerned because he immediately pointed to his chest, saying, “I mean these guys right here!”

I look at him and there is no remnant of baby left anywhere.  All I see is a little boy desperate to be a big kid but still sweet enough to give me hugs and kisses and make bead bracelets for me.  I wasn’t sure I would like Robbie so much once he wasn’t a baby anymore.  In all honesty, I’ve always been a baby person; pre-schoolers were just not really my thing.  Thank goodness I was wrong.  I can’t imagine anything better.