Dear Kael,
You are three.
And full of all sorts of attitude! Three is so big. It’s hard to believe you started off as just a tiny baby, so much like your sister, and in just three short years you’ve transformed into a little big boy.
This year was full of changes for you.
You mastered the tricycle you were given for Christmas last year in just a few short months and moved up to a big dirt bike by the summer. You love that dirt bike so much. You’ve ran papa over on it several times. 
You love to go to the park on the somewhat warm-winter days we have now and play on the toys and ride your bike. It has scared me, but I’ve learned to let you go and let you test your limits. I’m right there to help if you ask. Please always remember that, sweet boy. I’m always here if you need me. If one day you’ve found you’ve went too far and need help getting out, I’m here for you.
We moved to Ozark and you started a new school. This was hard on you at first. Though, I think it was harder on me. This was all quick and sudden, but I think you have adjusted well in the 7 months we’ve lived here. You’ve settled in nicely and have found a new friend, Olivia. According to the teachers you two are inseparable. You and the ladies. At Ms. Kassie’s, church, and now at your new school, you always are quick to bond with the girls.
You are a big brother!! You are a wonderful big brother, Kael. You love on your sissy and have taken her in just like me and your daddy. I couldn’t be more proud of you for how well you have adapted to her taking over the house the past few months. You are becoming more the center of attention again as we are now getting back into our old routine of me with you Saturday mornings – just us, taking two children to school, baths for two, and story time together in the floor of your room. It’s taken a few months to get here, but I’m happy with where we are as our family of four. It’s a balancing act, and you have done very good while we are learning. Thank you, sweet boy, for showing us patience.
You are potty trained. You still have accidents here and there, some days there are none and some days you go through 4 jeans in a matter of hours. But overall you are trained and no longer wear pull ups. You wake up dry 90% of the time and are very quick to say “Look! I’m DRY!” of a morning. You even wake us up in the middle of the night to go potty. You are so big!
We celebrated your big day by giving you what you wanted. White milk (so weird when there was chocolate!) and an orange for breakfast. Chick Fil A for lunch, with a water (at your request – weird once again!). Looking at toys at Toys R Us for a (long) while. You had a gift card for Christmas so you picked out a power ranger and dirt bike. No matter how many dirt bikes or power rangers you have, it’s never enough. You love them! Then to Chucky Cheese to play with the toys. It is always fun to see your brilliant smile amongst the children there. Running, carefree, and loving every minute of it. We ended the long day of fun with memaw and papa. Daddy and I fixed homemade cashew chicken, rice, and noodles – covered in cashews - just like you like it. And to top off the perfect evening, you had a chocolate ice cream sundae, covered with chocolate sauce and cherries. You were very sweet while we wished you a happy birthday. Holding your hands and smiling at each of us.
You got to open one present from us and one from my parents. You loved your train and dinosaurs. Your birthday party isn’t until January 14 this year, and no doubt you will be spoiled then. You keep trying to go into the guest room to see what toys are hiding behind the closet door.
Sweet boy, this year was so fun with you. Watching you grow and learn and thrive is something I never grow tired of. After we say our prayers of an evening, I will stay an extra few minutes each night just to stroke your hair and breathe your wonderfulness in. Knowing you a part of me. That I created YOU. Well, I don’t know that there are words to exactly portray how that feels. Every mom knows it though. It’s … love. That’s the simplest way to put it.
I can’t wait to see what happens in this fourth year of life with you. Will you start soccer class? Will you show an interest in writing? Will you continue to show an interest in letters and numbers, as you have just recently started to do? What will you learn? Where will we go on your crazy adventures? Where will we go on our summer vacation? Will you teach your sister how to walk? How to talk? You are already teaching her how to say “mama” as you no longer call me mommy. It’s one of the sweetest things you’ve started doing lately.
No matter what you do, where we go, or what you learn, I am glad that I’m your mom and can be there right beside you every step of the way. Leading you, guiding you, walking beside you, and following you at all the right times.
I love you sweet boy. Forever and always. Oodles and Oodles and Noodles.
Mama
Enjoy the recap in pictures of your third year.
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