My little frozen embryo, the only one who survived the thaw, celebrated his third birthday recently. Somehow the boy managed to score THREE birthday cakes -- an elegant pound cake, a Dora cake, and a rainbow Jello cake. I told him that when he is 20 he'll probably get 20 cakes.
Three is an exciting birthday. He knew there would be presents, he knew there would be a cake with candles and everyone would sing. The party was at Nanna's house, and as he leaped out of the car he proclaimed "It's MY birthday! It's MY birthday! It's MY birthday!"
This was a happier moment than the other three year old birthday parties we've been to recently where some other kid got all the presents and he crumbled into tears at the end saying "I need a toy!" and breaking my heart.
He is 32 pounds and 36 inches tall. He seems like a total stringbean to me but of course the doc says he's in the 50th percentile for weight and the 10 to 25th percentile for height. Say that to his 3T shorts which fall down around his ankles when he walks. He'll be in the 2Ts for this summer again.
He was very brave for the single shot he got at his three-year-old doctor appointment, mostly because he was so excited about the promised lollipop. The real pain came later when, after his bath that night, he ran down the hall to his room, his hands inside his froggy towel, and stumbled. Unable to get his hands out of the towel in time, he broke his fall on the hardwood floor with his forehead, resulting in a huge knot and a panicked mommy who insisted that he sleep with his parents that night so they could keep watch over him.
He is sad this week because he is one of three children in his daycare class that did not move up to the next class. His best friend moved up without him. It's because he has yet to consistently muster the confidence to poop in the potty. He's been peeing there for months. On his birthday he went in there alone, pooped, and came out declaring victory. This was the first time he'd done it, and he hasn't since then.
So I say to him: "You have a lot of new friends in your class" and he says "I miss my old friends. When I poop in the potty I can be with my old friends in the big kid class." I just want to make all that happen for him right now. Again, it breaks my heart to see him sad like this. But at this point I've done all I can do and so has his teacher. It's now between the boy and his potty. I tell him that when he's ready he will do it. It's OK. And he smiles and gives me a hug. And I thank the universe for this moment and this amazing child.
Happy birthday! That pound cake is beautiful.
Posted by: Lyrehca | June 26, 2008 at 01:34 PM
So cute! Such a big and happy boy! Happy Birthday!
Posted by: Eva | June 27, 2008 at 07:52 PM
the cakes are divine - as is the boy! happy birthday!
Posted by: magpie | June 27, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Great post. Whenever I look at my daughter I feel the same gratitude. Great cake too. Can't let my little Tori see it tho...she's a little obsessed with Dora, and she'll demand we get that same cake for dinner tonight (even tho her birthday was in June).
Posted by: Charlie | July 14, 2008 at 04:07 PM