three from three

David, So hard to believe that you are only three short months from being three years old! Here is a list of tidbits from this month.

• You still absolutely love music. Almost every naptime (and bedtime) finds you playing your singing fish (meet Big Mouth Billy Bass) and dancing and singing along. He sings two songs (Be Happy and Take Me to the River). One day in Walmart, totally out of the blue, you started singing, "Put me in the water. Put me in the water. Put me in the water." I had to keep myself from laughing out loud! You also love to perform with a microphone. I am not sure where you learned how to use one, but as you have found a couple lying around this month, you naturally start singing into them.
• You are eating better this month but have really shown a love for odd-ball things like olives. PB&J still the favorite of all time!
• You have begun showing your oldest sibling tendancy toward bossiness. You order around the cats (and have for months) and have begun ordering around your parents. (no worries, you are strictly warned and have received a spanking or two from this).
• On the flip side, you are very polite. You regularly say "thank you. You're welcome." This even applies to cars next to us in traffic that block your view that move in the course of normal driving. You have also started saying "Yes, sir" to us regularly. (I have had to remind you that you say "yes, ma'am" to Mommy. I am not sure where you picked this one up since we have not ever taught that to you.
• You have all sorts of funny phrases--some have been around for months, some are new this month. You say "See you later, alligator." You always say "all gone" (for "all done"). You are quite content with time schedules, even when Mommy says "later" (thus a new favorite word of yours--pronounced "way-er").
• You are quite fascinated with dark vs. light still. Every morning/naptime, I find all the lights on in your room.
• You are also fascinated by fuzzies. You don't like getting dirty with fuzzies.
• I often think this has prompted the spitting that seems to be a common occurence now (despite frequent rebukes). I find you often spitting and saying "fuzzy" as if you think you have a fuzzy in your mouth. You also have begun hissing at the cat proactively; she hisses at you too, after all.
• It appears we may have hit the terrible twos with you (at almost three), but it is not so very terrible after all. Instead of tantrums (which you do have rarely), you will often go into crying (sometimes whining) fits. Haven't you noticed we don't soften up with the tears? You also seem to regularly cover your mouth with your hand while crying. Odd but incredibly polite. :)
• You still say "no cheese" for most pictures, unless you can be bribed with candy, a new favorite! (I still absolutely chuckle when I think of the time that you refused all dinner, received a spanking or two over your attitude, told us you were ready to go to bed vs. eating, got down from your chair and then cheerfully and expectantly looked at us and said, "more candy?")
• For whatever reason, you are also very concerned with broken things etc...You point out every tree that has fallen down ("tree fall down"), every broken toy, every torn page. Then, you either say "Daddy fix it" (everyone knows Daddy can fix everything) or "man fix it." Every other person around whom you do not know the name to is "man."
• You are still moderately helpful with your sister, but you also often seem to get irritated by her constant fussing or when you are in a particularly impish mood, I have to referee as you try to tickle E's sleeping face or pull her arm etc...You do seem to really like her most of the time though.

What changes will the next three months bring on your way to the "big 3?"