9.23.2015

Marcus - 3½

Marcus,

My sweet little buddy, it's mind boggling that we are half way to four.
Leading up to the arrival of your sister I was so worried how you would take to her. All those worries were pushed aside when you first held her. It was immediately clear how much you love her. You are constantly calling Julia *your* baby, and you are always so eager to give her sweet kisses. However, you have (wisely) steered clear of any and all diaper duties (not that I'd actually give you the chance to change those).

You are so full of spunk. Your energy blows my mind.

Snacks are your jam. If you had it your way, you'd snack all day and just skip the whole sit-down-and-eat business which we require you do three times a day. Where you get that energy is beside me. You could go for hours and hours, and fore go any meals. When you *do* eat, you always ask for mac and cheese. It is seriously your favorite food, followed closely by any type of ice cream.

Your love for being outdoors is second to none. Riding your bike and scooter, playing baseball, basketball, and swimming are your favorites. You also love to race anyone willing to say, "on your mark, get set, go!", and you have a competitive streak I can't help but love.
If we are playing inside you enjoy your Matchbox cars and Hungry Hungry Hippos.

As of late you have really gotten into painting and occasionally coloring. I attribute that newly discovered joy to preschool.

Speaking of preschool, you seem to really enjoy going. Each morning you inform me you don't want to go. But, getting you out the door and to school is never a problem. I think you just want to give me a bit of a run for my money right away in the morning (send coffee, there is never enough).

School has been so good for you. You've started with pretend play, and your imagination seems to run wild. You've also gotten really good at spelling a few words. Those words include: your own name, J-u-l-i-a, M-o-m, D-a-d, S-t-o-p, and T-r-u-c-k.

While you are the sweetest and most generous little man (generally you have no problem sharing with your friends), we very much struggle with the "threenager" stage. We have had some epic meltdowns and serious bouts of defiance. We've had our fair share of difficult days. While I love you endlessly, I can say whole heartily I do not particularly love the challenges that come with this age. But, I try not to dwell too much on our struggles, as I know all too well how fast it all goes.

Thankfully, you are quick to make many of our difficult days better. Just the other morning I was still asleep and the next thing I know I feel your presence, and I hear the softest whisper, "I love you, Mommy." It was the absolute best way to wake up.

From the get go you've been my snugly little monkey, and that hasn't changed one bit. If there's an opportunity to sit in my lap or snuggle in my bed, or yours, you are all over it. And I love every sweet second of it. Occasionally when I bury my nose in your hair I can still catch the sweet scent of baby. I'm going to miss that when it's long gone.
You reach for my hand when we walk and it is the sweetest. And, you may not know this now, but you fiercely hold on to my heart.

Happy 3½ years my sweet little boy. I can't wait to see what the rest of this year will bring us. 

Love you to the moon and back. Twice.
~Mommy 

13 comments:

  1. He is the sweetest little thing! I prefer snacks to real meals too, so I know how he feels! And what a smart little guy to already know how to spell some words!

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  2. oh well I didn't think this was a sniffles post. Very sweet! I love that he is a snuggle monkey. And that is great about the imagination taking off - I was telling Aria if she ever saw an alligator that she need to run inside right away (instead of I don't know go and pet it?) so the rest of the morning she pretended to see one and ran screaming into the house. I'm not sure if my lecture back fired or if she was just doing practice drills! 3.5. Wow! And we'd get along great with the mac and cheese and ice cream. Aria would be down for an ice cream date anytime though!

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  3. What Courtney said! This was so, so sweet! And just from seeing Marcus for a few minutes the other day, I can say that I experience some of everything you said. He is the sweetest, most handsome little 3 1/2 year old I ever did see. I love that he's gotten into coloring and crafting from preschool. I think that really helped Mason too and he doesn't detest it immediately when I suggest it. I usually get a good couple min out of him which is more than before! I can't wait for our playdate. I'll bring the mac and cheese and ice cream and both boys will be in heaven!

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  4. But didn't he JUST turn three.... seriously. It is bad enough that my own kids are growing up so fast. Why does it have to happen to everyone else?!

    He is such a sweetie.

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  5. Such a sweet post friend. And, goodness...Marcus and Mason have so much in common!! The snacking instead of eating meals, mac-n-cheese were his go to meal for the longest (we now have about 5 things he will eat! ha) love for the outdoors, the cuddling, the sweetness, the "I don't want to go to schools", the energy, etc! And I so remember the threenager stage. It gets easier mama, hang in there!

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  6. This is the sweetest post Ive read in a long time. I love how you expressed all the highs and lows so beautifully. Marcus sounds like such a sweet boy! And what a smartie, spelling so many words already!

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  7. Sweet, sweet boy! I could live on mac and cheese too, buddy!

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  8. What a nice little boy! I see some of each of my boys in this love letter. Funny - neither of my big boys liked coloring in the least until they started school, too.

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  9. It's so funny how similar him & Waverly are, even though she is all girl and he seems to be all boy! She snacks aaaaall day, loves mac cheese, and tells me every am she doesn't want to go to school (and then she does and loves it!). And four, I can't even handle it, it sounds way too old!

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  10. Your letters always give me goose bumps. They are written so well and you can feel how they come straight from the heart! And these pictures of him are so good. He is one beautiful child and he sounds like such a great one which is no surprise since you are his mom.

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  11. Watching them grow is such a wonderful painful experience. It's wonderful for all the obvious reasons yet painful because I know C will only be this little for this moment. Soaking it all in is hard to do on the tough days but at the end of the day, when I'm putting him to bed and he asks for a goodnight kiss and to say his prayer, I know we are doing alright. Even if at times it doesn't feel like it.

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