A great age

"We should have frozen him last month" Bryan says as we climb back into our car after a frustrating and fussy breakfast, pushing in the parking lot, and a few stubborn "no!" as we instruct, and then plead, for Calvin to get back into the car.

We've been thoroughly enjoying Calvin over the last few months.  Not that we haven't had our share of frustration and challenges, but everything seems to be coming together well right now.  He is potty trained and sleeping and eating, says the absolute-cutest things, gives hugs and kisses and "I love you daddy/mommy" often, and is learning so fast that we are constantly amazed and very proud of this little person we created.  The last few months have been wonderful, and we often say that we wish we could freeze Calvin at this age, have him stay like this forever, or at least a little longer...

I guess we missed our chance.

"Poop!"

"Pooooop!" Calvin yells with a huge grin on his face as we walk down a public and rather crowded sidewalk while on vacation the other day.

"Poop!  Pooooop!" he calls out, enjoying the astonished looks on his parents faces and ignoring their earnest pleas to stop saying that word.

"Poop." he says in a quieter voice but with the same huge grin, waiting for our response.  I cannot help but laugh (out loud, much to Bryan's horror) at his game of word-chicken.  It reminds me of too many rides on a ski lift years ago, sitting next to Bryan and Charlie as they take turns yelling out other embarassing words, trying to be louder than their brother, horrifying me while I try to pretend that I don't know the two weirdos sitting next to me on the lift. 

"Poooop!"  Calvin yells.  I giggle.  Bryan still doesn't think this is funny, and is justifiably reminding me that we shouldn't be encouraging him by laughing.  This just makes me laugh harder.  All I can think are "the tables have turned; Calvin is his father's son."  Hilarious. 

Growing Up

Calvin has been doing a lot of growing up lately.  Maybe a little too much for my taste (his 2 to 3 year age was so much fun!).  But I am thankful for many of his new developments, and proud of him for navigating them with confidence and patience, and not too many temper tantrums.

Feb 16, 2013: Giggling while hiding under a table, surrounded by friends, sugar-high on s'mores, loving being a 3-year-old.

First, Calvin decided he was ready to trade in diapers for underwear last December.  This was a very, very welcome change.  After experimenting a little with potty training over the previous few months, we backed off and waited until Calvin was showing stronger signs of being ready.  Then, in mid-December he went several nights of waking up with a dry diaper, and showed increased awareness and uncomfortableness with his dirty diapers.  So one Saturday morning, I asked Calvin if he wanted to wear underwear that day instead of a diaper.  He said yes, and we haven't looked back since.

There were a few accidents in the beginning, and getting used to #1 was quicker than #2, but Calvin was ready so it was a fairly easy process.  Of course, it helped that his buddy at school (Payton) was also potty trained.  Having prizes (matchbox cars and the like) for going #2 also helped.  Though, I have to say that there was about a month and a half between figuring out #1 and #2 that was really gross - he was in underwear but not fully potty-trained, so cleaning up accidents were extra-yucky.  By early February, Calvin was using the toilet on his own and for both #1 and #2, which lead to great celebration and joy (on my part).  Calvin was pretty proud of himself too, and will still occasionally run to the garage door when we hear Bryan get home, open it, and yell "Daddy!  I went poopy!!  I got a prize!" 

Potty training in 2013 includes a little help (entertainment and distraction) with our Kindle Fire.

In the middle of all that, Calvin moved up from his toddler bed to a big-boy bed in January.  Calvin's crib, which we had converted into a toddler bed a few months before, converted easily into the headboard and foot board of a full-sized bed, which was pretty neat.

Calvin's room with his crib converted into a toddler bed

Calvin's room with his new big-boy full-sized bed

Upon seeing his new big-boy bed, Calvin promptly climbed up and began jumping up and down, up and down, up and down.  I expected he would try it out first, lay his head down on the pillow, sit on it, something.  But no.  This little monkey knew that his bed was for jumping, even if mom and dad eventually got over the initial humoring and stopped understanding that.

That month, Calvin also moved up from the toddler room to the primary room at his preschool/daycare.  This room is a mix of 3 to 5 year-olds, which is characteristic of a Montessori school.  The idea is that the younger kids will learn by watching and imitating the older kids, and the older kids will learn better by teaching the younger kids.  Calvin was definitely ready to move up, partly because of his potty training skills, partly because he was maxing out on the toys and learning tools in the toddler room.  Moving up to the big kid room was a bit of a change, but Calvin dove right in.  His teacher, Ms. Ricarda, said that he walked right in and went right to work, moving from one activity to another, keeping himself happily busy with all the new things to explore and learn.  Calvin was pretty quite and shy around the big kids for a while, and making new friends took a little longer in this room than the toddler room.  But he is beginning to fit in with his new class, and is making friends and learning names, and is happy to go to school (nearly) every day.  

Calvin's classmates in the 3-5 year old room with their teacher, Ms. Ricarda.  They are celebrating St. Patricks Day with funny green shamrock paper hats, which Calvin got to bring home and then wore for days.  Calvin (5th from the left) is the youngest in the room. 

Then, finally, this last month Calvin turned 3.  We had a firetruck-themed birthday party and invited a lot of Calvin's friends and their families.  Between busy work loads for both Bryan and I, we didn't get as much party preparations done as I had envisioned, but it was a great party and a lot of fun. 

Feb 16, 2013:  Blowing out his candles on his 3rd birthday.

"Driving" the cardboard box firetrucks with Lexi.

Navigating the crowds of kids, adults, and furniture in the firetrucks with Maddie.

All decked out in his fireman uniform.  Calvin often puts out imaginary fires in our house these days - good thing we live with a fireman!

My little boy is now really a little boy.  No more diapers or cribs for us.  We plowed right through the toddler age and are moving so quickly into the kid age I sometimes wish we could slow down and keep things like they are right now.  Calvin is a happy, confident, creative, funny, smart, caring, thoughtful, curious kid - I am so amazed by him, and am tremendously happy to have him in my life. 

Tricycle-Riding

Calvin loves the tricycle he got for Christmas.  It didn't take us long to find a sorta-warm day to take it out for a spin. 

December 31, 2012: Taking his tricycle out for a ride.

The pedals were just slightly too far away for him when we got this video last December.  But after a couple of growth spurts, he'll be all set for spring. 

We can't wait for summer!

Spring 2013:  Riding his tricycle with his daddy.