Dylan, you're 3 and a half!

Pictures I found on my camera:

Dear Dylan Baby,

You're such a good big brother. You dislike sharing some of your favorite things, but you understand that Isaac will loose interest soon, so you give in. You are easy to reason with. Your favorite toy is a saber tooth tiger that you got in a Happy Meal. You still like your green blanket but it stays on your bed or in your cubby at school. If I forget it at one of those places, you're fine. I've warned you that you won't be able to suck your thumb in your Montesori class starting in a couple of weeks, so you told me that you don't want to move up. I love that you will listen to me like that. The thought of sneaking your thumb hasn't crossed your mind.

You like to sing and are able to memorize songs. I hear you singing to yourself when you play. You know the 1st and 2nd articles of faith and "I am a Child of God," "Jesus Loves the Little Children" and some other little songs.

You think of things that rhyme. The first time you told me that two words rhymed, I was shocked and so happy! The 2nd time, the words sounded similar, but didn't rhyme. I like that you're thinking about it even if you don't quite get it yet.

You aim to please and enjoy happiness.
You thank me for things like making dinner for you or for taking you somewhere. How courtious!

You get excited when you are able to say a word more correctly than you used to. You used to say "yana" for banana but can now say it perfectly! You used to say "yana" out of habit and I didn't correct you. You self correct and say it over and over and exclaim "I can say it now, Bu-NA-nuh!" (Then Isaac says to himself for the first time"na-nuh." and I scoop him up in my other arm for a big gigantic group hug and kiss.) You still have dificulty with the sounds ch, r, tr, cl, th, and others. The blending ladder from my old montesori class would be a good thing to work on. You will only try a word so many times if I work with you on one - then you go quiet or tell me "that's too dificult."

You ask what you are going to do "after nap." You don't like taking naps, but mainly because we are having fun and you want the fun to continue. When you know that the fun will indeed continue, you will usually give me a kiss and march up to your bed.

You would have loved to have been born in a more organized home. You organize your shoes in a perfect row, make sure the latch is secure on a cabinet in your room, like your undies on backwards, wonder why I make you wear church pants when it's not Sunday. (Uncle JT's Eagle Court of Honor on a Wednesday, you never wear pants except for church b/c it's summer.) When a room is cluttered, you'll stand back and dissapointedly let me know that "this room is a mess! Who did this?"

You're a pretty good eater although you like to eat when life is settled. If there's something better to look at, do, or play with, you'd rather just take a taste. Then, before bed, you ask for "something to eat." Luckily you're okay with my alternative to your suggested PB&J and eat fruit or something reasonable. You like it when I spoon feed you. Rediculous I know, but if you're done wanting your meal, you'll still eat if I'm the one shoveling your last bites into your mouth.

When I was away for the weekend with Daddy, I really wanted to giggle and laugh with you on the floor when you're playful and hold you on the couch when you're tired.

You love big kids and watch them until you see a chance to jump in and play with them. You also are so sweet with little kids. Noah loves you. He gets so excited to play with you. You're gentle enough that he likes to give you hugs and rough-house with you. He dislikes affection from Malia who can be too much. Likewise, Isaac only appreciates your affection if he's in the right playful kind of mood. When he is, you two have such a good time together.

A couple of weeks ago, you told us you didn't want to put a Pull Up on. Since you're only dry sometimes, we were apprehensive. We told you that you had to stay dry or it would be disgusting and you acted like you already knew all that and had made your educated decision.
You stayed dry! And the next night you did as well! It lasted over a week until you took such a long nap that Corrie had to wake you up after about 4 hours. You were a little wet. Then you were wet that night too. We're making you wear Pull Ups again, but you've been dry since.

You can swim accross the pool and are a much stronger swimmer. You are not nervous in new pools. You can dive (with help.) You still don't care to swim under water, but I'm A-OK with that because that could make your freestyle stroke turn ugly. You can swim on your back but prefer not to.

You got SO excited when I brushed your teeth with new blue sparkely tooth paste. You laughed and danced as you stared at the blue and white foamy bubbles in your mouth. You're like that with new things. It's so hard not to buy you new things b/c you appreciate them so much!

You ask if we can buy toys at the "Free Dollar Store." Then you try to negotiate that you will share with Isaac, or Isaac wants a toy, or that you need it etc. It can be exhausting negotiating with you. I should just say no, but then we're both in bad moods. If I initially say no, I do stick to it. Sometimes I say maybe b/c I know my limitations with being tempted by your cuteness. Oh, a "Free Dollar Store" is a "Three dollar store," which is any store that has toys that is not the "Dollar Store." (Target, Wal-mart, an accidental glimpse at the cheap toys section of the grocery store, etc.)

I started making you a chore chart. It was mainly for myself and included brushing AND FLOSSING your teeth, reading scriptures, praying, listening to us, and putting your toys away. You're not that motivated by it, but I am. You like to watch the scriptures now that I found scripture stories on http://www.friend.lds.org/. We sometimes read them, but listening is more fun and provokes more questions and dicussion.

I think I could write forever about you. I love everything about you except for when you get tired and cranky. (I don't like that about myself either and only I am to blame for that and for keeping you up past your bed time of 10pm.) I love you little guy, and I like you a lot!

love, Mommy