33 months old – but who’s counting… :)

This little guy is quickly approaching 3 years old! I can’t believe how fast he’s growing up. He changes everyday and it’s so hard to keep up with it all!!! It’s been 3 months since I posted a “monthly update” and I must confess I’ve not written down when all of this has happened (that 2nd trimester will really sneak up on you!), but here’s what our little man is up to these days!

Thanks to a few illnesses and his appetite FINALLY decreasing a little bit, Nathan weighs 28.5 pounds and is around 37 inches tall. He wears a 3t shirt, 18m-24m or 2t shorts (although a few 12m and a few 3t fit him), 3t pants (for length), and a 9.5W shoe. He still eats like a champ, and has the most varied diet of any kid I know. He loves fruit and vegetables, and especially loves fresh veggies right off the vine. Our neighbor grows cucumbers and bell peppers and he’ll eat them in their entirety (seeds and all) before leaving her yard. He can easily eat his weight in fresh fruit in a single sitting. He loves burritos, cereal, waffles, and anything with peanut butter too. He can’t stand mashed potatoes (sweet or white), mac and cheese, plain pasta or a dish with pasta (except for spaghetti, manicotti, and lasagna), oatmeal, or soda. Give him anything else, and he will usually eat it. He now asks to be excused from the table when he’s finished and stops eating when he’s full, not when his plate is empty! :) He’s not had any chocolate in 4 months because we think he has an allergy to it, and he knows to avoid it, thankfully! He still loves milk, water, and when the occasional juice option is presented, he likes it too.

Nathan is completely and reliably potty trained – except for sleep times. He is 70% reliable during nap, but we’re not pushing it with Baby Taylor due in less than 9 weeks! He initiates when he needs to go and will go anywhere he’s asked to go, on any potty (or urinal), standing, sitting, in a water bottle, in the bushes, off the dock, aiming out of the van… you name it. He usually goes in a bathroom unless it’s a necessary outdoor potty trip! :)He never poops in a diaper anymore and is really proud of his poops.

Nathan is an amazing climber and loves all playgrounds. He doesn’t seem to have a fear of heights and quickly masters new climbing challenges. He’s quite the athlete as well and can make basketball shots in his 4.5 foot goal from 10 feet away. He can dribble a basketball too. He is able to hit a slow pitched softball/plastic ball with amazing accuracy and he can throw a ball like the big boys. He can catch a ball too, although it’s much easier the bigger the ball and the slower the toss. He’s able to kick a ball really far and wants to learn to play soccer. He can ride and steer a two wheel bike with training wheels. He can ride a razor scooter too! This little guy is as strong as an ox and amazes us with his strength. He is solid muscle and has so little body fat it’s very difficult for him to float in the pool on his back. He’s a phenomenal swimmer and has grown leaps and bounds in his swimming this summer. He loves to be thrown as high in the air as you can throw him and he goes under to the bottom of the pool and swims back to you, all without a life jacket. He has NO fear of water but is gaining a respect for it finally! Here’s a video from the end of July and since then, he’s doubled the distance he can swim, he knows how to use “big arms” or a freestyle stroke, and he is able (though he doesn’t often) to come up on his own for a breath.

Nathan continues to excel in academics and other areas as well. He’s quite a gifted kiddo and we stay on our toes trying to keep him challenged. He’s able to sound out small words, can memorize anything and will remember it forever it seems, he understands complex story lines and easily can tell you what happened any why in his books and most often in life. He starts preschool in a few days! I can’t believe it, but I know the consistency and challenge will be good for him. Nathan’s vocabulary continues to amaze us and he speaks most often in long paragraphs… not in sentences. He’s got something to say about everything and is quite adept in giving his opinion on things. :) He is a good communicator (daddy trait) and is quite thorough in his explanations (another daddy trait).

Nathan still requires a LOT of sleep (probably because he’s constantly moving when awake) and usually sleeps 12-13 hours at night. He is however able to stay up late without any trouble and is quite proficient at keeping himself awake at all costs. Usually he will compensate for late nights by sleeping in the next morning, which is something we are so thankful for. Since the middle of August, he’s been on a nap strike. This is not okay with me at all! He was taking 3 hour naps and still needs them. We can tell because if he misses a nap, by 430 its written allllll over him. On the few days recently that he’s taken a nap its been 2.5+ hours and he still goes to bed between 730 and 8. We’ve finally figured out (thanks to our video monitor) that he’s intentionally keeping himself awake during nap time. He is happily in his bed from 1pm until… and usually doesn’t fuss or protest and doesn’t get out of bed but he is constantly talking, singing, moving, wiggling, etc. I watched him really closely the other day and saw that when his eyes started to close while laying down, he sits up and talks. When he begins to fall asleep sitting up, he moves around or starts singing. We’re in the process of trying to end the nap strike, but it’s taking much more patience than I ever thought. :) Hopefully he’ll be back to napping from 1-4 in no time!

Nathan is incredibly loving and thankful, social with those he knows, and sometimes shy with those he doesn’t know. He DOES NOT like to perform or “show off” his abilities which I am just fine with. :) He loves cars and trucks, animals and bugs, dinosaurs and balls, bikes and building things, climbing and running, playing chase and hide and seek, and snuggling with mom and dad. He’s up for a boat ride or jet ski ride anytime day or night and loves to be outside or in the water. He doesn’t like uncertainty or unknowns and easily gets overwhelmed with lots or noise or lots of people. When he’s tired, he doesn’t like to ride on daddy’s shoulders, he wants to be held chest to chest and lay his head on your shoulder. He’s usually a very happy kiddo and is such a joy to be around. He loves to play with older kids and gets the opportunity to do so daily. He loves to be chased, thrown, and tickled, although they all must be on his terms, when he wants it, and not all of a sudden. Thankfully, he’s usually up for a chase, tickle, or toss into the air from mom and dad. He’s fascinated by how things work and loves to figure out why things work like they do. He’s great at cleaning up his toys when he wants to be and is a fabulous helper at home and out and about. He brushes his teeth pretty well (although we always do it too), he can undress himself and when he’s patient enough with himself can get himself dressed, although most of the time he’s in a hurry. He does not like to fail, mess up, look silly, or “not know” things. Although we’re trying to parent this trait differently to change it, Nathan is a perfectionist. He loves his blankies and must have them to sleep in his bed. He is most often a shirtless sleeper. He likes to sleep with a stuffed animal too, although his favorite changes weekly. Nathan is very aware of others feelings and emotions, particularly with mom and dad. He knows when we are sad, stressed, happy, proud, grumpy, etc. He is quick to console others who are sad or hurting, and eagerly extends compassion to others. (He can also be just as quick to be an impulsive 2 year old – but usually shows remorse immediately). He’s very good at trying to figure out how to get what he wants and is very creative in his manipulation tactics. :) His favorite color is purple and he LOVES books. He recently got his very own compact NIV Bible that his picked out all by himself. He loves to read it, he takes it to church, and often takes it other places we go. He can find Genesis and Exodus and knows many verses by memory.

Nathan, I am so thankful to be your mommy and it brings me great joy to watch you grow. It is an amazing blessing to walk beside you in life and I’m truly grateful that the Lord has blessed your dad and I with such a wonderful kiddo. You're my little buddy and I’m soooooo glad! Pretty soon you’re going to be a big brother and I know you’ll be a good one. Already you love to talk and sing to Baby Taylor, share your toys and books with her, read her stories, and include her in things. I know it will be an adjustment, but I’m quite confident you’ll thrive in your new role as big brother. I love you sweet boy!