Happy Birthday Ryan!

Dear Ry-Ry,

Oh my little guy…you are turning 3 today…my baby Ry-Ry is not a baby anymore! I asked you last night where my baby Ry-Ry was and you told me “all gone!”

You are such a hoot, let me tell you! You are so very different from your older brother and sister, and even though it can be exhausting and you wear me down, I’m glad you’re different because it helps you stand out. No forgotten third child for you! You are the most stubborn child I have ever met! But your ability to make us laugh helps us forget how frustrated you can make us :) Daddy has nicknamed you “Stink” because you are such a stinker! And what’s funny is that you respond to that name! Little Zora says “hey Stink” and you turn and around and say “what?”

Right now you are very much into two things…Cars 2 and Thomas. I asked you the other night what you wanted for your birthday, and you told me “Cars.” I asked you what else, and you thought for a moment, and then said “Cars 2.” I asked what else and again, you thought for a second and said “Cars again.” You were no help :) But at least buying presents for you is super easy…I got you a couple of Cars 2 cars and some new Thomas trains and you were a happy camper!

Right now we are desperately trying to potty train you. Again, you are asserting your independence and showing us that this will happen when you’re ready. We first tried last January right before I had Colton…that didn’t work. And then we really did it in June, but you are still dragging your feet. And we all know that you are physically and mentally ready for it, but I can see the little wheels in your head spinning and knowing that this is one area that you can control and you will do this when you’re ready. This last week we are making great progress, and I do know that no one goes to Kindergarten in diapers…

You love to play sports, just like Joshie. You want to play baseball outside, and it’s so cute to see you and Zora get out the bases and try to play together. You like to play kickball with the big kids in the court when they get a game going, and of course you absolutely love football. You copy Joshie in everything and yet he gets so frustrated with you…he forgets that you are three years younger than him! But when he does calm down and the two of you play together, it just melts my heart!

Poor Kylie loves you so much and always wants to take care of you, but you usually want nothing to do with her :( You won’t hold her hand and you won’t sleep in her bed with her, which really hurts her feelings :( But again, I know it’s because of your personality and we love you for it! Sometimes you do indulge her and it makes her so happy! She loves to take care of you!

I think you and Colton are going to be great friends. You get so excited when you see him and I think you two are close enough in age that you won’t get as frustrated with him as Joshie gets with you. I have a feeling that you two will be very similar…he already seems so much like you!

You have the most gorgeous, huge blue eyes, and the most amazing eyelashes I have ever seen. Couple those with your beautiful blonde hair and I think you will always have every girl watching you! You love it when we spike your hair, and you still can’t say your “S’s” very well, so it’s so cute when you say “look at my hair, it’s all fikey.” I’m amazed at how blonde your hair has stayed too…which is good since I often call you “blondie.”

Oh Ryan…you are such a special boy! I remember cuddling with you on the couch when you were a newborn and just feeling such a special connection with you. You light up the room and really are such a good boy. You are so good that Daddy and I kept forgetting that you were only two this past summer…we kept expecting you to act older and stop crying, etc., and then we would have to remind ourselves that you were still a baby!

Thank you for being such a great boy and for making me so happy! I can’t imagine life without our little Ry-Ry…you are such an important part of our family and we love you so much!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday!
Love,
Mommy