Lawson is 3!!

Lawson showing off his cake. He wanted to put his hand out like that. Ha ha!!

I cannot believe that my baby boy, Lawson, is 3!! For some reason this birthday has really hit me emotionally. Maybe it's because Easton is 5 and I know how fast time goes by or maybe it's because Jace is just 8 months and I remember it wasn't that long ago that Lawson was that age. For whatever reason, Lawson turning 3 has been fun and a little sad that my baby boy is growing up. I have tried to treasure every minute of this birthday and him running around saying, "I the bird-day boy!"

I do love the 3rd birthday the best of all (although I only have 5 birthdays to compare to at this point). : ) At 3, they are old enough to understand the "fun" of birthdays and the excitement leading up to it....all the presents, and the cake, and the party theme. At the same time, they are still young and very much a baby in lots of ways. I especially love the way they talk at this age. I love the funny things they say and the improper ways they say their words. For example, Lawson says "beary" for the word "very". I absolutely love that!! He told me he wanted Buzz and Woody on his birthday cake and when I told him I had ordered the cake and they were both going to be on there, he said "Ah, that is beary cool!!" It made me smile.

Lawson is quite the individual. He is his own person in every way. He is not a follower although he wants to do all the things his big brother does. Lawson is so funny. He has been that way since he was a baby. He would make faces and do things as a baby that we had no idea where he got it from. We thought he was too young to know how to act that way. : ) Come to find out, that was just the sweet, fun-loving personality that the Lord gave him.

That boy can dance!! Let me tell you...he has the moves! He can shake that little hind-end like nobody's business. ha ha! Not that I am encouraging him to do that, but it sure is cute at age 3. : ) It doesn't matter what music is playing, he will find the rhythm and dance to it. He also claps on beat and stays with it for a long time. I know these are silly things, but as a musical person, I love to see evidences of music in my kiddos. : )

He is also very coordinated. We think he is going to be a great ball player of some sort when he gets older. He loves to play soccer, he is great a hitting a ball with a baseball bat, and can really throw a ball! Who knows what he will end up doing, but I feel pretty sure he'll be playing something!

He loves to play outside riding his bike, riding scooters, playing in the dirt, swinging, sliding, blowing bubbles (which helped to potty train him), playing with sidewalk chalk and just being an all around boy! My prayer is that someday we will live somewhere with lots of land for all the boys to romp and roam. : )

Along with all these precious characteristics, comes Lawson's very determined strong will. It is this attribute that gets him into lots of trouble and many tangles with his momma. He has had his share (and then some) of time-outs, spankings, lectures, and just good talkin' to's. : ) He tries my patience and pushes the limit on most things just to see how much he can get away with. I have to choose my battles with him, but I try to win most of the time. lol! He has learned to say "I'm sorry" and "I'll be good - I'll obey you." It's hard not to give in to those beautiful big brown eyes looking up at you. I have cried many tears and prayed many prayers to ask the Lord to help me and Mat as we try to mold this determined little person to be a man of God. I know that his strong will can help him as he grows up if it is turned in the right direction. But for now, I feel like at 3, we are doing okay.

Lawson is also a GREAT big and little brother. He loves Jace and Easton so much. He and Easton are typical brothers, I think. They play together and go on adventures, hunts, Batman and Robin stake-outs, Karate Kid fights, and the list goes on and on. They also have their bad times and fight a lot over toys. I grew up with a brother so I remember sibling fighting. You fight and fight, but you still love each other unconditionally and want nothing more than to just play together again. Lawson is so sweet with Jace. I wondered a lot about how he would act with Jace when he was born. Lawson has always been the rough one so I was scared he might try to pick him up or hit him or something, but he has been the complete opposite. He talks sweet to him and makes him laugh. He and Easton will go and climb into Jace's crib when Jace wakes up and play with him until I go and get Jace. It's so sweet. Lawson is a big helper and will go and get things for me if I need them. I can tell the more mobile Jace gets, Lawson may not be too excited about Jace getting his toys, but we all have to learn to share.... : )

When Lawson is gets in the right mood, he is the best "cleaner". He can pick up and clean up toys fast! He also is the best about putting away his shoes. I am thankful both boys are trained to take off their shoes as soon as they come inside and Lawson is so good about taking them straight to his closet. Lawson will also put up his plate in the sink for me after meals.

Speaking of sharing...all three boys are in the living room right now playing with toys and with Mat. I just heard Easton tell Lawson, "I know that's your toy, but sometimes babies want to play too. " Good job, big brother Easton!! He is so sweet - but that's a different blog entry. : )

One of my favorite things about Lawson is that he loves to snuggle. He has been that way since birth. When I pick him up, he plays with my hair and always wants to be touching in some way. Lawson is going through a stage right now where he wants me to lay down with him at night while he goes to sleep. How can you turn down an offer when it sounds like.."Momma, you sweep whiff me?" I mean, come on! When I lay down with him, he will put his little arm around my neck and always end up holding my hand. He LOVES to hold hands!! And I LOVE to hold that little hand.

Lawson doesn't have a lot of interest in learning educational things like shapes, letters, numbers, colors, etc. This is completely opposite from his older brother at this age. He is getting better, but sometimes he still just guesses and goes on. He can count to 10 and knows some colors and what a circle is and of course the number 3. Beyond that, it is just hit and miss. I'm not worried because I know he will pick up on things when he gets more interested and when I work with him more. I plan to send him to a Pre-Pre-K next year 2 days/week. I think that will be great for him. He wanted to go to school this year when Easton went. He loves being with other kids and feeling like a "big boy". He moved up from the nursery to the Children's Church at church last Sunday. He was so excited to be in class with Easton and Abby.

I love Lawson so much and I am so incredibly thankful to be his momma. As much as I thought I wanted a baby girl when I was pregnant with him - I am so glad God didn't give me a girl and that he gave me Lawson instead. Our lives are all better because he is with us.

Finally, getting to his party. He wanted a Toy Story party and that's exactly what he got. I think it was one of my favorite themes we have done. It was precious and the kids all had so much fun. We took them outside for a kid-sized hayride after opening presents and they had a ball. We even saw 3 deer while Papa pulled us around our side yard and our neighbors. Here are a few pictures from the big event....

The kids table.

Blowing out his candles. He blew them out first before we even sang so he got to do it twice. : )

Lawson LOVES birthday hats! Eating his birthday cake.

All the kids getting ready to watch Lawson open presents. After this picture, Lawson said, "I did a good job holding Baby Jace, momma?" I said, "Yes you did, baby!"

The scooter!!!

Lawson on his hayride with his glow necklace. ; ) He had so much fun!!

Oh, I love that little boy! It brings tears to my eyes!!