almost three

...my baby boy, who will not be the "baby" very soon is already not really a baby. i've mentioned this...right? he is three in just two weeks and i'm finding that amazingly hard to believe. i've been reading back over my pregnancy posts with him to compare to round two and ugh...i was just pregnant!

we've been battling "the sick" around these parts and the days stuck inside have been wearing me out. why do people not mention almost three year olds are balls of non-stop energy? oh, they do? it seems unfair that sick children do not sleep great at night (i'm not blaming finn..he couldn't breathe through his nose and was vomiting) and remain sick and snotty all day, yet have the ability to bounce around for hours without seeming all that tired. meanwhile, the parents lose sleep at night, fall sick with the same symptoms and can think of nothing more to do all day than to curl up in a ball and rest. rest, sick child!

today, day 5 (or 6?) of germfest, has finn on the upswing. i'm not quite there yet but his adorable spirit has kept me going. we're working hard on manners and potty training and there have been quite a few ups and downs. but today he's blown me away. he does want a lot of attention (you play dis wif me? you build dese for me? you help me pease? every 3 minutes even i i am already playing/helping/building) and that's tiring for someone (me) who wants to sit on the couch and just be sick and 22 weeks pregnant. but he makes it worth my while by proving he is listening and learning. "mommy, may i have some kefir, pease?" grants him a cup of kefir for snack because i can't resist those manners. nicely walking the dogs to the mailbox to pop the grandparent valentines in the mail granted a few giant splashes through the puddles. and i didn't even get mad when he sat down (but, why?!). running off to potty by himself four times, not an accident to speak of and (tmi) proclaiming his excitement over both pee and poop on that last visit to the little potty grants him a sticker on his chart and his hand.

 yes, at almost three he is self-centered. "i want..." is the first thing out of his mouth 500 times a day. but we follow it with 'may i/would you/etc., please and thank you'. he wants everything his way and playing with him isn't all that fun or rewarding - it's impossible to play the "right" way. but he's learning to share, take turns, and play pretend. and most importantly, he's eager to please and hear praise. he gets potty training and we even venture out without diapers. we're talking with him about moving to his big bed. we ask him to bring his dishes to the dishwasher. he gets his own drink cups from the fridge. so much independence coupled with so much neediness...a balance i guess!