Wee-um

This is how he still refers to himself, he can't say L's (but I think I've said before, that's a sound that doesn't have to mastered until a kid is 6). I think it's pretty cute. "Carowina-wu-wu" is my favorite.
At almost 3 & 1/2, He's getting so tall, he still hasn't caught up to Claire (and he probably won't), but he's taller than all the other kids his age. But he, like Lina, has a skinny waist and has a constant case of "plumber's". That's when he's wearing 4T pants, they're long enough, but just so big around, no matter how much I cinch them. The 3T pants fit well, but are too short. I've been trying to buy 5T shirts so they'll last for 2 years, T-shirts work for this, but not button-ups. According to my scale he is 37 lbs. - almost 40 which means a booster car seat!

Food: He's reverted back to being the most stubborn, pickiest eater ever. I was doing well making dinners he was unfamiliar with and getting him to eat, or at least try, them. But there were a couple of busy stressful weeks where we just sort of scrounged or ate late, so he was back to eating PBJ, nuggets, hot dogs, and scrambled eggs. Since then, it's a huge battle every dinner. We bribe him like crazy. Not even YogurtCourt can get him to eat what he doesn't want to eat (ie. pizza... yeh). Pretty sad. It's a constant battle within myself to continue to do battle with him over food - exhausting - but I don't him to be a picky eater like I was.

Sleep: We are finally beyond the paci - he hasn't had one in forever, but he asked for it every night for months... but no more. He's still a really good sleeper, except putting him to bed is quite the challenge lately. He gets all hyper right before bed so it's like a wrestling match getting him into jammies and brushing his teeth. He always wants you to tell him a story, preferably one with dragons and pancakes. And most of the time, although his bedtime is at 8, he won't fall asleep until between 9-10:30. Usually he'll be up there talking to himself, jumping on the bed (which he gets in trouble for, but how do you stop him?), peeking out the window or whatever, and we'll typically have to go up there a handful of times to get him to settle down. But, lately he's been dealing with something that makes him suddenly start crying and screaming bloody murder; it always ends up being nothing, but ay-yi-yi. Once Todd went up there when we could hear him moving around, and I heard Liam say, "I was just moving around to get cozy." A) yeh, right, B) I love that he uses the word "cozy". We've been wondering if maybe he's so awake because he doesn't need afternoon naps anymore. Sometimes he does skip a nap, but boy will he be cranky in the evening. So, to nap or not to nap, that is the question. We'll see what happens this summer when we're at the pool many afternoons.

Learning: He is just so smart. He has long known all his shapes, colors, and how to count to about 20. Letters and numbers (seeing/naming them) were one thing we haven't really worked on. However, I found an app for my iPad that's called Write My Name, or something like that, and he loves it. It teaches kids how to write letters (by having them follow an arrow and trace it), plus the sound it makes. Then it also has words to spell, he has many of them memorized now, including his name. Earlier today, he was looking at the "Small World" book, pointed and said "L, l, l - for Liam." Yay - I don't have to feel guilty about him using electronics, he is learning something! This summer I do plan on making some time every day to practice writing letters, for reals, and other "preschoolish" stuff.

Fun: So like this father, Liam wants to be entertained all the time. If he's not asking for a movie, then a TV show, then my phone, then my iPad, then for some friends to come over, then for me to play with him. He's so bad at playing by himself. This summer will be a shock to his system with no Poppa to play with and just hanging out at the house most of the time. Cars are still his favorite toy, but he loves hexbugs, painting, reading, going for a walk to feed the ducks, going to the park, playing soccer or Frisbee with dad. That's another thing, he is SO a daddy's boy. I think since Carolina came along, I sort of took over with her, and Todd took over with Liam. He's put him to bed pretty much every night for the last 7 months. If Liam gets sad, hurt, or scared - he cries for daddy. When he wants to have fun, he wants daddy for that too. Todd might be a little happy about that.

Todd just told me Liam said this to him, "Here's the pwan: first, have to go to Target and get a new car; then go to Grandma's house; then we go to the puppy store; then we go to Grandma's house. That's the pwan." Ha! I wish I was better at remembering the funning/cute things he says so I could write them down (not the first time you've heard me say that, is it?) - but I'm always trying!
*Carolina went to the doctor, and her height/weight stats are posted here.