Dear Drew,

Wow-one month left and you will be three! When we asked you what kind of birthday cake we should make for Jesus- you insisted on a Star Wars cake, so I think we will at least be making you one for your birthday.
You have been mostly fun this month. Besides a little testing of the wills with Momma and Da (as you now refer to him), you have been pretty agreeable, curious, talkative, eager to learn and just plain fun. When we ask you questions, usually about an item you are playing with, you will repeat the question back to us as if playing "shadow" and often when we ask you a yes or no question, you'll respond with an uninterested, "oh." To which we just giggle in reply. Then there is your excited, "Oh!" when you've just learned something new or particularly pleasing. This is not to say that your vocabulary is limited to just "oh's." You have been vocalising quite a bit, and your speech is getting clearer and clearer. In fact, one of your new words this month was, "frustrated." I happen to use that word to express myself quite often and as with all almost 3 year olds, you picked up on it. After a particularly FRUSTRATING day...you went and told your father, "Da da, I'm fus-ter-Ated." Then a few days later you and Beau were playing around the staircase and you had a book or something that I didn't want you playing with and I asked you to go put it back and you promptly threw it down the stairs. (See, testing my will, you were.) So I lifted you up to get some eye contact with you while I explained why you weren't to do things like that, and you head-butted me. So then I took you to your room for some time out. When I came back to talk to you, I asked you if you knew why you were in time out, and you said, "I frustrated you..." Too true, too true. Actually it made me feel pretty bad when you told me that, so I assured you then, and now, that (now lets be honest here, even though parenthood is frustrating at times) I love you very much! And with that said, let me also say, that no matter how many times you head butt me, defy me, whatever you may do, I will ALWAYS love you! Let me tell you what you have said this month though, that makes me feel good, "Momma, I don't wan the sun down, I want the sun up." Translation- "Momma, since you can make the sun rise, would you keep it awake for a few more hours, please?!!" Ha ha, I'm glad you think I'm so talented, and I will be sad the day you figure out that I'm not capable of this. You also asked your father to do the same later on and he said, "I can't do anything about the sun, that's God's department, so you need to take that up with him."

Well, Drew-bug I'm looking forward to your birthday. Even though you were just spoiled with many many Christmas presents, I see things at the store I'd still love to get for you. Seeing a smile on your face, enjoying your expressions of wonderment, watching you learn new things, hearing you say new words, is the highlight of my life. You're a pretty rad little dude, and don't you ever forget it. You are and will always be loved.
Love, Momma


Just delightful Drew (and holding a Star Wars ornament, no doubt.)


Working hard at opening that stocking stuffer. Concentration unmatched by any other almost three year old.


Rockin' on the guitar-still one of your favorites.


Most assuredly on of your "Oh!" moments, after Gramma O. showed you that the doggy puppet could bark on it's own.