E-I-E-I-E-O

For the way he sings “Old MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-E-O!…and on this farm he had a MOOSE E-I-E-I-E-O!”

For the way he greeted me today by blowing kisses from the playground (at least 4 times in a row) with little excited hops in his steps as he watched me get out of the car…

For the little stories that he tells, making them up as he goes, incorporating whatever he sees in front of him as he spins in a circle and spins his little yarn about whatever…

For the effort he (sometimes) puts into saying “please” and “thank you” and asking whether or not he should do something before he does it, like eating random food pieces off the ground (“eat it?”)…I know it’s hard to do!…

I just love my little guy.

There are tantrums and there is laughter. There are tears, both his and ours. There’s the hitting (you may not hit mommy or daddy) and the jumping (please do not jump from that high!) and whining (please use your words). It is not easy. I am sometimes exhausted or impatient or frustrated or all of the above. But then there’s the kiss out of nowhere, the “I love you BIG” at bedtime, the hugs and the snuggles, the all-of-a-sudden laughter TOGETHER when he tells his own jokes. And it’s worth every single minute of it. Yes, it is.