Now we are three ...

My big boy turned three yesterday. It still sounds funny to my ears because he is the "big" boy around here, and yet, he is only just now three. But there is no doubt about it: He is a boy and no longer a baby. And if you don't believe me, just ask him, and he will tell you. As he tells us. About a hundred times a day.

In honour of my big-boy-who-is-no-longer-a-baby, we had a little birthday celebration yesterday. I hesitate to call it a "party" because only our family was invited--just the four of us--and we kept the festivities really simple. As much as he enjoys going to friends' birthday parties, throwing one of our own would be a disaster. The combination of sugar, excitement, and other kids playing with his toys would be a recipe for a complete meltdown, and I wanted him to enjoy his birthday not spend it crying.

Instead we spent the day doing things that he loves the most: visiting the dinosaurs at the museum, jumping on bouncy castles, and baking, decorating and, of course, eating the birthday cake. (It came in a box. We dyed it pink, purple, green, and blue. It looked awful, but he got to decorate it himself and he loved it. He had three pieces.)

We opened all of his birthday letters and read them aloud--a little tradition I started for his first birthday. Although I must admit he was much more excited by the obnoxious singing, dancing disco-hamster card I bought him than the heartfelt epistles of his nearest and dearest. That's a three year old for you.

And, of course, there were presents. 

Since Colin's birthday falls just after Christmas and since, heaven help us!, we do not need any more toys in this house, I put a ban on friends and family giving him birthday gifts. I know, I'm horrid.

Nonetheless, his grandmothers couldn't help slipping a little something in the mail, and Kevin and I got him a set of three Automoblox. And as he's been dancing around the house with them for the past 24 hours, telling us all about "these really cool, awesome toys," I might have to lift the ban next year and go "full toy." (So quickly do our ideals crumble...)

Whatever! We had an absolutely wonderful day, full of smiles and laughter and absolutely free of tantrums and tears. And if you've ever had a two year old--I mean, a three year old--then you know just how rare and wonderful those days are. 

Happy third birthday, Colin Henry Beach!