Sometimes You Just Get To Be Three

I can't believe that in just 13 short days, my little man will be four.  Where has the time gone?  As four approaches us, I have noticed some definite changes in Walker.  He has really matured alot in the past month.  For the most part, he seems to be over his jealousy towards Will and really embracing his roll in our family of four.

Right now is Cliff's football season.  We are all (Cliff more than anyone, probably) ready for it to be over.  But, we are making the best of it.  When Cliff is gone, I truly have another little man of the house.  Walker tells me all the time that he's the man of the house when Daddy isn't here.  If something "Daddy like" needs to occur or be taken care of, Walker is (or so he thinks) the "man" for the job.

Walker has truly become very enjoyable company.  There are very few times when I feel like I'm hanging out with a preschooler these days.  He is a very entertaining conversationalist, and in general just lots of fun to be around. 

We have enjoyed some mommy and me time lately.  One of the things that has become a tradition for us here lately is to do the grocery shopping together.  Walker is such a big helper in the grocery store, and I love the way we just carry on conversation the entire time...about what we need, what we will do later, what he thinks he and Daddy should do, where they should play golf, what he wants me to buy him from the toy section at Walmart, etc...

He loves to help me cook dinner and he even enjoys helping me put up laundry.  This has shown me, that it really doesn't matter what we are doing, Walker just loves doing things with me.  And, I love doing things with him too! 

To save money lately, we have been shopping at Aldi.  He loves to go to Aldi with me because he can put a quarter in to get the buggy out, and at Aldi they even let us bag our own groceries!  That is one of his favorite parts.  :)  He's really good at it too!

There have been lots of times lately when Walker has just been expected to do more for himself than a three year old should.  But he does it (most of the time) so gracefully.  I think that makes it even more special on the nights when he does as me to put his bedtime pull-up on, or get him dressed in the morning before church.  I see his independent side that wants to do it all on his own, but when he needs a little extra TLC, he lets us know it with the small things..."mommy will you dress me today?"  "daddy will you lay in the bed and watch tv with me for a few minutes?"  And of course, we are happy to oblige.

Walker is a really good big brother.  There are times it seems he could just take or leave Will.  But, it's in the quiet, often unseen moments that I know he loves his brother (or little BOTHER) as he calls him sometimes just as much as the little Pickle loves him.  Every afternoon we play freeze tag, hide-n-seek and attack baby.  I face Will outward and hold him so that he can see Walker's part in the games, and he just laughs and laughs and laughs.  I wouldn't trade that afternoon tradition for anything in the world. 
He often sneaks kisses and pats, hands over Pablo for some Will lovin' and talks sweetly to him when I am in the other room and he doesn't think I know what's going on.  He's also had his share of calling him  names...like stupid spit up baby, which we deal with accordingly.  Sometimes, he just gets to be three.  :)

Walker's prayers have changed recently too.  His days of rehearsed prayers are fading.  At mealtime, especially he prays for the happenings of the day, the people around him, etc...  He once prayed thanking God that mommy was being nice that day.  HA! 

 Walker recently had a meltdown, something that is almost non-existant for him.  But Dad & Kathy stopped by Friday evening and had a quick dinner with us.  They weren't here long, and normally they spend their time visiting 100% focused on him, but they were only over for a short time this particular evening and spent alot of the time talking to Cliff and I.  Walker wandered back to Will's room, crawled up in the glider and sucked his thumb.  When they left, he fell apart.  And I mean APART.  I don't know that I've ever seen him as heartbroken as he was.  He just didn't understand.  Poppy and Grammie DID play with him...but in his eyes, not the way they normally do and they didn't stay very long.  He was so upset that he couldn't verbalize what was wrong and we had a few very rough, and very difficult moments.  Eventually, I handed Will over to Cliff to do bedtime...something I normally stake claim on because I love my moments rocking him to sleep and singing to him.  But this particular night, my big boy needed me more in those moments.  We curled up on the couch and he said to me "mommy, I am just really, really sad.  My feelings are so hurt..."  and he told me why.  We talked some about having to share his time with his favorite people, and how sometimes grown ups are just tired after they have worked all week long.  I reminded him of all the special things Grammie and Poppy have done with him and of all the fun times to come, and he was fine.  Voila.  Lesson learned for mommy...sometimes he just gets to be three. 

I am so proud of the young man he is becoming!  These days, I am finding myself spending less time on the Internet, less time texting, less time with friends, less time on housework, and more time just loving on my baby boys.  This time is fleeting, and it is precious.  These are moments I will never get back.