Happy 3rd Birthday, Burkley!

Burkley,

YOU ARE THREE! I can't believe how fast time flies! We had so much fun celebrating you this year. About a week and a half ago we made a countdown that we put on the wall since you kept asking if it was your birthday yet.

The day before your birthday we had your party. In the morning we took you out for breakfast and then in the evening we celebrated with your Uncle Dan who has the same birthday as you and turned 30 this year. We had a cookout at a park, a bonfire (with s'mores!), and lots of friends and family came out to celebrate. It was a little cold and drizzly, but mostly it was fine! Many of the gifts you got were dinosaur-themed (just like last year!) because you are still obsessed with dinos. You also got your first set of Legos, tickets to see Disney on Ice, and several art supplies, among other things.

This is almost as much of you we saw during the party.

You did sit still to eat for a few minutes.

It was a really charming atmosphere!

You had fun opening gifts!

The next day was your "real birthday" - the day you turned three! We went to church and then afterward went to a pumpkin patch with our friends from church. We did this last year too and it's become an annual tradition. 

A few of Burkley's friends-- the 3 year olds!

Cheesin' it up 

Then we came home and while you napped, I tried to get the house cleaned up. When you woke up, you snuck downstairs while I was trying to get Cadriel down for a nap, and ate two cupcakes before Daddy came in from outside and caught you. Then you lied and said that I said you could have them. We had an interesting chat about sneaking and lying. You're getting clever in your old age. ;)

Then you played Legos with Daddy and then we headed to Gramma and Grampa's for pizza and baths (since our bathroom is under construction). You and your brother haven't taken a bath together in quite awhile since we've had no bath (only a shower in the basement) and it was fun to see you two play in the water together.

When we got home it was bedtime and we looked through your baby album. You saw your NICU pictures and said that you had owies when you were a baby when you saw the tubes and cords in the pictures. We looked through the pictures at everyone who came to visit you when you were born and talked about how we waited and waited to take you home when you were all better and the doctors said you were ready. Then we read Dr. Seuss's book Happy Birthday To You! and sang the birthday song once more.

You have grown up a lot this year. You're into quirky "big boy" things like pretend fighting, good guy vs. bad guy, toilet-talk (everything is about "poopy"), like to do things by yourself, are potty-independent, pick out your own clothes, and always want to know what we're doing "next." You love coloring and drawing. You love playing "aminoles" (animals) and roaring at everyone who will tolerate it. You finger is constantly up your nose. You still don't sleep through the night. You sometimes love your brother and other times ignore him and sometimes bite him. 

You've also been begging to do gymnastics (with no mommy!) and you start class next week.

I'm so thankful for you. You are exhausting. You talk nonstop. You don't listen very well. You are hilarious. You are adorable. You are sweet. You are smart and creative. You are ours and we are blessed.

Happy Birthday, Burkley! We love you!

~Mama