Fall Recap

September

With Tim back in school, it was just Conor and I again for Monday Funday.  We try to go somewhere different every week, like Bennett Arboretum in Hines Park...



or Domino's Farms...





or the Hands On Museum.

October

Fall color this year was really amazing so we went to Tollgate Farm to check it out.

The Plymouth Fire Dept. had an open house and we sat in all the fire trucks.



Conor and I took a trip to Texas to visit Mimi and Grampy, Aunt Kelly, Uncle Jason, and cousins Madeline and Clara.  We went to the Dallas Arboretum...



and the Dallas World Aquarium...



and the Ft. Worth Zoo.



Back in Michigan, Conor cheered on runners at the Detroit Marathon.  We tried to see dada run but the timing was bad.



For Halloween, Conor was a greaser.



He was a little nervous about proper ToTing procedure at the first couple of houses, but by the third he was warmed up and ready to go.  "Trick or Treat!  Thank you!  Happy Halloween!!  Okay, let's go!!  I see another light on!"

November

We hosted our playgroup this month at Gretchen's House.  They're all so much more rambunctious this year!

We had a quiet Thanksgiving at home.



The day after Tgives, we went to the Detroit Zoo...



and decorated for Christmas.






In general, this is what the first half of three is like for us-


He loves dinosaurs, animals, emergency vehicles and Thomas the Train.



He is learning to read and write his alphabet and just learned how to spell "C-o-n-o-r."

He likes to lip sync in the car and his favorite pop song is FloRida's "Cry".

He loves to act out scenes from movies and books.

Swimming lessons are going well and he is working on Superman glides and keeping his face in the water.

He likes baking and being a helper.

He is very curious and asks lots of questions.

As of early September, he is completely potty trained.

He is moving into 4T clothes and size 11W shoes.

He still takes a nap in the afternoon and sleeps 9 hours at night.

Convo with a 3 year old

I asked Conor to pick up his cup.  

Conor "No mama!  DON'T. say that to me."

Me "That's not a nice way to talk.  Please pick up the cup now."

Conor "STOP. TALKING TO ME"

I walk away and ignore, thinking I'll deal with it when he's not irrationally annoyed with my simple requests.  I realize I may be waiting a long time.

Conor "Don't say that to me mama."

Silence from me, still ignoring from the kitchen.

Conor "Stop talking to me.....Stop it.....No you CAN'T say that to me."

More silence.

Conor "Mama?  ... Mama?  ..... Mama??? ... MAMA!!??  ARE YOU THERE MAMA?"

Me "Yes Conor?"

Conor "STOP talking to ME!"

Official Three Year Stats

Conor had his three year well visit recently.  His stats:

Height - 39.25" (84th percentile)

Weight - 38.4 lbs (94th percentile)


He did much better for the checkup this time, thanks to "Elmo Goes to the Doctor".  He was much more comfortable around Dr. Diane.  (Which is not her real name but that's the name of Elmo's doctor so that's what he calls her.)  He did great at all his "tests", except drawing an "X".  Dr. Diane drew a circle, and Conor copied it.  She drew an "X" and he drew two parallel lines and another circle.  Extra points for thinking outside the box.

Day In The Life

A few weeks ago I tried taking pictures periodically throughout our day to document a "typical" day in our life with a three year old.  Turns out I picked a sort of atypical day - we're all home on Mondays during the summer and on this particular Monday, we didn't have any plans. Our days look much different during the work week or when we're running around on weekends, but it's harder to remember to take pics on those days.

We had kind of a lazy morning, hanging around the house, playing, and getting chores done.

Conor and Tim got up before I did, and I came downstairs to a puppet show.  No pants cause we're PTing (still).

He likes movies but can no longer just sit and watch, he has to re-enact them.  He's watching "Mater's Tall Tales" on my computer while I do the dishes.

Snack time.  He said "I'm a MONKEY!"

Dishes are done.

(Another) cup of coffee.

Folded laundry on the dining room table so I didn't have to be in the basement all alone.

Trains.  Dada makes the best tracks.  He loves Thomas (again with the acting out the scenes) but we are too cheap to buy Thomas trains, so he has named all the plain IKEA trains with the characters' names.  It's kind of sad LOL.  We should spring for some real Thomas trains, poor kid.

Lunch date at QDoba (with pants).

Nap time.

Worked in the garden while he slept.

Sleepy head waking up.

Sprayscape!  It was so stinking hot and humid that day.  We got there and I was basically ready to go after 10 minutes, but he of course wanted to stay for like two hours.

Promised him ice cream to convince him to leave. Didn't have cash for DGR so ended up at McD's.

Back home, played some more, picked at dinner since we ruined our appetites with ice cream.  I was kind of wiped from being out in the heat so didn't take any pics.

Upstairs at bedtime, more puppeteering. 

World's worst catcher. (Ewwww his mirror is gross, I just cleaned that last year.)

Bath.

Puzzles and blocks and hideous pajamas.

Storytime.  I keep my bird books in his room and he picked out an Ornithology textbook for his first story. 

Lights out and lullabies.  This Lullaby album has played on repeat all night, every night, for months and months. We can hear it ever so quietly in our room, too. I think I could live the rest of my life and never listen to "All The Pretty Horses" again.

I went to bed pretty much right after this I think. 

Riveting, I know.

Three.

My baby is three today! We had a party with family Saturday and went to the zoo today.

Looking back at his birthday post last year, I'd say all those interests pretty much still apply. Here are some more ways I would describe Conor at 3.

He is funny. Not just "kids say ridiculous stuff" funny, but he knows how to turn it on. He is such a ham and keeps us laughing.

He is sweet.

He is rambunctious.

He is curious.

He is cautious.

He loves to act things out - songs, movies, stories....

He loves animals.

He loves to play and get dirty.

He loves to sing.

He loves his family.

He loves Shrek, Blues Clues, Super WHY!, The Muppets, Tangled, The Berenstain Bears and Toy Story.

He follows his own path - he knows what he wants and goes after it.

He is growing up fast, but still loves to cuddle in his mama's lap.


Happy birthday sweet boy! We love you so so much.

Robot

Conor saw the rain barrel on the side of the house last week and said, "There's a robot hiding in the bushes."

Then today he said, "There's the robot in the bushes.  It's happy to see me.  Hi robot!!"

Apparently they have a good relationship.

Portrait of Mama

100% drawn by Conor.  I know, right???  You never would have guessed.

Thumb

The other day Conor was playing in the living room while I was in the kitchen.  I heard a loud bang from the other room.
Conor walked into the kitchen holding his crotch.

Conor: "Mama I hurt my thumb!"
Me: "Uh oh... let me see." (to which he would normally hold out the damaged body part for me to inspect)

Conor still grabbing his pants.

Me: "Um.... the thumb in your pants?"
Conor: "Yeah."

I guess maybe we need to work a little more on body part names!

Zoo Trip

My sweet little man.

I just can't get enough of this kid - so much personality, such a sweet little guy. Love him to pieces :)