Nathan is 3

Yesterday was Nathan's third birthday. He has been pretty excited about it all week. In fact a week ago we were at the store getting a little toy for Caelan to take to a birthday party. Nathan wanted to buy a car. I told him that we weren't going to buy it that day. He really wanted it. I told him maybe he would get something like that for his birthday - that is was almost his birthday. So, for the next week he used that as a reason to try and get me to buy him things every time we stepped into a store. "Can I get this for my birthday?" - He's a smart one, that kid. In fact, Ben and Nathan and I went to the store on Saturday morning. I was trying to be sly and sneak little things into the cart, but he pretty much knew exactly what we were doing and starting putting his own things in the cart. He snuck up to our bedroom on Saturday evening and opened all of his presents (except for one) - silly boy. He wanted a dragon cake, so that is what we made for him. He told everyone that it was his birthday - he was very proud of it. It was a great day.

Some fun things about Nathan:
* He is potty trained - YIPPEE (and let me just say he was leaps and bounds easier to train than his older brother)
* He loves cheese sticks, apples, crackers, cereal, eggs, plain rice, and almost anything with sugar in it
* When we have cake and ice cream for birthdays he will almost ALWAYS eat the cake and leave the ice cream (that is a total mystery to us)
* He loves to take a bath (or a shower) and will ask for one pretty much every day
* He also loves to swim in the jacuzzi
* He is a little talker and can pretty much communicate anything he needs to
* He loves to get my attention by saying, "Mom?" and then when I answer him he responds with "nevermind." He'll do this over and over again.
* He likes to play on the iPad and the computer and can maneuver around fairly well
* He loves cars, trains, balls, swords, little characters, riding the big wheel on the deck in the backyard, playing at the park and pretty much anything that his brother and sisters will include him in.
* He used to always ask for me to "spike" his hair, but in the last month or so he has switched over to always asking for it to be "down" (combed to the side). I think his brother is rubbing off on him.
* He loves to be tickled. He'll ask Dad or I to do it over and over and over again.
* He is a big helper when it comes to setting the table - even when it is someone else's turn he wants to be the one to put the plates and silverware on the table.
* He points out motorcycles, busses, police cars, big trucks, fire trucks and any other special kind of vehicle when we are driving.
* He regularly makes his way to our bed sometime in the morning and falls back asleep with us.
* He likes to tell people what to say to him ("Mom, say 'what'." or "Caelan, say 'what are you eating'?")
* He loves to get out of bed for some reason or another several times (when it is bedtime) and then he asks to be re-tucked in after every time (this is not our favorite routine of the evening, but it is pretty funny).
* He can count to ten (and sometimes up to 13 or 14) but he almost always skips the number 5.
* He loves to "help" people say the prayer.
* He would be happy to run around in his underwear all day every day.

We love Nathan to pieces. He is pure entertainment and joy in our home.