Category: Shep

Today you turn three. I’m not really sure how my sweet baby suddenly turned the corner into being a preschooler, but here we are.

You and I, we’re at an intense point in our relationship. You are black and white these days. You will fight me tooth and nail on some minute detail, hurling yourself to the ground in protest, and then minutes later you crawl into my lap, saying the most touching things.

Those things you say. I need to write more of them down, because there is really nothing more profound than the thoughts of a child as they finally find the words to express them. You make the strangest observations and thoughts. They are completely true, of course, but things I never would have thought of. Like when you get very serious and tell us that dogs can’t drive because they don’t have hands or you get frustrated when we tell you it’s time to put on shoes, but those are not your shoes those are your SANDALS for goodness sake. Life with you is extremely literal.

I am your current favorite. This often frustrating, as I attempt to scrape you off my leg so I can just make it to the bathroom. But mostly, it’s really wonderful. You sneak into my lap and demand to be hugged and held and doted on. I know these days won’t last forever, so I’m scooping up all the affection you’re willing to give while it’s still on the table.

We have a routine at bedtime where I crawl into your tent and we sit with our faces about two inches apart and we talk about the day. Well, as best you can with a freshly minted three-year-old. It may not always make a lot of sense but it’s a time when it’s just you and I.

I understand why you sleep in that tent now. You crawl in and it’s as if the rest of the world doesn’t exist. In those cozy spaces we whisper and giggle and then you demand a cuddle. And those are moments I’m tucking deep into my pocket of memories, because, my boy, that is the good stuff.

Happy birthday, Sizzles.

Oh, Shep, I love you so, but at this point in birthday season, I am totally tapped out. I promise you will not always get the shaft, but this year, the thought of hand-crafting the Wiggles’ Big Red Car made me think I might crawl into a corner and start sobbing.

But I will have you know that I went driving at about five zillion miles an hour today to purchase an amazing creation called an “edible cake topper” which is made of sugar and magically turns any cake into a work of art. Your father lovingly baked the cake and I decorated. So there’s still lots of love in this cake. Lots of exhausted love.

When you have your first child, you carefully plan your day. You expose them to new things and fresh, enriching experiences.

When you have your second child, you’re lucky if everyone makes it out the door with two shoes and a moderately well-balanced breakfast.

When you have a third child, well, let’s not even go there because I don’t want to scare Kate N. too much. But I might refer you back to that post where we went to IKEA and Neko had no shoes.

Anyway, Neko went to school today and Shep and I had no real plans. The sun was shining, and with the birthday party coming up this weekend, I thought we could use some flowers for the porch. I scooped up Shep and Ellery, and we headed out.

When we got there, Shep took over. He carefully looked at all the plants and helped me carry them to the cart. When we got home, he diligently carried them to their spots, even though though were so big he nearly toppled back down the steps.

When we were done, we put Ellery down for a nap. And then Shep stayed outside and just PLAYED. It was one of those deja vu moments where I remember spending countless summer hours outside picking dandelions and running through grass and finding things to hop on. I swept the porch and took out trash, and both of us were utterly content.

I do miss Neko when she’s off at school, but I also relish these moments when Shep gets a chance to climb behind the wheel and drive the day.

Poor Shep has been living in a shell of a room since we booted him out of his old room so we could move Ellery in. Even though he hasn’t slept in his crib since July, we haven’t moved it out yet since it would leave his room looking sad and barren. And since he’s not really a “stuff” kid, there aren’t an awful lot of things in there.

But today Tom announced it was time. There were books on the floor and the crib was becoming a repository for junk. So we loaded everyone up and headed to IKEA.

For the first time, we dropped the kids in Smäland. The 30 minute limit slipped by incredibly fast, but it was pretty luxurious to hold an actual conversation when contemplating a furniture purchase. We bought this small shelf, which is perfect for holding Shep’s things with room to grow. Plus, it replaced the crib, which we stealthily swept off to the basement.

Next on the agenda for Shep’s room: wall decor. On our current schedule, that should happen somewhere in late 2010.