Paulo - 2.75 years

Paulo! you are only 3 months shy of 3 years old! I can't help but look at you in awe of everything you do now, all the new skills, the improvements and the changes. But then of course part of me is incredibly sad to watch that little toddler fade away, as you slowly turn into a little boy.

You are living such an exciting part of life, and we are so lucky to be watching you so closely. You have definitely mastered riding your strider bike. It is insane the turns you take with it, how fast you go with your feet and how well you balance. You definitely turn heads and bring up smiles on people's faces when they watch you go. Your favourite toy all along is definitely your bike, right up there with your ball, although you have developed a strong liking for cars and your newest obsession, rockets (along with the usual balloons and umbrellas).

Little devil on his bike

You never walk, you always RUN everywhere. It is so darn cute. I will be so sad when you start slowing down.

 

Your soccer skills are also up there as well, you can kick, you are improving at catching, and you always work on new soccer moves like the fake falling (haha!) and the long kicks. We have spent so much time this summer outside in the driveway just kicking the ball around.

Your fine motor skills are definitely developing as well. You now have an interest in building blocks and lego towers (you used to only be interested in knocking them down!), but now you seem interested in balancing them on top of each other and see how high they can go. You are sure building some high towers for a little guy!

Your little personality has blossomed so much in the last few months. Your language continues to get out of hand. Our greatest challenge as parents is that you have learned to use the word "Perfect"/ "Perfecto". And with that, our world has become so much more difficult. We have so many battles with you over something because "No esta perfecto!!"/ "It is not perfect!!", be it your pillow, your cape, your toy cars, or whatever you are playing with.

 

This last point brings me to my least favourite trait of yours. I would say that in general you are a very well behaved boy. You are most times obedient, you are sweet, you are generally not aggressive and you have learned to be polite. However, when you don't get your way or we don't do things exactly as you wanted them, hell brakes lose. It is not so much that you get angry, but the fact that you scream in anger so loud and with such a passion that you even shake, and our ears DO NOT appreciate it. We are now working on it though and whenever you through a fit we gently tell you you will have to go to your room for a few minutes to calm down, and that sofar has been enough to stop the madness.

 

In contrast, one of my favourite traits in you and that you are different. I'm sure all moms feel this way, but I really do feel like you appreciate things that are different from the typical. Sure you like cars, and rockets, and dinosaurs, but you also like things that I think most little boys may not like so much. I am not sure how to explain it. But for example, you like things that are scary. You like monsters and thunder and lightening. You like eyes that pop up in the darkness. You like balloons that pop and blenders and vacuum cleaners and things that make a loud noise that startle people. You like watching people fall. You like spicy foods and bugs. I think you may even be a bit curious about vaccine shots! People would probably think you are weird... and I guess you are a little but I think you like all these things with a bit of humour.

Moving on to how you are with your little brother, you are still jealous of Emilio. I think there are some deeper positive feelings growing, and you seem to enjoy it when he laughs at your every move and you ask about him when he is no there, as if you missed him. However you still get angry if he comes near your toys and God forbid him pulling your hair or accidentally scratching your face. You seem to know very well though that if you hurt your little brother there is going to be big trouble, because you have not attempted it yet.

Another new found love in the last few months has been a fascination with your Nanna. You have of course always liked Nanna, but in the last month or two you want to go with her to the basement all.the.time. That has come in very handy for me when I am trying to put your little brother to sleep and you get impatient, as that buys me a few minutes. You sure seem to enjoy talking and playing with her all the time.

You have started Playschool this week and I can't wait to see how you are going to love your new little friends and activities.

Paulo, I love you so much and I am so happy to be your mom. I hope I can bring as much happiness to your life as you bring to mine!

This is what I get when I ask for a smile now