Pumpkin Birthday Boy

I feel like this is the blog where I am supposed to write about how I can't believe my little baby - my sweet little boy - is three years old. About how it feels like just yesterday his entire tiny little body was laying on my chest. About how I can practically still feel his little hand curled around my finger.

The thing is, though, I don't really feel that way. At least not completely. It is amazing that my youngest child is three and sometimes he does say or do things that make me think "when in the heck did he grow up?" (like a few weeks ago when he said "I am not listening to you reading that book because I am really distracted"). But at the same time, I also feel like Lucas was two for forever. People would ask how old he was and I would tell them 2, thinking STILL two? really? is that right?!

I am not sure why it feels like Lucas should be older than he actually is. Maybe it's because he has had his distinctive, quirky, silly personality for as long as I can remember. (Or perhaps that I've been married to someone with a 'distinctive/quirky' personality, but that is another blog.) See, it's hard to determine what Lucas actually knows in terms of learning. He finds it HILARIOUS to say the alphabet incorrectly, call numbers the wrong names and say something is a color that it isn't. I think the fact that he thinks it's so funny is a sign that he does, in fact, know these things but I have little proof other than the few occasions he's actually being serious. It doesn't happen often. What I do think this proves is that he is on the path to being the class clown one day.

These days, Lucas also thinks it's funny to give people silly nicknames. As a term of endearment, I often call him "Pumpkin" and his Aunt Lauren calls him "Turkey". He has adopted these into his own nicknames, mainly "Pumpkin Mommy" or "Turkey Daddy" such as:

Me: "Lucas? Did you hear me?"

Lucas: " Yes, Pumpkin Bumpkin Mommy, ole buddy ole pal!"

He also likes to throw an ole buddy ole pal (no idea where he got this one) on the end of things - something else he finds hilarious. So do we.

Or maybe I feel like he should be older because I see Elise and Lucas as a pair - they are so intertwined with each other it's hard to remember a time when it wasn't so. Not that they are always best buddies, or even that they are always together. Now that they go to different schools and have different friends they actually aren't quite as together as they were before.

But they do love each other and protect each other (when they aren't hitting each other, that is) and they are our little guys, the two of them - together. Last night in the car Lucas said "Je t'aime Elise" (because he's learned some French phrases from his Gram) which she completely ignored so then screamed it at her over and over until she acknowledged him ("yes, ok Lucas I love you too, geesh!" she said, completely exasperated).

I will, hopefully, always remember those days when he was a chill, cooing, easy going little baby, curled up in my arms. And no, those days don't feel like yesterday already, but in a way I am actually glad. Because getting to know this goofy, sweet, happy, enthusiastic little guy has felt like a long, fun adventure. And I have a feeling it always will be.

Happy Birthday to my silly little Pumpkin Bumpkin!