Happy 3rd Birthday, A.J.!

Today my son A.J. turned 3. Sometimes it seems like only a short time ago that he was just a warm bundle in my arms. His main form of communication was crying, and often my husband and I had to go through a process of elimination to figure out what he wanted. He couldn't feed, dress, or clean himself, and he never slept longer than three hours at a stretch. Nowadays, in contrast, A.J. expresses his opinions about everything -- what to eat, what to wear, what to watch on TV, what to take to bed with him -- and will tell us if he is hungry, thirsty, itchy, hot, cold, scared, sleepy, or hurt. He can feed himself; open and close doors; and manipulate the stereo, DVD player, TV, and speakerphone. He can use a stepstool to reach a faucet or a light switch, brush his teeth, wash his hands, and pick up his toys (when he is in the mood). More and more, A.J. is becoming an independent little person. This makes me very proud. But once in a while, I do miss that warm bundle that used to fit so snuggly in my arms.