To Be Three

He comes in to wake me up in the morning with a bucket full of trains, his 5 favorites, and 2 blankies and baby. "Look, Mama, at my trains!" he exclaims with delight, as though Thomas, Percy, James, Rheneas, and Molly are new to him again this day. He is so proud that he can jump high and run fast and pee-pee in the potty. He works intently at beautiful masterpieces of fingerpaint, crayon, marker, and bathtub paint and is pleased with his careful, colorful work. He counts and sings and recognizes the letters of his name and those in his sister's. He relishes time with his buddies, chasing and running until I am exhausted just watching. On his own, he rides his bike and shoots hoops and chases down bubbles and plays in the sandbox with his sister. He assists in the kitchen, dumping and mixing and stirring and proudly presenting his creations. He wrestles and chases with Daddy with glee. He makes up silly songs and silly words and loves to be the source of a good laugh. He is tender and gentle with his sister, reading her a story and kissing her gently. He knocks her over when she gets too close to his block tower. He is angry when he has to go to time out, but then repentent, and he throws his arms around me and tells me he loves me. He reports honestly to Daddy that he was sad and threw toys today. He asks politely for drinks and snacks, and sometimes he demands these things and has to be reminded to ask nicely. He likes to be read to, book upon book upon book, even the stories that go on forever. He really likes to watch TV. And, oh, that laugh...the delighted giggle that gurgles up at something which catches his fancy. If I could bottle that free, joyful, pure laugh... Then the day is done, and he is clean and sweet after a bath, and stories are read and songs sung and prayers offered, and the lights are off and the door closed. And then the light comes back on again and there is some muffled noise from that blue bedroom upstairs which finally quiets. I go in to turn off the light on my way to bed, and there he is, that angelic face, curled up with Thomas and Percy and James and Rheneas and Molly and 2 blankies and baby...my baby, my big three year old.