A Superhero turns 3

My wild boy is 3 today. He is my silly super hero--always laughing and making light of the world.

He has been waiting to be three since he turned 2. I don't know if that was because he couldn't say 2 (he can now) or because he just thought 3 was way cooler than 2. Like Beau, I too have high hopes for the 3's. The 2's are a tough age-- more so for the parent than the 2 year old. Beau has survived because he is so funny and so adorable despite the naughtiness and terribleness that has seemed to define 2 for my kids. Carmella was a gem at 3 but, like Beau, was also terrible at 2, well, not quite so terrible as Beau at 2--just because she has a mellower personality but difficult nonetheless. So I am praying that Beau, like his sister before him, will also turn that corner to 3 and move onto a more agreeable age.
Don't get me wrong, 2 has been fun. Granted, it has been more fun for Beau than me but still fun.
I guess I just have a love-hate relationship with the 2 year old stage. I know that if I weren't the mommy I would definitely think Beau and all his twoness--all those antics that make me crazy on a daily basis--would be much funnier and cuter, you know, if I wasn't the parent. But since I am subjected to the toddler antics 247 and most people only get to experience them in short doses I therefore find them tiresome if not down right annoying at times. However, if I am being honest, I think since Beau has turned 2 I have matched him meltdown for meltdown. Surely, all this is making me a better person too--right???

Sigh, all that said Beau's greatest gift is making everyone laugh-- especially himself. He has the best sense of humor of anyone on the planet. The kid is laughter and even when he is in the throes of a monster tantrum he is making other people laugh (not me and certainly not him and not those crotchety old ladies that can't keep their comments to themselves but everyone else.) And even when he is extremely pissed off all it takes is one silly look, or funny action or making fun of him and he absolutely can't help it and will laugh. He can't stay mad. Being silly is too much fun. The ability to laugh at oneself and to make people laugh is an incredible gift. I think, above all else, the ability to make people laugh is the best trait a person can have. And I hope for Beau's sake that his laughter and his charm stay with him forever.

Beau comes by it naturally. When he was a tiny baby he was early to smile and laugh--much earlier than his sister who is early at everything else. Admittedly, it use to be a bit embarrassing how happy and smiley he was. There he would be in the baby bjorn and he would zero in on some stranger and like some people stare a person down he would smile them down. He attracted everyone's attention and is still doing that. He has an infectious charm. It is impossible to go anywhere with him and not attract attention. As an attention whore myself I love it most of the time. Having a social child is fun and an easy icebreaker. Even Carmella uses him to meet people. But there are those times when you just want to get something done and escape under the radar unnoticed. But I'll, of course, have Beau with me and he will make that impossible. Everywhere we go Beau makes himself known. This is mostly because I have to yell, "Beau! Beau! Come here! Stop that! Where are you?" And even if I didn't have to call after him constantly, he will just go up to people and say proudly in his cave man voice:"Hi! I'm Beau!"

So while I am hoping that 3 will yield a more agreeable kid, I certainly don't want him to have to sacrifice any of that spunk or charm. Gotta take the difficult with the awesome, I guess. I just want him to keep on laughing and keep on making me laugh, that's all.

Happy Birthday Beau! I am so proud of everything you do. I watch in amazement and wonder at the person you are becoming.