Flock of Swanns: Gavin

As per our tradition, here you are on your birthday, sitting in the Adirondack chair with a bouquet of balloons!
Happy "3" Gavin!!!

Dear Sweet BooDee, Gav-man, Gav-O... Gavin ~

You are three. I am not sure where the time has gone... I say that with every birthday and every milestone for each of you. But, since you are the baby, it makes it all the more impactful. Daddy and I look at you and just can't believe that three years have passed since you joined our family, making it complete and balancing it perfectly - - in ways we didn't even realize were needing balance and completion.

Today, at three, you are 40" tall (SO tall!) and weigh just over 32 pounds. You know your full name, can spell "Gavin" and are learning to write it - - you do a great job tracing the letters and are starting to slowly make some on your own. You've known your birthdate for several months now and were willing to tell most anyone you know that "my birthday is coming up on February 16th." Of course, your pronunciation is not entirely clear, but, wow, do you have amazing language skills. You speak in very full, detailed sentences and shock us all the time with the things that you say. Here are some notables as of late:

- For at least six months, you've been saying this and is funny to me every single time. "Oh! You startled me!"
- In December, you handed a tape measure to Preston and said, "Measure out Uncle Bob for me, Preston." You like comparing various things to how big Uncle Bob is. So funny!
- In January, I asked you if you wanted to play a game and you said, "I would rather build legos." "Rather"... really?!
- The next day, you correctly used "manhandle" in a sentence. At dinner one night, Daddy was trying to clean you up and you looked right at him and said, "Don't manhandle me, daddy."
- About a week later, we were in the garage and I asked you if you needed help getting your rain boots on over your jammies (to help get Gracie out to the bus) and you said, "No thank you, mama. I can easily do that."
- Earlier this month, you said, "It is quite big for me." Daddy and I were so surprised and not even sure we heard you correctly. Then, on the 12th, you said it again while playing independently on my bed while I was getting ready. Your vocabulary just slays me.

Your manners, just like your brother's, are fantastic (most of the time!). You are quick to apologize and are usually a very good listener. You are, of course, three now, so you have started having occasional moments of "threenager" behavior, but it is fleeting and remarkably correctable. Most of the drama with you happens when you and Preston play together. You two start out playing great together (especially considering a near five-year age difference), but then, suddenly, the world caves in and you drive him nuts, he drives you nuts and I am refereeing. Then, when you realize I am going to separate you if you can't get along without whining and yelling at each other, you tell me, "Mama, I am ok. Preston is not bugging me." Or, "Mama, I am not hurt too bad. We can keep playing." You are too smart for your own good!

You worship your brother. You want to be big just like him. (And, sometimes, you will use words you shouldn't and call him names you shouldn't just because you've heard him say it. He shouldn't either. But my point is, you are exposed to far more than he was at three, so when you bust out, "Leave me alone, you big dummyhead," it shocks me. I am still trying to cope with the fact that this is normal stuff between brothers... not that I condone it, but that you aren't the first little brother to bust out words like this when you're irritated!) On many school days, you are when we are going to get your "best big brother" from school. You visibly deflate when I tell you that we have a couple more hours until he is out. You miss him so much when he is not home... sometimes so much that you'll ask to go sit on his bed and play. But even though you adore him and want to be big just like him, you do not seem to want to be just like him. Your interests, at this point, are quite different than his (even at the same age). Although you like to play with balls... you will kick a ball around for a few minutes, bounce a basketball a bit, maybe hit a baseball or two off the tee... but then you go back to climbing, riding your strider bike or the big-boy bike, riding the scooter, or playing in the yard with all your garden toys. You have a wonderful, endless imagination and can play independently for extremely long periods of time. You like to create, build, tear down, and your toys have the best conversations when you talk for them. You can sit for a straight hour and read book after book with me. We always read at bedtime, but you often want to read in the morning and again in the afternoon. It is hard to list current favorites because there are so many you love. "Little Fox Goes to the End of the World," all of the "Marley" books, all of the "Otis" books and, of course, "I Love You All Ways" from Papa, are some that stick out. But, truly, you just LOVE to get wrapped up in books. In fact, although you enjoy watching some shows and movies (you've already been to the movies several times now!), you will get up, find the remote and turn the TV off to go play or ask to read. If Preston isn't home, you are rarely interested in having it on unless you are tired.

As for books, your sister is the same way... she will look at books for hours at a time. And you know that about her and bring her piles of them to choose from. It is so sweet. You also will bring her toys, tell her, "Here, Sissy, you can play with this. I think you will like it because it is purple." You often justify your selection... even though she can't hear you and you. Taking care of Gracie is definitely one way that you are very much like your brother... you are always looking out for your big sister and, even though you're not as close to her as Preston is (remember, Preston and Gracie only had each other for a long time before you were born!), you love her deeply and never go to bed without signing "Good night, Gracie. I love you," and giving her a kiss. And, you try not to be offended if she turns away to avoid your kiss. She loves you, too, and laughs at things you do a lot... even when you don't realize it. She counts on you being there to help get her out the door and on the bus on school mornings. She always smiles at you and expects to see you waving as her bus drives off our street. She loves our routine as much as you do. Daddy and I are so proud of the way that you like to help with things Gracie needs and that you pitch in even when you aren't asked. You grab pull-ups, wipes, supplies, you help make her formula (and count all 18 scoops all by yourself), you like to help do her bolus feedings and run and drop everything in the sink after. You are such a good brother to Gracie.

Speaking of helping, you are quite the little worker-bee. You love to help around the house - - laundry, dusting, vaccuming (you follow with your shopping cart and pretend to vacuum!). You also LOVE helping in the kitchen. "Mama, I will go get my stool," and you run to your bathroom to get it while yelling down the hall, "Please wait for me!" Or, if it is a big job, you ask, "Please go get my big stool in your room." (And, just so we are perfectly clear, I will reiterate... this is how you speak... not the pronunciation, but you do speak in these kinds of complete sentences. I don't know many kids your age who do!) Sometimes, when you are wanting to help, I have to take a deep breath and remind myself that you'll only be this little once and that even though it slows me down a bit, letting you help is far more important than time. Just like your siblings, you are so good for teaching me to slow down, take things in around me and enjoy the process, not just the results.

You love going to Tumble Time and preschool. Sometimes you say you don't want to go, but once you are there, you have such a good time! You come out of school and after either hugging or high-fiving Ms. Shanon, you run down her driveway and say, "Hi Mama! I had a great day!" So cute! You chat all the way home about what you did at school.

Gavin, you are a beautiful mix of absolute sweetness and spitfire boy. You are cuddly, loving, compassionate, you tell us all constantly how much you love us and that we are the best mommy, daddy, brother, sister, dog in the world... ever. You never miss a beat around here... you know who is happy, who is sad, who needs an extra hug and you readily give it. And in the next minute you are sneaking around with stealth moves trying to "blast" Preston with your Buzz Light Year dart gun or Preston's nerf gun. You play a mean game of hide 'n seek and make amazing explosion sounds. You are funny... really, super funny... a genuine goofball like daddy and Preston, but also with a more serious side. While you are social, you size up every situation before you join in and start playing - - even at the park. It is fascinating to watch. But when you are in your element and comfortable, you are most definitely the funniest little guy around... cracking everyone up with your fun, silly personality. We are so thankful for you, our littlest Swann... the TieBreaker that completes our family.

Happy 3rd birthday, BooDee.
I love you the whole world!
You are my "TunTine."

With my whole heart,

Mommy