Always my baby

Dear Mitch,
Yesterday you turned three, and I cried. Not for long, and there was no sobbing, but I did cry. You are my baby after all, my baby who isn't anymore. What an amazing little boy you are growing into. We use to worry about your lack of language and now you say so many funny things. The other day we were looking for something and you told me, "Mommy, it's under my neath". You know just the way to get what you want when you tilt your head to the side and use your soft sweet voice, and say "Please, may I". You'll even blink your eyes on occasion. I love the way you choose the prayer before we eat, close your eyes and sing every word. You can go through all the motions to make the "th" sound, but it still comes out an "f" whenever you say it in a word. Thank you, however, is the exception which you pronounce "wankyou". When you want held, which is becoming very rare, you say Pick-ee-up, Mama. You call me both Mommy and Mama, and I love to hear both. You run to give me a hug when I walk in the door from work and say, "You're Home" like you've been doing nothing but waiting for me all day. These are just some of the things that you say. There are so many things that you do that make you so unique.
You love to play with trains, transformers, and star wars guys, or anything that Mason has at any given time. You aren't very good at sharing with Mason, but he also doesn't have a lot of patience for you right now. You can name Luke, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, storm troopers, Obi Wan, Bobafet and Qui Gon and numous other characters which strangely makes me happy. I love to listen to you when your siblings aren't around. You are able to sit for such a long time and bring life and adventures to your "people". You are excited to go to school (next year), but often tell me "no thank you" when I ask you to go on the potty. (I hate to tell you this, but no potty=no school). You love your Ko and your night-night, but you don't like to stay in your bed at night. You like sharing a room with Mason, but we have found you asleep in Molly's bed on more than one occasion. You love pictures. Whenever I am on the computer you want to see a slide show, and it doesn't even matter if you are in it. Although, you often argue that old pictures of your brother and sister are actually you, and to be honest I can't blame you for the confusion. You will sit at the table when your siblings are doing homework or drawing, and make little tiny circles. I am very impressed with your fine motor skills. You know all your letters, and you name them when you see them on signs and things that you see around town. In fact, letters are your favorite thing to play with in the bath tub.
There are so many things about you that make me smile everyday. You do have a very stubborn and willful side too, that doesn't always make me smile. You are opinionated and I can appreciate that, but we're probably going to continue to lock horns. I look forward to your interesting take on life!
However, my Mitchell-man, my spider, my baby.... you will always be.