(No Longer a)Baby D

For his third birthday a few weeks ago, Derek decided he wanted to a) wear his pajamas all day, b) watch shows, and c) eat cereal for breakfast and hot dogs and mac and cheese for dinner. Presents and cake were a bonus. 

Derek is the entire range of extreme human emotion encased in one rather large, squishy little boy body. At his three-year-old check-up the doctor told us he is at about the 92nd %ile for weight and at about the 70th for height, meaning he is one compact, solid little kid. He is mostly happy and exuberant and excited, though his lows are heart-wrenching. He also feels all of your emotions, too, and will say things like "I took your food. Now you're sad." (sad face)

Self-portrait a la train tracks. 

Derek loves toys--like really, really loves toys. Action figures and little trinkets and trains and cars and sharks and stuffed animals and legos. (non-exhaustive) He also has a vivid imagination and can play by himself for hours, totally spoiling us just in time for the summer, when I will once again be in charge of keeping everyone occupied and entertained for extended stretches of time.

He also, in true middle-child fashion, is loud. Not necessarily with words, though he can certainly project that little baby voice when he wants to, but he loves to bang and shriek and scream and whatever else will make a large impact. 

Derek is also just about everyone's favorite. His nursery leaders love him, his little friends love him, his teachers love him, parents of other kids love him, (and of course, we love him), strangers love to comment on him, even Luke's classmates love him. He has mastered the adorable little toddler voice and faces and can charm the pants off of anyone he meets. 

Just try to resist that little face.