Our little Brennan turned three today!
Brennan picked going to the Caterpillar Visitor's Center for his birthday activity, so we started the day by opening a present with construction worker clothes. Each big boy got a hard hat and work vest.
Here's Collin modeling the get-up. Brennan adamantly refused to put anything on.
When we arrived, we managed to coax one photo out of B wearing his hard hat.
They both got right to work. Here's Collin. He looked super adorable in his costume.
Lots of other visitors commented on how prepared he was for his day of work.
Nana and Papa were able to be here to celebrate with Brennan. (B's birthday is one of the reasons we did Ethan's blessing yesterday.)
Each time Brennan wanted a fruit snack, we made him get dressed for a photo. One fruit snack...
Another fruit snack...
and this photo cost us two fruit snacks because he put on his hat AND his vest.
Of course, there's no way he'd give us a smile for any number of snacks!
When they were done being workers, we headed to lunch. B picked going to Wendy's. After nuggets and fries, he got his very own Frosty, which thrilled him.
Before naps, he got to open his present from Nana & Papa. It is one of those pillow pets (a monkey) with the starry-night lights on top. He LOVES it.
After naps, we enjoyed the cake he picked out himself.
Side Story: Last Sunday I got stuck going to church on a snow-covered hill. A pickup truck had to tow us up the hill. Ever since then, the big boys have been playing various games with towing: laundry baskets and bungee cords, excavator booms and dump trucks, etc. Brenn picked this cake because Elmo is being towed by Big Bird, just like Mom.
His final gift of the day was a Caterpillar cement truck. It drives by itself forward and in reverse, spins and talks. They have a real one at the visitor's center, and he loves it.
Now a little bit about Brennan on his third birthday...
Mr. Duck
Brennan is very confident. For example, first thing in the morning his overnight diaper is very full. Some mornings he removes his jammie pants and waddles around the house. His super-full diaper swings back and forth as he stands tall and saunters across the floor. He definitely knows who runs his show!
Everything Collin wants, Brennan wants. Everything Collin does, Brennan does... except for in matters of cleaning and pottying, unfortunately. I think it's probably just part of looking up to his big brother, and I figure he'll outgrow it at some point, but he really has very little personal creativity when it comes to playing. He just follows Collin's lead a lot. He has no idea what to do when he wakes up from his nap before Coll gets home from school. It'll be interesting to see how C's full-day kindergarten in the fall affects his personality. I am excited to see who he really is.
Mr. Coordinated
Brennan may be our athlete. He is runs, kicks, throws, climbs, catches and jumps quite well. I hope to get him into soccer this coming spring/summer. He loves to move and be active.
Sweat doesn't seem to bother him at all, especially if he gets a popsicle out of it. He doesn't seem to be a fan of cold though. He hasn't played in the snow at all this winter. He just stays inside with Mom.
Mr. Performer
Brennan loves to get others to laugh. He loves to be silly. He loves to "tell jokes." Every joke is a "knock-knock joke," but most start with a question. He also likes to dance and sing. His singing is often just humming. He also likes to play musical instruments.
Last week Collin had a friend over to play one morning. It was cleaning day, so I had out a sensory box for them to play with full of rice and stars, bells, beads, cups and spoons. I expected a minor mess. I was cleaning in the bathroom when Collin called, "B is dumping rice on the floor!" I finished the toilet scrubbing, and when I rounded the corner to come out to the kitchen, Brennan was taking scoop after scoop out of the tub and dumping it on the floor! He was really enjoying being naughty in front of company. Sigh.
Mr. Stubborn
Brenn doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do. He decided one day he didn't like milk, and he hasn't had a sip since. He does not help with chores around the house, unless he's threatened with time-out. He will not practice his letters, and he will not work with me on anything (like singing his ABCs). When we go to the library, he picks a big stack of books, but when he get home, he wants us to read the same book over and over again... until I return it to the library and he latches onto another. Everything has to be his own idea. If it makes Mom happy, he wants nothing to do with it. Ahh!
Mr. Social
B loves preschool, which he attends on Monday mornings at friends' homes. He seems to be much better behaved on the days he goes to school. We think he thrives on being surrounded with people and new activities. I plan to enroll him in a preschool program next year that meets three mornings per week. I hope he (and I!) will be much happier. I have received many compliments on his cute conversations from the leaders in nursery and from the other preschool moms. He seems to be a wonderful little guy; he just likes to keep that part of himself hidden from me.
Mr. Mischievous
Brennan chooses to be naughty a lot. When I ask him why he did something bad, he answers with a perfected the shoulder shrug. Either he hasn't yet figured out how choices lead to consequences, or my consequences aren't nearly severe enough. He loves to annoy Collin, which isn't hard to do, by not obeying "the rules" of whatever pretend play they are doing.
Love you, B-B! Happy birthday!
Now that you know a bit about Brennan's interesting (and dare I say, difficult) personality, does anyone have a book recommendation for me? I feel like I need to read something to better understand him, but I have no idea where to start. I love him so much, but days can be really hard when everything is a fight. He and I are so different. I think Brennan will be my child who teaches me the most, so I better get started learning.
