Hunter John, almost 3 1/2

I can't believe my baby is going to be 4 this year!  I still look at him as my baby.  He also loves to be my baby when it suits him.  He will say that he can have a baba because he is my baby, or he gets to cuddle me because he's my baby.  He is very affectionate, and I love his hugs and cuddles.  They are the best!  Hunter is tough and full of energy, he thinks he is invincible.  He tells me constantly how he will defeat bad guys.  I think he honestly believes he could.  He loves fighting with swords and learning Luke and Joshua's taekwondo combinations.  He is well coordinated and willing to try anything.  I would say that he is our most athletic child.  Hunter is constantly jumping on everything, hitting and kicking the walls and anything else I let him.  This spring he broke Luke's Cello by jumping/falling on it.  That cost me $1500.  He broke his arm this fall on a bounce house.  He's so tough that it took me 12 days to figure out it might be broken.  He cried so much when it happened, but then he fell asleep and didn't complain about it again.  Finally Kelsey Billings said his arm looked bowed, so I took him in and sure enough it was broken in two places, already starting to heal.  They put a cast on it to make sure he didn't break it again.  He is so tough, he just falls and gets up, blood bruises and all.  Sometimes he needs a kiss, but that is it!

The past 6 months he's been very tearful.  He cries everyday over not getting his way.  He can also tear up in a sensitive way very easily.  He will start telling me about how something is going to make him sad and his eyes start watering.  He also has a crazy gag reflux.  If someone's face is dirty or if they are eating sloppily he will start gagging in disgust.  He's gotten close to making himself throw up as well.

Hunter speaks perfectly.  Better than Caroline.  He knows right and wrong and if anyone (including myself) does something wrong he makes sure they get the proper punishment.  He, however is very slow to listen and will say "I don't want to" when asked to do something.  It's only when punishment is coming that he will listen.

Hunter doesn't have any friends that he plays with.  At his age it's too much work for me to have friends over, I still have to police too much.  Luckily he's very content playing with siblings and their friends.  Caroline has started not wanting Hunter to play with her when friends are over and will shut her bedroom door.  So soon I will have to give in and let him have his own friends over to play.  He and Caroline sleep taught every night and they both love it.  He has learned to love princesses from Caroline and says if we have another baby we should name it Prince Charming if it's a boy and Sleeping Beauty if it's a girl.  He has also picked up the leg lift while kissing from princess movies.  He lifts his leg behind him every time he gives me  kiss. He's so cute!

Hunter loves Macy, our dog, so much.  He is constantly loving on her or tormenting her.  He starts tearing up when I say I want to get rid of her.  He lets her in the house all the time, feeds her, kisses her, hugs her, and kicks and hits her.  Hunter also loves to help me in the kitchen.  He always pulls over a stool to help with anything I am cooking.

I miss last year when Hunter and I had three morning together every week.  This year has been a lot more of me telling him to go play or watch a movie as I've been busy with Luke's school.  It makes me sad that we've lost that time together this year.  In September Hunter will start preschool.  He's very excited to go be in Ms. Jennifer's class.  I'm not looking forward to my mornings alone next year.  It will be so strange to be all alone for 9 hours a week.  I haven't had any time completely alone for 10 years.  I'm not looking forward to it, and will definitely miss my little buddy.


Questions Answered by Hunter
Favorite Movie:  Power Rangers
Favorite Food:  Bananas
Favorite Color:  Red
Favorite Thing to Do: play power rangers
Favorite Treat:  M&M's
Best Friend: Rocky
What do you want to be when you grow up: A Missionary
Why do you love Mommy:  Because she's my best friend