3 Years 3 Months

It's a catch 22 with kids at this age, if I'm being honest. I mean, they're so freaking adorable that you just wanna scoop them up and breathe them in. But they're honestly so freaking crazy that much of the time you just want to put in ear plugs and lock yourself in your room. The summer is just beginning, but the whining has been a definite thing, and if history repeats itself with Johnson kids at this age, it may be a while before that gets better. But they're so darn cute that it's hard to be mad for long, and this little guy is very, very demanding and vocal about needing Mama snuggles.

But he's bubbly and personable and a friend to everyone, and it's fun to watch him continue to grow.

Physical Development

Ryan moved on up to 4T clothes, even if they look a little big on him. There are a few pairs of pants that we had to put back in storage as they were just falling off his little tiny waist. He's now up to size 12 shoes. He is fully day trained for potty, but still wears a pull up at bedtime, which is usually full by morning. If I'm being honest, he has been by FAR the easiest of my boys to potty train.

Sleep Habits

Ryan takes pretty short naps these days, but he still naps most of the time. He usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour at daycare, and at home on the weekends, we might eek 2 hours out. I definitely prefer the days he doesn't, however, as he goes to bed MUCH easier and tends to end up staying in his own bed on those nights.

The "occasionally" snuggling in my bed thing has become more like a routine these days. If I ever heard or felt him crawl in with me, I'd definitely take him back down to his bed, but I never hear him, so I just wake up to him in bed next to me in the mornings. I'd like to get him back to sleeping through the night and not feeling the urge to come upstairs, but that may be a ways off.

Speech Development

Ryan will talk your ear off all day long. It's exhausting! He loves to talk and talk and talk, and if he isn't talking, he's usually got his fingers in his mouth and playing with either his hair or mine. He talks mostly like a big kid these days, but does still let some baby talk linger, like, "My do it" instead of "I do to it". (Basically, replaces anywhere you would say "I" with "My"). He has begun calling "Moonies" "Movies" now too, which just breaks me :( He's so cute!

Eating

Ryan has been going through a major food strike lately. I mean, he eats for sure, but it's always whatever he feels like eating, and getting him to eat the food I've actually prepared is like pulling teeth. It's exhausting! However...the one thing you KNOW he will ALWAYS eat is a cookie from Hardee's. It HAS to be from Hardee's, though, or he throws a major fit.

He does still love his snacks, though. His favorites are Gogurts and Applesauce pouches, and, as with all my kids, wants a "Kitty cup" (which is a sippy cup with milk in it) regularly.

Toddler Behaviors and Discipline

The whining and tantrums have not really lessened at this point, but it helps to keep busy and distracted when we're able to be outside and finding new adventures. He's just becoming much, much, much more opinionated, which makes it hard when we're trying to cater to the whole family of 5, and not just him. It's a difficult lesson to learn at any age, but especially when most of the time, he doesn't get any say in his schedule.

Likes

• I mean, between Kinsley and Ryan, I am covered in littles all day long most of the time. I don't dare sit down, or I find it extremely difficult to get up lol This kid LOVES his Mama!
  
• Sucking on those two fingers, which is now usually only when he's very tired (morning, before bed) or if he's overwhelmed or scared or needs comfort. With everything we've been going through as a family, it hasn't been a priority of mine to help it stop. He doesn't tend to do it when we're out, just at home or daycare probably (he used to at Jody's)
• Candy! With the Riverfest parade, he was ALL about collecting as much candy as he could.
  
• Roasting marshmallows over a fire.
  
• He is big into Team Umizoomi, Justin Time, Word Party, Incredibles 2 and, really, just in general being in control of the Roku remote lol
• Being "one of the boys". He LOVES his big brothers.
  
• His siblings - Kinsley too :)
  
• Parades! This kid LOVES parades, and has this huge smile on his face the ENTIRE time.
  
• Farming with Grandpa
  
  
• Exploring
  
• Playing at the park. (Also, scaling the walls lol)
  
• People in dress up costumes lol
  

Dislikes

• Not getting to do whatever he feels like doing.
• Not being in charge.
• Not being catered to.
• Cookies that are not from Hardee's
• Being told "no"
• Not getting his turn first for tractor or 4-wheeler rides