three years.

on january 4th, hollis turned three. the kids were off school for one more day that monday (school system milking that holiday, let me tell ya), so we got to celebrate my little dude the whole day.

we had a small birthday party on saturday. my parents and brother were in town and we also had a few family friends over. we ate gumbo and bundtinis and sang to our sweet boy. he was really happy.

monday we got up and had breakfast at cafe java. hollis ordered chocolate chip pancakes which i put a candle in and we sang to him. then, the waitresses brought him a giant chocolate chip cookie with a candle and sang happy birthday to him again. needless to say, he loved it all. we let him open his birthday presents one or two at a time over the course of the day. that was a hit - he was so stoked with everything. it was a great day.

hollis at three is a trip. he is stubborn and extremely opinionated. he is hilarious and silly. he can sit for hours playing independently - it's really amazing. he loves spaceships and star wars and trucks. emme is still his absolutely most favorite person in the world. he asks about three thousand questions a day. things like where does grass come from? and why do sidewalks have cracks? and who made the sky? he loves carbs like no other (well, maybe like me haha). the other day i asked him if he wanted chicken fingers for dinner at central market (instead of mac n cheese) and he said "do they taste like bread?". he loves to take baths and go for walks and get in tickle fights with daddy. he loves daddy's yoda voice and when i tell him it's morning and time to wake up (most days). he tells me his friends at school are his teachers. he loves being read to and sung to and he loves music of all kinds, all the time. he can be super volatile and emotional in typical threenager fashion. he's sensitive and tender and is working hard on understanding the power behind all the words he knows.

i love this kid with my whole heart. even if he sometimes yells instead of asking nicely. i am thankful for him every single day.

thieves.

ek: "are thieves real?"
us: "yes, baby, they sure are."
ek: "oh my god! they rob!"