My younger son has always been little, despite wanting to be big. He shoved his way into the world three-and-a-half weeks early, being born at a mere five and a half pounds. He didn’t pass zero percent on the growth chart until he was a year old. And he’s the baby of the family. So my nickname for him is Little Bird.
Little Bird just turned three years old.
In the spirit of Sandra Boynton’s classic board book Little Pookie, where the small pig’s mom tells them 10 things she knows about them, here are ten things I know about Little Bird (as written to him, as in the book) on the occasion of his third birthday:
1. You know what you want. At least until you change your mind. You first wanted a “flower party” for your birthday, with an accompanying cake. Then a “chompy flower,” like the flowers with teeth in the Mario Bros video games. Then a simple vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. You don’t waver under other people’s opinions. No matter how many times we asked if you wanted a birthday party with your preschool classmates, you said, “No, thanks.” The family party with us and your grandparents was great.
2. You eat like a Hobbit. Second and third breakfasts are totally normal and in fact, required.
3. You take up as much space as is possible for your tiny body. You stretch yourself out as far as possible, especially if you are in my bed and pushing your head into my head and your feet into your dad’s ribs.
4. You love so much of the world. You’re constantly saying “I love [fill in the blank],” from your stuffed Slimey (Oscar the Grouch’s worm friend) to penguins to your brother. “Yummy in my mouth!” is your reaction to most foods.
5. You want to see anything and everything. Since you’ve been able to speak, the word “See!” has been a constant in our lives. You want to know what is going on at all times, especially if it involves cooking. Every time the stove goes on, you drag the step stool out so you can help or at least watch.
6. You have an adventurous spirit. You want to climb on, jump off, and run around things that older kids balk at. The look on your face when I tell you that you’re too little for something breaks my heart.
7. You tell us what you’re thinking. Even before you spoke, you pointed and indicated with elaborate hand signals to communicate know exactly what you wanted. While we worried about possible delays, you followed me – a late talker who’s making up for lost time. Your vocabulary grows by leaps and bounds every day, picking up words constantly from us and your older brother. Even though you frequently say “no” to the question “Are you okay?” when you’ve already picked yourself up off the ground and are fine.
8. You give great hugs. You wrap your arms around whomever you’re hugging and squeeze as if you’ll never see them again. Seeing you and your brother hug always makes me smile.
9. You live in a world where you can become an animal with just a thought or a word. You’re constantly pretending to be various species, frogs to bunnies to birds. Your wild spirit ignites your imagination.
10. You have brought such sweet joy and love into my life over the last three years.
Happy birthday, Little Bird!
For more, follow We’ll Eat You Up, We Love You So by Shannon Brescher Shea.