PATRICK YOU'RE THREE

It's come a bit of a tradition now for me to write a post on each of the boys birthdays, so of course this year is no different, my baby is turning three and it doesn't feel three moments since he was born never mind a whole three years. You're the youngest, the last one but yet somehow you're the feistiest too, there isn't a chance you're fading into the background nor that anyone could call you a wallflower. We've been hearing about your birthday for weeks now as you're completely at the perfect age to be so over excited, you're really a proper little lad and as sad as it makes me, it's the most rewarding job in the world to be your Mummy and see you grow up right before my eyes.

You are the most perfect mix of sugar and spice, with such a strong and confident personality yet a very needy and soft boy at the centre of it all. Never to shy to chat away to strangers who natter to you but always still looking to us for reassurance and support, you're still a complete Mummy's boy at heart and doesn't matter how many games someone plays with you if they ever say they're going to 'get Mummy' you protest, my sweet soul.

In a lot of ways I struggle to remember you're turning three, because being the second child or maybe just being you - you've have grown up fast, a highchair never lasted long in our house, you was running before you could walk and even now you're already asking me for packed lunches for school. I know I shouldn't want to hold you back but you are still my baby and it's so bittersweet seeing you grow so quickly. Some of the phrases you come out with have us in absolute fits of laughter, you're bursting with personality and equal amounts of sass, you are not one to shy back on your thoughts and feelings and whilst I don't appreciate it when you're declaring to the whole public toilets that it's 'really smelly in here Mummy', I can promise you it's had us crying with laughter more often than not.

Turning three means each week we see more and more of that feisty personality come out, we're getting glimpses of the boy you're going to become and it excites me as I just know you're going to be a firecracker. I'm not sure if since the day you learnt to talk, that you've ever stopped for longer than a minute, even now you know how to just keep a conversation going for absolutely no reason other than the fact you can see it's frustrating 'But WHY Mummy, tell me WHY?!'. You are curious, it doesn't really matter if I tell you not to do something you almost have to figure it out for yourself and weigh it up, thankfully 'the look' still works and for the most part you do listen well - eventually.

In terms of what you're into and what you aren't, at this point it's whatever your brother is doing, you suffer massively from fomo and god forbid if Noah is doing something that looks slightly appealing, you want in too. It's natural I know, you do adore your big brother and he is the so incredibly patient with you, even though you seem to get a little kick out of winding him up. For someone so young you are so perceptive, you pick things up at the drop of a hat and once you've seen something once, chances are you've caught the hang of it. Attention isn't your strongest point though and you are the classic Gemini as you get bored incredibly easy, keeping you entertained is no easy feat and that's probably why you don't really have any favourite tv shows or characters, you're more of a 'whatever the weather' kinda boy and that's ok.

It baffles me how we've had three whole years of the world wind that is Patrick, I knew from day dot you was going to be trouble and whilst Nanna says you're 'spirited', I think we all know she's just doing what Nannas do best and sugar coating the trouble. But would we have you any other way? Absolutely not. You drive me around the absolute bend, but my word do I love you.