3 years

Happy birthday, Mason J!

3 years old seems like a very grown-up age these days. You have grown in leaps and bounds this year, changing into quite a determined little boy with a great sense of humor.

For your second birthday, you were given a book called "Big Digs and Construction Sites". From the day we opened the book for the first time, you have been smitten with all things machine. You love-love-love bulldozer, excavators, backhoes, dump trucks, forwarders, tractors, skidders, bobcats, forklifts, and anything similar to them. Yesterday you informed me that when you grow up, you are going to work at a construction site "with all the diggers and stuff." One of the highlights of your year was riding in uncle Ricky's forwarder with him. It has been so much fun to watch this interest develop in you!

You have a little 3-year-old speech impediment that I love. You call Nora "Nor-wah" and occasionally warn me of the "fissoes" (thistles) that I shouldn't step on. One of my favorite recent conversations with you went something like this:

"Mama"

Yes?

"Wibby was in our gawden. An' she snapped off our pepper!"

Uh-oh...

"Yeah, an' you know what?"

What?

"Daddy was vewey fwust-oh-at-ed."

Funny boy. Along with the rest of you, your sweet tooth seems to have grown as well. You definitely take after your mama in your love for anything sweet. But your daddy has trained you in the art of drinking black coffee. And eating coffee beans, too. Yikes!

We're so thankful the God saw fit to include you in our family, buddy bear. We love you so much and are excited to see how you grow, learn, and change in the coming year!