The Petersen Clan : February 2016

Holy smokes I can't believe Quade is 3 now! It went by so so fast. As I scrolled back through his last years Birthday blog I quickly remembered how painfully SLOW some of the stages had actually passed by. I can happily report that Quade's temper and fit problems have substantially improved. He has replaced those less than desirable traits with an amazing amount of BOY traits. Rough, tough, LOUD, fast, clever, independent, loves anything with a motor, loves hunting and guns, knives, working on rigs with Jordan, getting dirty, being naked, eating a ton, determined, and anything else that screams boy he is it. He's my last baby and to be completely honest I miss those baby days sometimes. Both kids were incredibly easy babies which always has left me with a sweet spot in my heart for more babies. Don't get me wrong, I am NOT having anymore kids. But if someone were to give me a baby I would accept in a heartbeat.

On a normal day you can expect to find Quade in nothing but his undies, with either a gun, knife, or some sort of rig in his hand. He will most definitely go on numerous "hunting" trips a day, whether it be bear, cougar, wolf, elk, deer, or buffalo. And you can be sure that some how you'll get at least one bruise from him within a 24 hour period (one bruise is a good day:) ). The second his feet hit the floor he is asking for breakfast and if he had his way, he would have Coco Puffs for every meal. Most mornings while eating breakfast he gets attacked by his imaginary friend Judy the baby bear. Judy is a boy bear that randomly tackles Quade to the ground and wrestles him. Judy also bites and does all the naughty things that a certain 3 year old might normally do. Me: "Please pick up all the toys before we leave?" Quade:"I didn't get them out, Judy did!" It's hysterical. He has the biggest imagination and it is very impressive to watch. Quade is also a non-stop chatter box. If you ever get the pleasure of being confined in a car with him, you can be sure that you will not be able to get a word in. And on that note, with his entertainment from the backseat you can be sure to miss a few turns on the errands you were suppose to be running. Quade has a very very very high energy level (thank you Jordan). With that said, he goes non-stop from morning until bedtime. With a brief nap in the middle. He still has a small amount of cuddle left in him. And I try to soak up every tiny second of cuddles I can, because in one more blink he won't want me to cuddle with him at all. He has one more year left with me at home before he starts preschool. I can't imagine my days without him home with me. I signed him up for Tiny Tigers baseball this spring. He is so excited. I'm sure he will have no trouble playing any kind of sports. Quade is adamit about being a boy. He's not pretty, he's not cute, HE IS AWESOME!!!! If he draws a picture and I say it's pretty, he quickly corrects me with "No Mommy, it's awesome!" Or if he gets a haircut it looks "AWESOME", not cute. Gotta love him!

It's been a real eye opener to watch the second kid grow up. Quade has always had a built in best friend, teacher, victim of his "Quade Ways", and competitor. Even though he relentlessly tortures her, he adores her every breath. He looks to her for guidance, explainations, and reassurance. When they play together it makes my heart so happy. I hope that they will have a very close and comfortable relationship like my brother and I had and still do to this day.

I'm so thankful for the way Quade has completed our crazy little family. He adds a sort of spark and flare wherever he goes. My biggest wish for Quade is for him to be as successful, knowledgable, honest, helpful, and strong as his Daddy (amoung many other wonderful traits). With that said, I think he has the determination, drive, foresight, and potential to do just that and even more.

Thank you for being you, and being my little man. I love you so much. Keep doing what you're doing. Life wouldn't be the same without you.