Conner Update...Our "Almost" THREE Year Old!

My oh my, where in the world do I begin with Mr. Conner Man? He's such a big boy.

He's become quite the Mammaw's boy...we really enjoy hanging out together. He LOVES his daddy, and they have a special relationship, but he's very protective of me and sometimes clingy. I'm sure there'll be a changing of the tides as he gets older, so I'm enjoying my little boy and all his lovin'!! ( I told him that the kisses better continue when he's twelve, but I realize they may be more secretive. Ha!!)

• Talks and jokes up a storm, and pretty much pronounces everything correctly. The only words that come to mind that aren't said perfectly are (guitar = target, Joseph = Jophes and M&M's = N and N's, July = Julive) He has the widest vocabulary and uses lots of prepositions and abstract words like...sometimes, maybe, next time, usually, I guess, it must be, always, the biggest I've ever seen/heard...etc. I know that's hard to believe, but it's true. No exaggerating. Ha!!)
• VERY complimentary....which feels nice. "Mommy, I like that stripe shirt." "You sing pretty." "I like that hat."
• He loves to say..."That's my favorite." about everything. (food, shirt, color, song, animal
• Still has the most outgoing personality.
• SMART as all get out...too smart for his own good. I cannot take credit for most of it. Had NO clue the boy knew all the days of the week, months of the year, and the pledge. He's a little sponge and soaks every single bit right up!!
• Energetic.
• STILL VERY strong willed, but finally beginning to link action and consequence. We still use our spanking spoon daily. Sometimes it feels that we're dealing with an eight year old trapped in a three year old body, I mean seriously...he will roll his eyes at us while saying, "Golly!" At times, I feel overwhelmed, but I'm persevering and being consistent knowing that the fruit of our labor will be worth it. We REALLY reward him when he's an obedient, respectful boy.
• LOVES music!! We dance to American Idol and sing all the time. He will let me know if he prefers another song in the car or if the music isn't loud enough.
• LOVES sports and anything outdoors.
• 80% potty trained...still in pull-ups at night due to the fact that I'm not ready to strip beds in the morning. However, he usually wakes up dry and we go tee-tee, but I'm still not brave enough to follow through with undies at night. Maybe this summer. :)
• LOVES school and all his friends. We went to our first "friend" birthday a few weeks ago at the Agricultural Museum. He had a blast and still talks about it.
• Loves computer shows - We've recently taught him how to move the mouse and click on what he wants to watch a certain video on pbs.kids
• Loves TV - favorites: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, SuperWhy, Special OSO
• A BIG milestone is that we let Conner go to big church for the worship and then go to his class. We're trying to ease him into the transition to coming into the sanctuary. There's not any childcare for children 4 years and older on Sunday nights, so though we have a year left, we would like him to have exposure to it. Above that, I want him to have experiences in witnessing the worship and ministry/prayer time. Just like all the academic stuff that he soaks up, I want him to completely soak up JESUS and HIS presence!!!!

It feels somewhat strange trying to capture Conner within a post....he's so complex and has so many wonderful qualities. He keeps us on our toes all the time and always shocks us with the things he does and says.

Here are a few specifics that I can remember...( soooo stinkin' sad that I don't write things down as they happen, cause even when I think I'll remember, sadly, I end up forgetting them. :(

• One time our cousin, Brandon, said he was gonna give Conner a knuckle sandwich. Conner said, "This is what I think. I eat your sandwich and "spahhh" I spit it out!" HA!!!!
• A few months ago, someone at school bit Conner. Conner turned the boy around and said, "This is what my daddy does. Spank. Spank." :)
• Conner was eating some chips one day, and I asked if I could have one. He said, "Momma, first you tee-tee, then you can have one."
• A few weeks ago, when he was sick, he said, "I don't feel good. Will you pray for me?"Heart. Melted.
• When we were at the doctor's office, we were playing little games to pass time. We played I-spy and other things like holding up my fingers and having him count. At the end of each thing that he would get right, we would say excellent. I tried to eventually use other synonyms like marvelous, stupendous, great, wonderful...after each one, he would laugh and say, "Silly, don't say _______, only say excellent!" :)

We still read and say our prayers at night, but I then let Conner read on his own until he falls asleep. He loves these animal cards, so here lately we've been doing those before bedtime. He fell asleep with his cards during his nap the other day...

Standing beside his Easter present from Mammaw and Pappaw...

FIRST spend the night experience. Conner spent the night with Jackson about a month ago, and we returned the favor so my cousin could be part of the St. Patty's Day Parade. He loved having "his" Jackson spend the night! We all had such a good...exhausting time!! ;)