LOOK AT ME!!
I JUST TURNED 3!!



Well...today my baby boy turned 3 years old. All day yesterday, starting at 8:30am I would say to Sean, "Oh...I went into labour right now." "Still in labour!" "Still in labour...no drugs yet..." "Still no drugs!" We went to bed around 1:30am and just before we fell asleep I said to him "Five hours to go til he was born!". (It was a 22 hour labour. blech!)
The freaky thing was, Cam came into our room this morning and woke me up. He had to go pee. I looked at the clock and it said 6:48.
Bizarre...that's the exact time that Cuy was born on November 13, 2002.

What a weekend we had. Last night we had a party to go to at Seans parents house. It was his Dads 60th/retirement party. Amazingly, both boys had a great time and were happy and pleasant the enitre night. We arrived around 5:30 and I didn't get them home until just before 11. Sean had to stay - he wasn't finished drinking beer by the time I was ready to go.
So I get home, shuffle the boys in bed and get started on Cuys birthday cake. I had to do it last night so it would be cool enough to frost this morning. And I was too busy handrolling/ovenbaking meatballs for the 2 days prior to do it anytime before 11pm last night. So the cake was baked and done by 1am.
Sean got up early and took Cam to McD's for breakfast while Cuy and I slept in...sort of. Cuy woke up at 7:30. After not going to bed until 11pm the night before!!
I frosted the cake and ended up with this:

I'm a pretty good cook. A baker - I am not.

Cam had a classmate's birthday party to attend at 11am.
Cuys party started at noon. Bit if a rush to get him there and back - but Sean took care of that. He's such a good dad (although I think he was avoiding the last minute stuff that had to be done for the party).

Cuy seemed to really enjoy his day. He was happy and sat at the table and had some lunch. He ran around outside for awhile (it was another mild day!).
He thoroughly enjoyed cake and was even helped open his own gifts this year!


He really had no moments of isolation and didn't seem to need to shut down. (He did a few times last night at Seans Dads party. But it was louder with alot more grownups and it was at night and he was tired.) Not that he wasn't tired today after his late night.
I really was impressed at how he managed himself today. We had about 20 people over and he did really well. He had 1 minor tantrum when his cousin wanted to read one of the 2 Wiggles books Cuy had. He was pissed off for a few minutes, but calmed soon after.

As you can see, Cuy got a trampoline (from Nana) for his birthday. Our private OT said not to get him one as it would just encourage the stimming, but our other OT said that the jumping is a (vestibular) need that he has and if we can allow him time to jump - he'll be able to focus on the tasks that we need him to do.
Plus he gets so much joy from the jumping and I'm all for exhausting them using whatever means we necessary...and I'd rather have them bounce on this than on my sofa.
WOO HOO! NO HANDS!


I cannot rememebr when I've felt this exhausted. This weekend was just go go go!
We are planning to have the boys in bed by 7...soaking in the hot tub and heading to bed. We'll probably have to dvr DH and Greys.

I'll sign off with a message to my beautiful baby boy:


You've come so far in 3 years. You've taught me so much in those 3 years. Who knew the ride we'd be on! (Although from your arrival, I should have known it would be an interesting journey!)
You've strengthened my soul. You've brought daddy and I closer together (which I didn't think was possible), you've given your brother a wisdom seldom seen in children. You have enriched our entire family with your unique character. You bring a smile to everyone who looks at you - into your eyes.
For as many challeneges we have faced and will face in the future, I can honestly say that I wouldn't change a thing. Because then we wouldn't be who we are. You wouldn't be my Cuy.
I could go on forever about the wonder that is...Cuyler...
But just know that Mommy and Daddy and Cam love you more than you will ever know.