Max is 3!!!!  I know this blog is way behind and he’s been 3 for nearly 2 weeks, but… life.  

We had so much fun celebrating this little guy.  This time he had an idea of what a birthday is and got to experience the eager expectation of waiting for it to arrive.  For the month leading up to it, he frequently asked if it was his birthday yet.  He often told strangers “right now I’m 2… [awkward pause while he worked on holding up 2 fingers] but soon I will be 3!!!” [another awkward pause while he struggled to get a third finger up, usually requesting my assistance].

We had waffles for breakfast, while I quickly converted his closet into a reading nook/cave.  He LOVES lights, so we hung string lights and sheer curtains, stocked it with blankets and pillows and cushions and books, and made it a little Max hidey-hole.  He immediately moved his penguins in, got cozy, and did not leave for at least 2 hours.  We had a fun day at a playground planned, but he nixed that in favor of staying in his closet.  Glad we didn’t have a party planned!

After his nap, he came downstairs to a room full of streamers and balloons.  I’m savoring how easy it is to totally blow his mind right now.  He loved the balloons, but got to work counting them and arranging them by color right away.  He thought opening presents was pretty great, too.  Just a Bible from us (he wanted one like Mommy’s and Daddy’s with ALL the words), and thanks to all of our family and friends who also blessed him with gifts.  

We went to a Japanese steakhouse for dinner so he could watch them cook in front of him, and then he came home for the brown and white cupcakes he had requested months ago.  

Some things about Max, age 3:

He has the best memory.  We go to the library 1-2 times a week, and every week he memorizes a new book.  He especially loves the original Winnie-the-Pooh book, and has an entire chapter about woozles memorized.  We’re also learning Scripture every week, and he now knows 10+ passages, some of them 3-4 verses long.

He loves his daddy.  Now that Ben wears his uniform every day, Max has started accidentally identifying other Marines as Daddy.  Now that it’s happened a few times, he asks me first.  Every time he sees a Marine (all. the. time), he does a double take and says “my daddy is a Marine, too!”.  He knows which base we live on and which base Daddy works on.  Ben barely has time to take off his boots when he gets home before Max is handing him a book to read to him.

He loves to help me bake and cook.  We’re making a lot of our own doughs, and he knows most the ingredients for all our breads ands batters.  He especially likes measuring things on the scale and cranking the mixer all the way up.  Any time I try to cook without my helper, he runs and gets his chef hat and step stool and jumps right in.  I’m pretty sure he thinks the hat convinces me he’s a legit chef.  Maybe it does.

We’ve started doing pizza and a movie on Fridays every now and then.  He loves to get snuggly on the couch with us in a blanket, and then he eats at his little table in the living room.  So far, we’ve only watched March of the Penguins and Toy Story, but he’s been very engaged in both of them.  He asks a lot of questions about the characters and plot.

He asks a LOT of questions.  Usually about details I wouldn’t consider relevant. I read him the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he wanted to know what color was the furnace, in what room was the furnace, and what was the name of the kingdom.  So (after a series of “why…” questions) we talked about the Jews and how they were exiled to Babylon for disobedience.  He extrapolated that if God doesn’t love you, you have to go away forever.  We spent a few days correcting that theology, but I appreciate the searching for the larger concept.

I think he’s adjusted to life here pretty well.  He still talks about walking to a hotel (because he can’t drive, obvi), but he likes his room and our days of grocery shopping, baking, playgrounds, library trips, gymnastics, and lunches in new places with new people.  

When he wakes up from his nap, he runs to me with big open arms for a hug like he’s been away for weeks.  It’s the best.

He “helps” with chores by folding laundry, putting away dishes and loading the dishwasher, sweeping, and making his bed.  I think we’re going to start giving him an allowance soon.  The 100 yen stores (100 yen is about a dollar) are pretty decent, so he can start learning about work, saving, giving, and the value of money.  

He’s a little manipulative.  If he wants something he thinks I’ll say no to, he asks me if I’d like it:

“Mommy, would you like more apples?”  

“Mommy, I was thinking we can go to a park today!”

[at 5:30 am] “Mommy, do you want to get up now?  Here are your glasses!”

“Mommy, I was wondering if you’d like to read this book together?”  

We’re dealing with some very early wake up times and a bit of defiance lately, but overall, he’s marched straight out of toddlerhood into boyhood with grace and boldness.  We couldn’t be prouder or more grateful.