mylo turns 3.

mylo is 3 & my baby really isn't a baby anymore. well, not technically but i don't think he'll ever relinquish the title. although he is my most independent child he has absolutely no desire to grow up. he is perfectly comfortable maneuvering furniture to acquire things beyond his 40" reach & he aspires to one day cross the street alone he is still perfectly content using his baby potty seat & allowing his mommy to spoon feed him oatmeal every morning. a part of me wants to usher him out of his remaining infantile habits but i just can't bring myself to. i'm ok with allowing him to be my forever baby. 

mighty is a walking contradiction. it's impossible to label this boy. he loves to run, he is constantly moving as fast as his little feet can carry him (which is remarkably fast for a toddler) but he also spends more time in my arms than the other two ever did, combined. he is a total fraidy-cat, honestly, the kid gets scared far too easily. but he's never been one to allow his fears to stand in his way, rather he constantly addresses & conquers them. like on halloween when a giant frankenstien statue sent him running into my arms in tears. after a quick 30 second cry he wiped his eyes & went charging at the statue fists blazing. he's also a thrill seeker. he loves things that challenge & terrify. he loves spooky stories, high jumps, & any & every form of monster. he begs me to take him to haleakala so he can fight zombies & creeps (he believes all things spooky reside on the top of the mountain) & he constantly tries to convince me to allow him to ride in his car seat sans straps. he things he can swim & i love watching him try. he bravely jumps off the step in the pool & confidently kicks his legs & strokes his arms but the poor boy has his dad's natural ability to sink so despite his best efforts he usually doesn't make it more than a foot before running out of air. regardless of how far he makes it he pops out of the water proud as a peach as if he made it across the pool & back.

i wouldn't say he's my most obedient child. it's not that he doesn't obey it's that he will not obey for sake of obeying itself. rather, he needs to understand why you are instructing him to do or not do something. then once he decides the request is valid he is more than happy to comply. yes, he is wise well beyond his years. and although his stubborn nature drives me batty i have the upmost respect for his thought processes. i don't mind spending an extra few minutes explaining my reasoning because once he gets it he rarely needs to be reminded. he has respect for reasonable rules & sticks to them.

he is my wild. mighty has the most active imagination. it is just beautiful. he truly believes that by strapping on a cape he can fly. and he is pretty positive that when he spins in a circle as fast as he can he looks exactly like a ninjago ninja performing spinjitzu. he constantly tells tales of what lives in the jungle or what his daddy does at work or my personal favorite are the stories about jesus. like how a big hurricane was coming to maui & jesus ate the storm to save us. he loves learning. he could read books & put together puzzles all day. he loves to draw, count, & practice his numbers & abc's. he is rather reasonable for a toddler. he just gets things & comes to conclusions that constantly amaze me. 

he is a button-pusher. he has an innate ability to understand people. i've seen him use it for good but he's often found enjoyment in using his unique skill to get under the skin of those around him. like his current obsession with turning off the lights. usually it isn't that big of a deal but when i'm chopping raw chicken or i'm in the shower & the lights go out in a can be a little frustrating. i've found that when he starts pushing buttons it's usually his way of saying he needs a little attention. so we try to make special time for mylo when he starts getting a little naughty. quality time is definitely his love language. & physical touch. he is a big time snuggler. he loves being in his parents arms or cuddled up to a brother. he runs to cooper & gives him the biggest hug & kiss every single day when we pick him up from school. personally, i love his check smushes. ever since he was a baby he has the habit of smashing his cheek up against mine whenever he's in my arms. it makes my heart melt. he is incredibly thoughtful. he plucks a flower from every tree or bush he passes especially for me. he never passes up a piece of beach glass or seashell because he knows how much i love them. and every time he is given a treat he makes sure to get extras for his brothers & friends. 

he is the happiest child i know. not that my others aren't happy. it's just that mylo has a natural fun-loving nature. regardless of the situation you can guarantee mylo has found a way to make it enjoyable. he doesn't waste time complaining, rather he gets creative & gets happy. mylo finds humor in everything & he constantly wears a smile. and did i mention that he has the most infectious laugh? running errands with him is one of my favorite things. he usually laughs the whole way through the store & even the strangers around us can't help but adopt a little of his joy. he loves people. well, let me clarify, he loves people he knows well. he is happiest when surrounded by his entire family & cries every time his brothers go to school, he asks almost daily when his grandparents will visit, & he insists on seeing his friends every chance he gets. he is quick to forgive & even quicker to apologize. he is always the first to say sorry. he loves saying prayers & they are rarely less than 3 minutes long. he has to include every person & thing he can think of. they are very heartfelt & usually intune with our actual needs & environment at the time. he loves his church class, it is probably the highlight of his week. up until last month he insisted i spend most of the two hours in the room with him (which i didn't mind one bit-but i am happy to graduate to relief society after 3 years of hanging with my babies in nursery). he has a habit of adding the l sound in random words like "flamily," "fluffly," & "flavowite". it gets me every single time.

we love you, mylo. more than you can possibly understand. you bring so much life & light into our lives. you make the darkest days bright with your bouncy blonde curls & unfailing smiling. you have stolen our hearts & we are so blessed to call you our baby.

1. mylo's best friend: mosiah & august
2.  mylo's name: mylllllo dames
3.  mylo prefers to go by: mylo
4.  mylo's favorite animals: turtles
5.  what does mylo want to be when he grows up: santa or hulk or jesus, he's still debating
6. mylo's favorite movie: how to train your dragons 2 & cloudy with a chance of meatballs
7.  mylo's favorite song: "every thing is awesome" lego movie & old mcdonald had a farm-in mylo's rendition old mcdonald has a hulk, a storm, a batman, an emitt (lego movie), & a policeman. 

8.  what makes mylo happy?  board games, running, playing with his friends, & treats

9.  what makes mylo sad? being left out of anything. even boring things like school or baths.
10.  mylo's favorite food:  strawberries, bananas, oatmeal, & chocolate
11.  mylo's favorite place: the beach & the maui tropical plantation
12.  mylo's favorite color: green aka "hulps smass" (hulk smash) 
13.  mylo's favorite game: cariboo, connect four, & clumsy ninja
14.  mylo's #1 wish right now: to eat cupcakes all day every day & buy every thing at the toy store. 
15: cute mylo quotes: "daddy, feel my bum! see! no diaper!" -on day 2 of potty training, "what da fench?!"