Growin' Up Garman: Brody Kristopher...3 Years Old!

Three years ago, I got my baby. My baby I once feared I'd never have. The one I cried over every single day of my maternity leave...because I couldn't fathom leaving him. And I just can't believe my firstborn is now a sweet, three-year-old boy.

Healthy dose of orneriness + even more cuteness = my boy.

Brody is...growing!
I've been waiting to publish this post for a long time, first because I wanted to include info from his three-year wellness appointment which was rescheduled from September to October, and then because I just haven't had the opportunity to sit down and give this post the attention it deserves. So, Brody saw Dr. Jacob instead of Dr. Carol this time. We like him very much, as he was the one who examined and treated all three kids last February when they were sick and required breathing treatments (the twins).

These are his stats:
Weight: 31 pounds
Height: 36 inches (3 feet even!)

Kris couldn't remember what the percentiles were, but I think they are between the 25th-50th. He is a healthy kid, and the doctor has no concerns!

Brody kind of goes through phases in his eating habits. He's always offered pretty healthy meals, but some days he cleans his plate and others he could care less about the main dish. I would say some of his favorite foods are watermelon, cantaloupe, cheese, spaghetti, usually any kind of sandwich, and fruit dip made with Sunbutter and yogurt. He also pretty recently has started a nightly banana-before-bed ritual. It's very strange because he will only take a few nibbles out of one at breakfast, but then just before bedtime he starts talking about how much he loves bananas and absolutely insists on eating one. He enhales the whole thing.

As for exercise, he is outside getting fresh air and running around nearly every day. He has recently become fairly good at riding the bike we purchased for him over the summer. Inside, he loves to run all around the house, pretending he's a football player or pushing anything with wheels. He enjoys doing the "wheelbarrow" all around the house as well.

It is hard to believe that at this time last year, we were stressing over his lack of speech. Sometimes I forget how worried I felt about his future because he speaks so well now (and so often, ha) that it just doesn't seem like he was ever behind in the area of speech development.

Brody is...goofy, funny, silly!

He is constantly cracking us up, like in the above picture when he announced he was "ready to go outside" since he had his sandals on. Hmm... :) He has such cute little voices, and he loves to mimic other people's actions and recite lines from different characters in the books we read.

Brody is...such a boy!

Boys and their toys, right?? And Brody certainly has many to choose from. He loves riding his Powerwheels outside and has become quite the expert in manuvering it both in forward and reverse modes...yikes! His favorite toys are his John Deere weed wacker, his chainsaw, his lawnmower, and his flashlights. He inquires about and asks to see the fan, aka motor, that powers everything. And when I say everything, I truly mean everyyyyythiiiiing. My hairdryer, the blender, the food processor, the bubble machine, etc. etc. He's just so interested in how everything works. Over the past few months, he has somehow developed a love of tractors and other machinery. He has said on numerous occasions, "I love John Deeres!"

Brody is...a sweet big brother!

It's amazing to think that a little over a year ago, we were in big-time adjustment mode. Kris and I adjusting to our new, expanded family, and Brody adjusting to life competing for our attention with not one but two new babies. Ahh, I remember it well. The tantrums, the toys/books hurled across the room, the sleep disturbances. And while I'd be lying if I said he enjoys his little sister and brother 100% of the time, he does love them and care for them. Like crazy, that is. And he'd be lost without them. And that, my friends, pretty much makes my heart sing. To see these little people who have made life everything lovin' up on each other and makin' each other smile and giggle...doesn't get any better.

Brody is...well-rounded!

And by that I mean, he's a little bit of everything. He has an artistic side, he has a rough-and-tumble sporty side. He can melt your heart with one sweet, out-of-the-blue hug and kiss, and he can make you pull your hair out with his whines and tantrums. He never wants to sit still, yet he'll snuggle and read with you all night long. Some days he doesn't listen to a darn thing, other days he's a perfect angel. He really likes routine and knowing what to expect, but he also loves special, out-of-the-ordinary days.

Let's see...did I miss anything? Oh, the potty!! I think it was around July when he stopped having a couple accidents per day and we started to consider him fully potty-trained. He loves trying to stand and pee like a big boy, and he actually does it quite well. Pull-Ups are still necessary for sleeping purposes, and we also use them "just in case" for longer car rides or other outings, but he has kept them dry every time.

Afternoon naps are still vital for this kid! He sleeps from about 1:30-3:30. I really don't see him dropping this anytime soon purely because when he misses it...look out! LOL.