Birthday Boy!

We recently celebrated Sean's 3rd Birthday! It seems like just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital and now he is a very active toddler (a big boy he tell us). We celebrated his birthday a couple of days early so Steve and I could take a much needed short vacation (more about that later). Sean didn't mind - of course, there was cake and presents. Sean loves to help me cook, so he helped make his birthday cake and cupcakes. He "helped" frost and decorate them by eating a cupcake! We celebrated with family - Grandma and Grandpa O'Dwyer, Aunt Molly, and Uncle Paul. We had pizza, which is one of Sean's favorite meals and then opened presents and had cake and ice cream. Sean had a great time opening presents and never stopped moving (which is why not all the pictures are great). After opening presents from Grandma and Grandpa, he laid the toys all out and said "I got everything I wanted!" How wonderful!

As we prepared for Sean's birthday I enjoyed thinking about him and who he is becoming. What he loves and his personality. Here are some highlights of Sean right now (and I am sure that I will miss some things):

• He is 39 1/4 inches tall and weighs 34 pounds.
  
• He is active all day long - starting around 7 am and ending around 8 p.m. with no nap!
• He has many funny sayings - all that he learned from watching cartoons and maybe from us (some we think are funny, others we wish he would not say!)-- I have an Idea!, I hear something, I can fix it - let me get my tools, I know what to do, O my gosh!, I give up, Dang it, I'm Learning, We two are boys!, I'm growing, I'm still little.
• He can use a computer and mouse as well as most people - he loves to get on my computer and "type" in OpenOffice (free version like Word).
• He loves to spell words - he doesn't know what he is spelling unless there is a picture, but he will ask - "What does that Spell". He confuses some words which are so cute - when spelling violin and seeing a picture I asked "What does that spell" his answer "guitar hero!", when spelling hen, he says "chicken!"
• He can recognize his name. He knows that he lives in Fruita.
• He won't let you call him any nicknames. If you do he says - no, I'm Sean Hayden Richards!
• He is quick to get into trouble, but also just as quick to say I'm sorry and remind us that Heavenly Father wants us to listen (he usually tells us that when we have been impatient with him - now who is teaching whom?)
• He loves puzzles, coloring, playing with his trio blocks, watching videos, playing "tent" with anything that will make a tent, playing outside (he tries to convince me to go outside by saying - "its a beautiful day, we need to go outside!")
• He loves his Daddy - every day after waking he asks, "Where's Daddy?" He never misses a day asking that.
• Even when you don't think he is listening, you find out he really was. One night we had read his Book of Mormon board book with simplified stories. A few days later while going to church he was holding that book. He said "That man isn't going to talk to anyone anymore." I asked "why not?" He said "Because he is dead." He said it so matter-of-factly. We had to contain our laughter to find out that he was talking about Abinadi and that King Noah had him killed. We had to clarify some of the story, but it was so wonderful to know that he does pay attention.
• He loves to point out who are boys and who are "Grills" (girls)
• He says no when he really means yes.
• He recently learned to pedal his tricycle.
• He tells us he is a big brother - he loved being a big brother to Angel and he continues to tell us every day that we need another baby. He told me that a "gril" was going to sleep in the crib in his room (does he know something?!)
• He loves to give hugs and kisses.
• He loves to help mommy and daddy with just about anything - mowing the lawn (he calls it mowlawning), working on the house or cars with Dad, emptying the dishwasher, dusting, vacuuming, cooking or baking.
• He is really starting to figure out he can do so many things and we are having to let him try and to let go of some of our protectiveness. He wants to do everything himself.
• He loves to dance and sing. His favorite songs are ABC Song, Bob the Builder, Old MacDonald, I am a Child of God and I Love to See the Temple.
• We say he eats like a chipmunk - especially with cookies - he will hold the cookie in both hands and nibble on it continuously until it is gone!

We sure love Sean and his funny personality. We are so grateful that he is part of our family and we love watching him learn new things.

Here are some pictures from his party (didn't get very many, because Sean would never stop moving!):


Helping Mom make the cake.


Pouring in the eggs.


Opening presents from Grandma and Grandpa O. They love to use "fancy" wrapping - black trash bag.


Sean loved crawling into the black bag to find his presents!


Showing his t-ball gift.


Grandpa and Grandma O and Aunt Molly. Grandma and Grandpa showing some of the toys Sean got.


Uncle Paul helping to set up the T-Ball.


Opening "The One with the Dump Truck". We asked Sean what he wanted for his birthday and he kept saying "The one with the dump truck". We had no idea what he meant. We tried to get him to explain, but that is all he would say. Finally we took him to the store and took him up and down each aisle to show us what he meant. What he meant was the Trio Building block kit - that was construction and had a dump truck - hence - The one with the dump truck. He was so excited to get this. I couldn't get him to look at me for a picture.


Excited to blow out his birthday candle.