Gratitude list for Everett at age three.

"I'm a raspberry monster!" I love his imagination and the excitement that he brings to everyday life, finding joy in something as mundane as eating a snack of berries at the dining room table. I need to take more time to pause and really appreciate these little moments, I think to myself, as he growls at me with his raspberry fingers. 

Age three has been challenging at times for me because of the epic tantrums that happen for seemingly no reason, but there are also so many amazing things about getting to hang out with a three year old all day. I'm trying to focus on the good, which hopefully will help me avoid having an emotional breakdown alongside my child. To do this, I keep a running gratitude list, specific to Everett, on the "notes" in my phone and add to it whenever I can. 

The truth is, even though three can be tough, he probably won't adore me as much during any other year of his life, and he probably won't have the same zest for life that he has now, so I want to enjoy my three year old Everett. 

For some reason, as people grow up, they lose a love of many of Everett's favorite things such as books, the library, running, the moon, trash trucks, tractors, museums, learning, and they don't always think their mom is the best person on the planet. This is probably the height of his love for these things.

With Everett, his excitement for everything, even cleaning toilets, is so apparent. He wears his heart on his sleeve and joy seeps from every part of his being about the simplest things in life.

Here are a few notes of gratitude for Everett at age three:

• Telling his sister, "Hi, my little donut." Turning to me, "Mom, I decided I'm going to start calling Cambria my little donut, because donuts and Cambria are my favorite things."
• Everett: “Mom, can you get another baby in your tummy?" Me: "Why, is it because you’re such a good big brother?” Everett: “No, it’s because I’m going to turn into a dog, so you need to get a new Everett.”
• "Mom, last night I had a dream about a T-Rex, and he was eating lettuce, not meat. He was not following the rules!"
• “I have lots of cuddles for everyone, but I have the shiniest cuddle for you, Mama.”
• “I have a sparkly hug for you. I went to the doctor and he put a sparkly hug in my head. I’m gonna give you half and save half for Grandma.”
• Everett: "Mom, can I clean the toilet?" Me: "Sure bud." Everett: "I can? I get to clean the toilet! I'm so excited!" 
• “I can give you lots of hugs. Because I have lots of hugs saved up. I have a lot of hugs inside me to give out to everybody." 
• “Mom, you’re the bestest mom ever for taking me to the library, because the library is the bestest place ever.” This was at a recent library story time that took place on a school holiday, so there were older kids there who repeatedly said, “This is so boring.” Yet, Everett asks every day if we can go to the library. 
• Telling me, “Cambria is my favorite baby in the whole wide world. I love her so much.”
• One day he started Cambria “moon.” He is often silly, so I asked him about it later, and he said, “I call her moon because I love her all the way to the moon and back.”
• Pausing throughout his day just to say, “I love you, mom. You're the best mama in the whole wide world.”
• Automatically calling anyone who is at the playground his friend without thinking a second thought about it.
• Wanting to cuddle in bed with me every single morning.
• Saying, "Mom, let's talk about our lives. How’s your life?"
• One day he said, “My favorite thing in life is to love you.”
• Holding Cambria’s hand while they are both in their car seats and noticing it in my rearview mirror.
• Saying, "Mom, you're my best friend."
• Even though he finds the moon every day, he still jumps up and down with excitement each time, "I see the moon!"
• “I have so many kisses inside of me for everybody.”