I have been wanting to post on this subject matter for a long time. We have been making twice a month treks to the local library since Thomas was a year and a half, thereby finding his own in the way of favorite pieces of literature. Because I have waited so long to get this all down, favorites have come and gone like the ebb and flow of the tide. But before he take on any more new stories, I want to share some of his favorites over the last year.

I didn’t realize a kid could have a favorite author, but Thomas seemed to lean towards particular writers (even if they used different illustrators). Karma Wilson was one of those… The Bear Snores On was the first book given to us as a shower gift but by far his favorite of her many stories was Moose Tracks, about a messy moose who apparently forgot he was one. Another good read is Animal Strike at the Zoo.

Mo Willems is another one on the favorite list during the past year. He has had a number of favorites from this amazing author/illustrator. I think the best quality Mo Willems is able to conveys through his stories is expression of sarcasm and surprise. I have fun reading the books because his characters demand to be heard. His most well-known (I think) and the first book we were given, Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog got us hooked. The Piggie and Elephant series are hilarious. Roger loves the 2008 Geisel Award winning book, There is a Bird on Your Head while I love I Broke My Trunk. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed is high on the list too. I need to reserve Time to Pee for the boy who is still struggling with potty training. As many as I thought we have read, I think there is more to get through, but it seems now he is not nearly as excited as we are.

Another favorite authors of his is Jon Scieszka. We read a few that didn’t get is attention early on like Cowboy & Octopus and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, but it wasn’t until we brought home a TruckTown book that he seemed to show any interest. Right now he is hooked on Robot Zot, a tiny angry robot who comes to Earth and attacks appliances. I like it for the fun voices I get to make for the characters, he might like it for the same reason. Perhaps I may have to return to those previous books to see if he just wasn’t ready for them.

Of course there are several books that he just loves because… They are like the one-hit wonders of his book reading. Dinosaurs Love Underpants is one of those books. I like this book, but have a hard time with the rhymes as it is clearly written by someone with a different accent (Claire Freedman is from the UK). For example rhyming “shock” with “amok” or “claw” with “war.” It to me a few tries before I was able to recite it as intended.

Right now he is into one of Roald Dahl‘s shorter stories, The Enormous Crocodile. This mean crocodile (Thomas insists we can’t call him croc, I think he has an aversion to the shoes too) makes several failed attempts at gobbling up children with his not so clever tricks, foiled by other forest animals. Again I really think he enjoys the characters’ voices in this one. I am excited that he can sit for this longish book knowing there is a whole world of new options to read.

I’m hoping to sit down and do this every few months as his interests change. It will be good for me and hopefully some recommendations or rereads for you.

My baby turns three today and aside from celebrating with Star Wars themed games and Luke Skywalker on your cake, I wanted to encapsulate your growth and the things you do that make me smile and sometimes drive me crazy, because next year these things might pass and be replaced with throwing spit balls (I hope not) or drawing faces on everything in sight. So, in no particular order…

• Your preference for cozy sweats or fleece attire over jeans
• Singing “celebrate good times, come on!” at the top of your lungs from the back of the car
• Carrying around a giant blue fluffy pillow and the need to have it placed on your head to sleep
• Specifying the type and color of cup each and EVERY time you want a drink… with a straw or like a glass?
• Not wanting to leave the farmers market without a carrot in your hand, nibbling it like bugs bunny
• Wearing my brown fedora, also known as the Yee-haw hat like Indiana Jones
• Asking us to tell you a story, not read, but off-the-cuff, improv-style
• Your extensive bargaining where you manage to find a compromise most of the time… sorry, mom and dad have to win some of the time
• Wearing my necklaces
• Indicating your dislike for things by saying, “That’s not great” or “That’s not my favorite.”
• Casually peeing with no hands
• Playing rhyming games that always end when you ask, “What rhymes with Thomas?”
• Your genuine love of your family and friends, while blaming almost everything on Lincoln, that bratty kid from daycare

I don’t want this time to pass (especially since now all of the theme parks have deemed you a paying customer), but I know the future brings even more adventure, frustrations and awesomeness. I love you forever.

He really had no idea what to expect. In his mind, Mickey didn’t live there but a variety of other made up creatures did. He knew there were rides for sure and it was a long ways to get there. Often when we played, we would have to take an airplane to get there. What he did know, is there was something incredible about the place and he had to go. On Wednesday, we had the chance to witness first hand Thomas’ first time at the happiest place on Earth, full of smiles, thrills and adventure.

Lines were short, so not a lot of time for checking messages or posting to the fb or twitter, so I’m taking out to write down memories in long form here.

We covered a lot of ground that day: from Critter Country meeting Pooh and Tigger, to riding with pirates and through the jungle, exploring caves and finding treasure,  snacking in the Enchanted Tiki Room, rattling his nerves with witches, flying over the skies in rockets and on a flying elephant that goes by a certain name, meeting celebrities and invading their homes, shooting scary robots,  and watching kids become Jedi knights.

Things I never want to forget from that day (and hopefully by writing them down I won’t):

• “This is great!” was all he could say over and over as we took the shuttle into the park. His smile was broad and
• The excitement and energy after Thomas got off Gadgets Go Coaster in Mickey’s Toontown. His face was full of joy and he seemed breathless.
• The way he soaked in every detail of Mickey Mouse’s house. In his eyes, you could read his thoughts, “I can’t believe I’m in Mickey Mouse’s house!” He continues to tell us about the squirrel stealing the carrots (out of Mickey’s garden).

• “Don’t open that green door again!” stated over and over for the rest of the day after Roger tested trying to open the door to the power company in Toontown, receiving a noisy shock. Thomas swears a witch was behind the loud zaps.
• His favorite things of the day: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, watching kids fight Darth Vader and Darth Maul in the Jedi Training Academy,  and of course getting a new light saber (thank you, Grandma 2D and Uncle Jerry!)

“Can we stay here?” was asked several times throughout the day. I really think he wanted to live there with Mickey and pals. Not a bad idea. I wouldn’t mind sharing Minnie’s kitchen and if you boot out the dead guy, that bed in Pirates of the Caribbean looks pretty cozy. Although, I might have to figure out how to make the ghosts stop playing the piano so we could have proper rest before climbing the Matterhorn.