Lucas is a whirlwind, a volcano, a hurricane, and the brightest sunny day, all in one. He has broken whatever mold there might have been for his older siblings, and is a force to be reckoned with (and I absolutely mean that literally). This kid can jump five feet, from coffee table to couch (which is not sanctioned, by the way…but we pick our battles). He can legitimately tackle his older siblings. He can run fast enough that I actually have to run, not jog, to catch him. It is just about impossible to wrestle anything from his grip. And he just goes, from the moment he gets up until well past what should be his bedtime. This physical strength, endurance and persistence that Lucas has is definitely one of his defining characteristics, but he is so much more.
He loves to laugh. He is silly and funny and actually really gets many jokes. He hides just because he thinks it’s so hilarious (but it isn’t, kiddo, unless someone knows you’re hiding). He makes goofy faces and weird noises, and imitates things that he sees others laughing at. And he loves an audience. If people are laughing at something he’s doing, it’s almost impossible to get him to stop.
He’s also persistently and oddly outgoing. He will insist on going up to complete strangers to say hi, even when I (as his extremely not outgoing mother) try to explain why it isn’t a good idea. But I do let him. It doesn’t always work out great, since he’s still not the clearest communicator, but he usually seems satisfied with his efforts. He has also, on occasion, made captive audience of random extended family members so that he can go into a long, not often very understandable, explanation of something.
Another notable characteristic he has is as a protector. Whenever he deems someone is in need of help, he is insistent on rescuing them. Seriously. And unflappably. Especially if it’s one of his two youngest sisters. He will tackle, pry, pull, pinch, kick, and put himself in any amount of [perceived] harm’s way to protect and defend someone else. [side note: generally, these are instances of someone getting tickled, or of a consensual wrestling match]
While Lucas is growing fast in many ways, though, he doggedly clings to his finger-sucking habit despite many efforts to convince him to let it go. He also has no interest in potty training. While he can make sure to find the quietest corner to do his business in his diaper, he will not ever head to the bathroom in those moments, despite promises of much-loved chocolate chips for success on the potty. I think it will come down to a cold-turkey approach, which is obviously way more work for me…hence why it hasn’t quite happened yet. It will be soon, though.
Lucas also, obviously, has many favorites of various things. He loves being read to, and his current favorites include When a Monster is Born; Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs; I Love it When You Smile; A Good Day; Guess How Much I Love You; and God Bless You and Good Night. He fights over eating a lot, but some things he will eat as much of as he can get are cheese, French fries, chocolate, oranges and apples. He is a huge fan of Scooby-Doo, and more recently, Toy Story and Cars. He will occasionally prefer a Little Einstein’s video or a VeggieTales, too. When it comes to toys, almost every preference comes down to whether or not the toy has wheels. No matter what it is, wheels make it fun for him. But he does also like to entertain himself with making shadows on the wall
Lucas loves people. If he were allowed, he would choose to curl up next to a sibling every night. He gives the biggest, strongest hugs and the cutest kisses on the cheek. His smile is huge, endearing, yet almost always full of mischief. He sings loudly even when he doesn’t know the words. He says sorry if he thinks he has accidentally hurt someone (still working on when he intentionally hurts someone). He keeps us on our toes, and exhausted by the end of each day, but he is so fun and so loved and we are so thrilled to be celebrating his three years of life today.