Dear Callum,

We’re going to Mubby and Skitter’s this weekend, and I am thrilled to announce that I am going to pack zero diapers.  You have still been wearing pull-ups at night, but honestly, I think you’re just about done with those, too.  You have been waking up dry every morning for quite some time now.  I’m glad I decided against buying the mega-pack last time we were at Costco.

Given my pessimism that you’d ever reach this stage, I’m pretty happy and relieved.  You’re happy about it too—often, after a successful event, you smile up at me and say, “Are you so proud?”  When I tell you that I am, you say, “I’m so proud of myself, too!”  I’m never potty training anyone again, but the one thing I’ve learned from having done it thrice now is that it’s a whole lot easier if you just wait till the kid is ready.  Our first attempt was so dismal and disheartening, but just a month or so later, it was a totally different experience.  You look cute in your Jake and the Neverland Pirates underpants (which is a show you never watch, but a third kid doesn’t always get a lot of choice in clothing).

You’ve been so successful that we’ve been able to confidently go on some adventures.  Your dad had to go out of town for work for a couple of days last week, and we did several interesting things to keep busy.  The biggest of those outings was a trip to the Putnam Museum about an hour away, and you handled the drive, an Icee from the snack bar, the public toilets, and the drive home with no problem.  I’ve got a spare set of clothes in the car, but we haven’t had to dip into them in a long time.

You love getting wet, so we’ve been enjoying all kinds of water fun.  We waded around in the creek behind our hours, went to the splash pad, and when we went to the fossil gorge, you immediately got shin-deep in the most algae-laden rain pool in sight.  I declined to follow you in there.  Fortunately everything you wear is washable.  Those sandals, which, like your underpants, are on their third wearer, have kicked around in our washer and dryer many times this summer.

We took a fun trip out to the farm mid-month to celebrate Papa’s Conservation Farmer of the Year award.  The Adair County Fair was a modest one, but you can always find something fun to do, even if it’s just running back and forth on bleachers.  You weren’t quite as interested in the animals as your brothers were, but you liked the ice cream, bouncy house, and fireworks.

You have been learning a lot lately, and it seems like your language skills have advanced a lot.  Suddenly you’re able to express much more sophisticated ideas through complex sentences.  You’re still sorting out the details, though.  Today, I told you we needed to run errands, and you were pretty crabby when you realized we’d be taking the car instead of actually running.

Photo by Denny

It’s going to be tough on you when your brothers go back to school later this month.  You’ve gotten pretty used to having them around this summer.  They’re spending next week at Mubby and Skitter’s house, so we’ll see whether you relish being an only child for a week or if you miss them.  I might miss them—the older they get, the better they get about playing with you, so I won’t be able to count on them to entertain you while I get tasks done or take a little break.  Still, it will be fun to have some time just with you.  Last year we did some fun toddler programs at the library, which we can do again, and maybe we can go to Tot Time.

Your current favorites:  playing outside, riding your Strider bike, reading Pete the Cat, Little Blue Truck, and The Monster at the End of This Book at bedtime, Hershey Kisses (your potty success rewards), and dumping out enormous tubs of Legos that you decline to put away.

We’ve had a lot of good fun this summer, Callum.  Thanks for being my sweaty-headed little adventure buddy.

Love,

Mommy