It’s time for a new Skyler update!
Can you believe that he is a THREE year old? Already?
I know I can’t. But then again, I totally can. Our baby boy is a full-on toddler and now three-nager through and through. More updates on this along with a recap of Skyler’s favorite things and our favorite things for him below!
Thanks so much for reading.
Skyler’s Three Year Update
Skyler at three years old is completely different than Skyler at two years old and worlds apart from “Baby Sky.” This is obviously to be expected as kids grow, but – wow – his personally is just so, so different.
Right now, I would describe Skyler as a BALL OF ENERGY all the time. He doesn’t really slow down unless he isn’t feeling well or is overtired. He wakes up ready to play the second he opens his eyes until the moment he falls asleep at night. And the bed times have just been getting later and later … but we’ll get into that in a minute.
Skyler is all boy and loves to wrestle, climb, jump, dance and laugh. He makes jokes all day long and says words that are only appropriate for the bathroom more than I’d like to admit. We’re working on that. He is really into superheroes and it is the cutest thing seeing him role play with his toy figures. There’s always good guys, bad guys, and a lot of action.
His personality has grown quite large, but he is still one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Sky aims to please and just wants to make people happy. In fact, he looked at Scott and I a few weeks ago and said … “I just want to make people happy,” out of nowhere, and it instantly melted me. He really does have a heart of gold.
Since Skyler’s last update, we are still navigating life in the unknown (with a toddler) through this pandemic, but there seems to be a little more light at the end of the tunnel. Thank goodness!
The biggest change in our baby has been two big boy haircuts! We finally caved and took him to get his first haircut back in mid-December. He took it so well and seemed to love it while he continually asked “do you like my new haircut?” to everyone he ran into.
Stats & Milestones
We went modest on his first haircut and decided to go all in with an undercut fade on his second one last month. Just like last time, seeing the curls fall to the floor got me a little emotional.
But, I’m realizing that time is flying by in parenthood … and it will only continue to speed up as the years go by. As it goes.
Current stats:
Weight: ~30 pounds
Height: 37 inches
Clothing size: 2T-3T
Shoes: 6.5 (T)
I mentioned this in the last update, but figured it’s worth mentioning one last time. Sky has been off of pacifiers and in his toddler bed for almost a year now. He is now fully potty trained and has been out of all diapers for six months. Hallelujah!
While quarantine has lightened up a lot, we are still very much feeling the weight of this pandemic and don’t get out as much as we used to. We take daily walks, go to the playground, visit playrooms that feel safe and explore the city here and there, and you can always read more about those outings in Friday Favorites posts.
Travels
Skyler has been to a lot of different places, but the majority of his travels took place before his second birthday, pre-quarantine. At three years old, he’s been to Florida several times, Michigan twice, Arkansas and Missouri four times, Texas three times, Vermont, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Flying with him has become easier as he’s gotten older, although it’s a whole new world these days with new safety protocols and worries during this season.
Since the last update, we drove to see Scott’s family in Missouri over Thanksgiving and you can check out the highlights along with what it was like to fly last August in the world of safety protocols here. (Also, see my tips for traveling with a toddler/infant here.)
We are slowly starting to think about getting out and driving more places in the near future, so I’ll be sure to report back on how that goes.
Likes & Dislikes
Skyler’s favorite things include reading books together, sticker books, coloring, cutting paper with his baby scissors, kinetic sand, playing with his toys, wrestling, meeting new friends at the playground, kicking a soccer ball, learning new things and being at preschool. He LOVES people, and I think this season of quarantine was really rough on him. He craves socialization and being around people!
Something he has been resisting more, however, is taking baths. He’s fine once he gets into the water and loves playing with bath toys, but sometimes it takes some convincing to get him there.
This three-year-old does NOT like taking naps. We have been experimenting with dropping his naps completely over the last few months, and it’s just all over the place. We’ll get more into the topic of sleep below.
He does not like being dirty, but he’ll play in sand at the beach and in sand boxes and that doesn’t bother him.
And finally, he is more independent than ever and does not like being told what to do. It’s been interesting in the discipline department for sure. He likes his privacy in the bathroom, and he just started leaving the room to go to play in his room and tries to close the doors to be alone. *Sigh*
Eating
Like most kids, Skyler goes through phases of eating anything to being extremely picky. He certainly has his favorites that aren’t so great for you (chicken nuggets, fries, macaroni ‘n cheese, waffles, ice cream, etc.), and I’ve just learned to embrace it and let him eat what he wants in moderation. He will have an occasionally Happy Meal, but in, in general, he eats what we do which is a mix of almost everything — predominately healthy with room saved for the treats, too.
His normal day of eating includes waking up with a tall sippy cup of milk, breakfast around 8-8:30 am, a mid-morning snack, lunch around 12-12:30 or 12:30-1 pm, a small glass of milk after his nap (if he takes one), an afternoon snack, dinner around 6-6:30 pm, a little dessert, and a small glass of milk before bedtime.
He is a true fruit lover and would eat it all day long if I served it to him. His favorites include berries, oranges, apples, bananas, kiwi, grapes, watermelon and pineapple.
Since he does go through phases of loving and then not loving specific foods, I try to pair something new or questionable that we are having with something that I know he already likes and eats. For example, I’ll make a hearty vegetable soup and serve it alongside a side of fruit and toast for him. He’ll usually take a few bites of everything, and I consider that a win.
We’re still loving the Ikea Antilop High Chair for the bargain price of $22, as well as the Toogel Hook On High Chair (this one breaks down really easily for travel, too!) that stays attached to our dining room table. It’s nice to have the choice to use either one depending on where we’re eating.
Just like us, he enjoys dining out, and we are slowly getting out for meals at restaurants (with limited capacity and safety protocols in place) again. He loves being in the kitchen with me and always asks to sit on the counter whenever I’m doing things like putting away the dishes or cooking. One day we’ll have a bigger kitchen where this will actually make sense for him to do … lol.
Sleeping
I’m not even sure where to start in this category. Holy moly, sleep has been a struggle over the last several months with Skyler. The boy does not like to waste the day with his eyes closed, that’s for sure. #FOMO
He has been down to one nap per day for at least a year now. Most days he will fight a nap and either fall asleep in a stroller ride in the late afternoon or skip it entirely. It’s tricky to cut them out all together since he acts tired without them some days, and he is still consistently napping at school twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s very possible that his body is confused!
He seems happiest when he is well rested and takes at least a short nap sometime between 1-3 p.m, paired with a bedtime by 8:30 p.m.
While we’re on the subject of bedtime – that’s another can of worms. It’s completely unpredictable, and I think this all started at the beginning of quarantine … so about a year now. Yeesh!
I had Skyler on predictable bedtime sleeping by 8 p.m. for his first two years, but that all went out the window the moment our worlds changed and everything shut down. I would guess that there are several contributing factors to this, including less time being on-the-go (this tires him out), more time with Scott at home at night (he likes to play with him and Facetime family way later than I ever did pre-quarantine), and the absence of different environments like the gym daycare and more play dates in friends’ homes.
The more we do, the more he naps, so it’s been a challenge to keep a consistent, busy schedule like we used to. The days feel busy with him (don’t get me wrong – haha), but it’s just a different kind of busy that’s more like a cabin-fever type of busy running in circles. I don’t know how else to describe it!
We are doing our best to try and normalize his sleep patterns, but it’s been challenging with more online events at night (business and church related), less babysitting, and no family around to help. Scott and I led a marriage course online for seven weeks, and if we didn’t get him to bed before 7:30 p.m. (ha, right), he would fight the short windows of time we had to put him down and not fall asleep until it was over around 10 p.m. This spiraled into doing this night after night, and here we are.
Anyways, he sleeps in his toddler bed and is getting better about staying there until about 6 a.m. Like clockwork, he will walk into our room and climb into our bed to snuggle and sleep until we all get up around 7 or 7:30. It sure is hard sometimes, but I won’t complain about those extra snuggles. They’re the sweetest!
Skyler’s Current Favorites
Here is a narrowed down list of things that Skyler has been loving lately.
- Toy Story Legos (or any lego sets) found here, here, and here
- Dinosaurs – he still loves his zoo animals, but has a new found love for any and all dinosaur things, especially sets like this one.
- Superheroes – He has slowly traded his Little Toys for super heroes and has acquired a good collection of tall action figures like The Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, Batman, Superman, Ironman and more.
- Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles – he has collected several from the brand Melissa & Doug including this one and this farm cube.
- Mess Free Coloring Pages/Books – loves coloring and these invisible ink pens and sets like this, this and this are extra intriguing for him
- Learning Tablet – we got this one for him last November and it has been the best purchase. Games, learning tools, books, lullabies and movies all in one spot!
- Kinetic Sand – this has been an upgrade from Play Doh (in my opinion), and we love this set that includes tools to make shapes. (This set looks great, too.)
- Robots – he’s been very into robots and asked Santa to bring him a robot dog this year. He delivered and we now have this guy to play with every day. It’s awesome!
- Board Books & Sound books – loves to push the buttons as the books prompt him, and we read them continously throughout the day.
- Usborne Books – they’re another level of quality and interactive, and we all love reading them. We especially their sound books! Check out my friend’s shop if you don’t already have an Usborne consultant.
- Floor Piano – this was a gift for his third birthday and it’s been a hit every day we’ve had it. He also has this ukulele/guitar and loves making music!
- Cars, Trucks, Planes, Trains – basically anything that drives or flies.
- Car Activity Play Rug – we found a large one at Marshall’s, but I’m eyeing this one that is smaller and easier on the eyes.
- Sand Toys – absolutely loves digging in the sand and making shapes and animals from sand molds right now. We have this set, and this one is adorable. So are these little guys!
- Melissa & Doug, Let’s Play House! Pretend Play Set – he still enjoys cleaning when mommy does 🙂
- Mega Bloks – he’s been loving these since he turned one, and now he makes “animals” and buildings/houses out of them.
My Favorites For 3 Years
And here’s what we’ve been loving for him!
- Velcro Sneakers (any brand really, but Vans, Converse, and Adidas are our go-to! Some of my faves include these, these, these and these.
- Portable night light – we have this hippo light he is obsessed with! It glows in the dark, has a timer, a dimer and changes colors. It’s currently unavailable on Amazon but find it here and similar ones here, here and here.
- Clean Sunscreen! I’ve mentioned this sunscreen stick before, and I still use it on-the-go with him. Now that we’re getting out again, we both use this mineral sunscreen lotion every day.
- Gap Character Shop – I’m not the biggest fan of character clothing, but Skyler has a few items (the pjs are awesome!) from this shop and they’re adorable. More found here! We also love the graphic tees that feature superheroes.
- Toddler Potty Training Underwear – unders with a little more cushion to help absorb accidents and close calls … we have these, and I love these, these and these for night time.
- Toddler-sized Masks – we have a variety from Old Navy and Gap. The Old Navy brand runs a little snugger (look at these!). Also loving this pack.
- CamelBak BPA-Free Water Bottles with Straws – we just purchased this set, and Skyler picked out one of the printed patterns and always asks for it. I really like the stainless steel option, too.
- Catch-all pocket bibs – we have this JJ Cole set, and they are very durable and washable. I also like Bumkins.
- Zak Kids Dinnerwear Sets – We received this set from a friend for his birthday and the quality is great. Sky gets excited for his food in them! (You can also find them on Amazon.)
- Joggers – these have been the perfect middle between putting him in sweats and jeans for preschool and on our limited outings. My favorite finds have been at Gap, Target, and Marshalls.
- Outfits – my favorite finds are always at Gap (there’s always a sale so look out for them), Old Navy, Target (Cat & Jack brand is adorable) & Walmart (adorable tees, sweatshirts, and joggers for $3-5!) I’ve also been finding a lot of affordable Nike and other sporty wear at Marshalls.
- Ubbi Bath Toy Organizer Bath Caddy – amazing for playing in the tub and drying everything out afterwards.
- Ubbi Mold Free Bath Toys (interchangeable and interactive)
- Knuckleheads toddler trucker hats – I want them all. We have this black and white shark print and it’s my favorite. (Sky’s too!)
- Water Shoes for splash pads and outdoor water play. We have these and are purchasing the very popular Native shoes in the spring in the next size up.
- GB Pockit Stroller – perfect for solo city commutes. We don’t use this every day, but I always have it handy for longer trips out and travels.
- Toddler Bombas socks – Santa brought him a variety of calf socks and ankle socks with grippies for Christmas last year, and they last a really long time.
- Pottery Barn My First Toddler Anywhere Chair – still a go-to around here.
- Echo Dot Smart Speaker with Alexa – makes playing music for toddlers so easy, not to mention help turning on/off lights when your hands are full!
Toddlerhood isn’t easy, but it has also included some of my favorite moments with Skyler thus far. Nothing will ever replace the newborn snuggles and chest naps with him, but getting to hear his voice and thoughts out loud is so cool. The words “I love you, mommy” melt my heart more than I even expected them to.
He’s just the best.
If you’ve made it to the end of this post, you’re either interested in this stage of parenthood, or you genuinely enjoy seeing pictures of Skyler and hearing about his development. <3
No matter what the reason is, I appreciate you being here and am so grateful to be his momma to be able to share the stories.
Thank you so much for checking in, and I’ll be back later this week with a new set of Friday Favorites!
In case you missed it … here are more LIL baby-related posts:
Welcome To The World, Skyler King!
Skyler’s Birth Story – Part One
Skyler’s Birth Story – Part Two
Life With a Newborn, Recovery, and Q&As (Two Week Update)
Thoughts On Postpartum Progression & Staying Motivated
Thoughts On Raising a Baby in New York City
Skyler’s Four-Six Months Update
Skyler’s Seven-Nine Months Update
Skyler’s Eighteen Month Update
Toddler-Isms By Skyler: Two Years Old
Skyler’s Two (And 1/2) Year Update
Erika
You know your child best but I would highly suggest not dropping his nap. Most kids go through a nap-strike phase but they also need that nap until at least age 4 – again, everyone knows their kid best and I’m not telling you or anyone what to do. It can be a major struggle. When our daughter would nap well at daycare but not at home we tried following her daycare schedule during the weekends which is hard because that’s when you want to go do stuff but routine was good for her and so we missed out on some things for a couple years. As far as bed time go it sounds like something might just have to give in the evenings and prioritize bedtime at a certain time if it’s effecting the sleep schedule/routine that much. Maybe you or Scott aren’t able to participate in something online so one of you can put him down? I don’t know but all parents deal with it at some point and you just need to decide what’s worth the fight 🙂 With it staying lighter out later now we are dealing with the ‘it’s not dark yet’ at bedtime.
Heather
Hehe the light outside is always a challenge, especially during the summer months. He tends to skip the nap most days, so we really don’t encourage him to take one most days — but it eventually catches up with him and he’ll fall asleep sometime in the late-afternoon instead. It’s a struggle for sure! Yes, we are trying to get back to more of a “normal” schedule at nights to help him get to sleep earlier. It can be challenging! Thanks for sharing 🙂