And this is going to be such a good year. I can feel it. If any of it is like today, it will be a great year.

Today Avadore and I went to the grocery store. Over the last several months, this has been an interesting adventure. But Tuesday Avadore is turning three, and he's having some really good three days. He's communicating more and more and is understanding me more and more. If he wants something now, and I tell him no, or that he has to wait, he lets whatever he wants go. He may ask a couple more times, but there's not a lot of fuss about the whole thing.

For example, he wanted some Chex mix from the bulk bin. I told him I'd get him a small bag, but he had to wait until we bought it before he could eat it. That was good enough for him. He asked for some candy once. I told him we'd buy raisins instead, which he was very cool with.

It's such a relief -- this is what it's like to be with him more and more all the time. Not that he doesn't have his wild and crazy moments, but they're becoming less and less frequent.

For his birthday, we're going to take him to a store and buy him a helium balloon and to a place where they have the coin-operated rides that he likes so much. I think he'll get some pizza, too. And cake. Gotta have cake :). I figure doing some special things is a good idea, but that he is three, after all, and that it's probably good to keep it as mellow as possible to keep from wearing the poor kid out and sending him over the edge.

Tonight I'm making Jambalaya. J-Spot and Rice refer to it as "24 Hour Jambalaya" because no matter how much I make it doesn't last 24 hours. Ever. It can get pretty pricey to make, but I found pork on sale, sausage on sale, peppers on sale and boom -- there you go! Time to make Jambalaya.

And hopefully, if we're all feeling up to it, there may be some Broken Saints, too since Avadore is playing quietly instead of napping today. (This means it's an earlier bedtime.)

Woo hoo!