Luke's 3rd Birthday

In January, Luke turned 3!  We took him to Arctic Circle for dinner and then had a family party with cake and ice cream.  I made him an animal cake because his favorite toys are those little animals.  He will choose one (usually a mom and baby) and carry them around all day.  He will switch them out once or twice a day, but has to sleep with them and everything.  Here are some things about Luke:

• Luke is very determined and independent.  If I say "no" about something, he will either try to get it himself.  I frequently hear him pushing the chairs across the kitchen floor while I'm in the shower to get a snack out of the cupboard that I told him he couldn't have.  Or he will follow me around whining and begging FOREVER.  He isn't easily distracted and keeps persevering until he gets his way.
  
• Luke is napping about 1/2 the time.  But I still need to rock him or lay with him or he will never fall asleep.  But he's great about going to bed at night.
• Luke is a picky eater, especially at breakfast time.  He loves candy and just asks for that all day long.
• He is also a runner.  I hate taking him to the store because he never wants to sit in the cart, but if you let him out he will run away and never look back.  I spend my whole life chasing that kid around.
  
• We have been trying to potty train Luke without much success.  He is perfectly capable of going, he just doesn't want to.  It's incredibly frustrating, but I have to remind myself that I've never seen a teenager in diapers before.
• Luke is super energetic and funny.  He always says the silliest things that make people laugh.
  

The toddler stage is difficult for me because kids are becoming opinionated, but don't understand logic.  They also don't understand that I know what is better for them and am just trying to help.  But we love our wild Luke-man.  He wears me out, but he also makes me laugh.  We are so glad he's part of our family.