Now we are three...

So now Harry is three, and rather appropriately my eye was caught by an article which details 36 activities that, according to research by Cow & Gate, all toddlers should have done by the time they reach three. It's a fun list, although I think that many of these things toddlers manage to do without any input or prompting from parents. But just for the record then, here's how well he has managed:

1. Made a mud pie - not on my watch although suspect this may be done at nursery.

2. Baked a cake - yes

3. Finger painted - yes

4. Sung loudly in public - his speciality is 'Wheels on the Bus' on, you've guessed it, the bus.

5. Climbed a big hill - well he's started to lots of times but it usually ends up with "carry me!"

6. Picked fruit - he's picked raspberries on Grandad's allotment.

7. Danced with no inhibitions - all the time!

8. Made sandcastles on the beach

9. Been chased by a monster - I am assuming that this is not in the literal sense, as that is not an example of good parenting. Pretend monsters, yes, many times.

10. Jumped in a puddle so hard the water went in mummy's shoe too - yes

11. Belly-flopped - no, not really a big swimmer this one.

12. Fed the ducks - yes

13. Blown bubbles - yes

14. Had a teddy bears' picnic - yes

15. Chosen a favourite book - well it changes all the time, but yes

16. Ridden on the top of double-decker bus - yes, at the Worthing Bus Rally.

17. Visited a museum - yes, lots of them.

18. Been on a train ride

19. Fed an animal

20. Grown cress in the shape of your name - we have grown cress, but on a pretend head.

21. Worn pants on your head - not something I've ever thought of doing with him...

22. Ridden the tea-cups at the fair - yes

23. Flown a paper aeroplane - yes, this was a recent distraction on a rather trying visit to a supermarket.

24. Pooed in the bath - unfortunately, yes (and lots of other places).

25. Stayed the night away from home - lots of times.

26. Ridden on daddy's shoulders - no, but he has ridden on Grandad's.

27. Scribbled somewhere you shouldn't - actually he's quite good at not doing this, although the first time I gave him a crayon in his bedroom he did draw on the chest of drawers.

28. Cleaned your own teeth - probably capable but rarely does it.

29. Answered the phone - not answered it but he does talk on it, but only when he's in the mood.

30. Mastered a party piece - we used to make him dance and wiggle his bottom...

31. Had a "first love"

32. Bought something in a shop - pretend shops lots of times but not a real shop. He doesn't even get pocket money.

33. Set your sights on a future career (pirate, fairy or builder, perhaps?) - don't think he understands the concept. As far as he is concerned Daddy talks on the phone all day and Mummy works on the computer (I do call blogging work...)

34. Told a fib - yes ("Are you doing a poo, Harry?" "No!")

35. Made up an inappropriate nickname for someone - not really inappropriate, but he calls my parents 'Grandma and Grandad Train' because they have a vast collection of my brother's old trainsets at their house for him to play with.

36. Broken something valuable - yes, there was the digital camera in the toilet incident.

So it looks like we've managed most of them without really trying! The thing that made the biggest impression on me from this article was that it looks as though his toddler years are now over. I guess that now he is a pre-schooler. My baby is growing up!