Our Boy

Serious, daring, serene amongst a whirl of energy. 

He is independent, yet craves our attention.  He needs help sometimes and that frustrates him because he's a perfectionist.  Gee, I wonder what that came from?!  He is loving, yet pushes the envelope with physical play.  Such a rough-houser!  Good thing he has a strong and willing daddy. He is imaginative and creative. He is beautiful and energetic. He is tender and innocent.  He is a little bit in between toddler-ness and boyhood.  He believes in fairies and builds them houses.  When something pleasantly surprises him, he credits the fairies for doing it.  He thinks there are ghosts in the dark and runs from a dimly lit room giggling and shrieking in playfulness.

He just stopped needing his "polka dot blankie" at bedtime within the past week or so, which is something I am having a hard time with, though not to my surprise, given my sentimentality. His blankie is a pink and brown Little Giraffe that was my very first baby gift (from my mom) when we all "just knew" my firstborn would be a girl!  He's held it at night, every night, since he was less than a year old.  There were times when we had to return to his babysitter's or to school to get it if forgotten so he could sleep that night.  This week, he told me we could leave it at school for nap time. He doesn't need it at home...

He is smart.  So smart!  He is observant.  He doesn't miss anything and asks such intelligent questions, so precocious.  I love the conversations we have.  He's articulate and I'm constantly amazed by his memory.  He is curious about learning his letters and sounds and often asks what things say.

He is a loving brother and a good friend.  He knows right from wrong, but sometimes his urges get the better of him. He divides his time now equally between mom and dad, not so much the momma's boy any longer, and I'm glad for that.  His dad needs his boy to need him, too.

He loves to be read to, to be sung to at bedtime, to hear all about when he was a baby.  He loves when I make up stories for him.

He is into matchbox cars, garbage trucks, superheros, dinosaurs, and making crafts.  He is a great daddy to his baby doll.  He loves his stuffed animals and often has two or three with him at bedtime.   He is a bundle of energy, showing us how fast he can run or how high he can jump (usually off of the furniture!)  He loves his kitchen set and to help with any real cooking.  Of course, sweets are a favorite thing to make, but he's an excellent mushroom chopper, too!

We are proud, honored, and grateful to be his parents. He is four years old tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, Bug!  
We Love You!