To my Amost-Four-Year-Old

Well, that's a stud if I've ever seen one.

O to the Bo, you made me a boy-mom almost four years ago, and I haven't gotten over it yet. You are the coolest almost-four-year-old I know, and one of the sharpest, too. You have learned to read over the past few months, and you beg to "do school" every day. You used to sleep with all of your cars lined up in your bed, but now it's books. You have at least four or five in your bed every night and you read until we make you turn out the light.

You are kind of like the energizer bunny in some ways. Like with reading, for example - you will read and read and read until you start to turn kind of crazy but you still will not stop until somebody makes you. You are that way with sports, too. You will practice your soccer kicks, or play baseball with Daddy, for hours on end. You are coordinated and fast, and you want to be as good as the big kids at everything that you do.

You have always had a quiet, thoughtful side. I think you may be somewhat of a philosopher. When you start to spiral into an emotional breakdown, I have found that the best thing for you is to go to your room and look at a few books - usually after this you are as good as new. You ask lots of questions about many different subjects. The other day you had a funny little conversation with Claire. You asked her if she liked Bob the Builder. She said, "Well, I used to..." to which you replied, "Oh. When you were a little boy?" I love to catch you when you are deep thought.

You love music. You love to play drums and have good rhythm; you love to experiment at the piano and strum a guitar. Your favorite music to listen to in the car is Needtobreathe's album "Rivers in the Wasteland." You ask for it every time we drive and call it "Crack in the darfield." We got you a record player for Christmas last year and you love it. You listen to it every night.

You are still super affectionate. You still lay your head on my shoulder and I know it would be weird if you still did that when you are a grown-up but at the same time I kind of wish that you would never stop. You are a sensitive soul, wanting to please especially your daddy and me, and you really take things to heart. You are quick to bring up things about God in everyday conversations - how He is the biggest, or how He knows everything, or how He loves us.

You want your breakfast right when you wake up, and you love to help me cook in the kitchen, and you will never turn down an invitation to play in the backyard. You are fun and sweet and smart and the perfect number three for our family.

How could we have known four years ago how much light you would bring to our lives?

Happy birthday to my favorite son and my almost-four-year-old!!!