4 Years Old!

He's 4!! Sunday morning, opening presents from Mommy and Daddy.

Painting one of the presents he received.
Dear Jake,

You are 4 years old. I can hardly believe it has been 4 years since you came into the world into my arms and I held you and loved you. My love for you just grows and grows.

I am so looking forward to you being a big brother, and all of us being a family. You are the sweetest boy and love to give lots of hugs and kisses throughout the day. You are already starting to extend this affection to the baby -- you love to jiggle my belly and blow raspberries on my belly for the baby, and have started talking to him/her. The baby is going to love you!

I see you growing and changing. You went through a big physical growth spurt earlier in the year but now I am seeing some huge developmental leaps. Your imagination has recently started taking off -- you like to pretend play at going to school, race cars/planes/jets, and be a superhero. You are also really enjoying all sorts of games and puzzles, and I especially love to watch you working with letters -- putting them together and sounding them out. Today you were looking at Calvin and Hobbes comics and sounding out the random exclamatory words (whap! augh! etc.) It won't be very long now before you are reading.

Bedtimes have changed as well. Almost every night now, you and Daddy wrestle around on the bed together and I can see how wonderful this is for you. At the same time, in the last few weeks you have not wanted Mommy to sing you to sleep anymore -- this is very bittersweet for me. I am not sure if you have finally figured out that Mommy isn't a very good singer or if you have just outgrown it, but I enjoyed it while it lasted. Also, for the first time in your short life you are starting to prefer that Daddy put you to sleep, which is a good thing with the new baby coming!

You stood on my legs today and I couldn't believe how tall you were. I used to hold you on my legs and be able to look straight ahead into your big, brown eyes, but now I have to look so far up. Soon you won't be able to stand on my legs anymore but I'm glad it will still be awhile before I'll have to look up while we're both standing.

You'll keep growing but you'll always be my wonderful, sweet boy.

Love, Mommy