How is it even possible that the little dude is FOUR today?

He had a good day!!  Started with dropping him off at school.  His teacher was outside working the drop off line (he goes to the elementary school; parents drive up and the teachers help the kids out and make sure they get in safely) and she immediately yelled over "There's my birthday boy!" and had all the other teachers wishing him a happy birthday.  Certainly put a smile on MY face - the morning program has eight teachers and 160 kids, so I thought it was neat they made a fuss over him!!

He got a "birthday bag" from school too, which excited him no end!!  The school district says NO birthday "celebrations" are allowed, but his teacher does birthdays for the whole month on the last Friday - so I am sending in cookies and drinks Friday.

I did a practice run of his party cupcakes this afternoon, so we took them to share at gymnastics.  He was cute - wanted to wear his "It's My Birthday!" shirt to gym, so he did.  The optionals coach noticed it when he was on trampoline and had all the optionals (read: GOOD gymnasts!) come and sing Happy Birthday to him.  There are very few boys at this gym, so they often go a little overboard on the young ones!  He loved it though, and had a GREAT time sharing his "hamburger" cupcakes!

He chose McDonald's for his birthday dinner (oh joy!), and then we were home for cake & presents.  He's completely sacked out now and looking forward to a party on Saturday.

Me, I'm struggling!!  My *baby* is four.  FOUR.  How the heck did that happen?  It feels like just yesterday we were off to the hospital to have him.  I still remember when he was born....  remember the anesthesiologist worrying about me crying (men!!!), remember trying to haul my numbed body up to nurse him and laughing my head off at not being able to.....  I can hear the OB laughing as I was taken to my post-partum room, saying she was impressed that his Daddy was in the nursery giving him a bath!!

I think, however, my favorite memory is about 10 minutes after I got in my room, and I heard his big sisters giggling wildy as they came up.  They had gotten off the elevator with Grandma just moments after I'd gone through, and the elevator was right in front of the nursery window where Sutton was being bathed.  They got to see his first bath and were VERY excited to have a baby brother!!!

And here we are now.  He's four.  Started school this year.  Is in gymnastics year-round and plays soccer.  He still loves Diego and Little Einsteins, but is also a fan of anything with wheels!  LOVES to sing, is close to reading, but hates to draw or do most of the fine-motor skills.  He can write his name (we've practiced on a steamy shower wall!), but give him a marker and ask him to write it on paper and he asks if he can "just scribble!".  Turkey!!  SO different from the girls!!

He's also a lefty.  I've suspected that since he was about 9 months old, but there is no doubt at this point.  Interesting to me that 2 of my 3 kids are lefties.  I've always been taught in my ECE classes that you can't tell a child's handedness until age 5-6, or when they start to write.  I have to disagree.  There were clear and pronounced differences between my two lefties and my righty.  I've had daycare parents tell me they *think* their child is lefthanded, but I will watch a while and say I don't think so... and I've been right.  I wish I had kept better documentation, but I didn't.  Still.... dh's mom was a lefty, and two of his brothers are lefties.  I don't know about his siblings' children, but I find it all interesting!!  And I never really realized just what a right-handed world we live in either until I look at it from a left-hand point of view.  Things like tying shoelaces..... OI!

But I digress.  IN the end, the Boy is four.  Happy Birthday Dude.  You bring more light and happiness to me than you will ever realize.