FOUR YEARS OLD
Happy Birthday Joseph!
...NOW...
You are special Joseph! And not just because your plate says so! You are a delight and each day I look at you and treasure the boy you are. You've developed and grown so much in your fourth year. Silly to think about recording, but I love to see the changes from year to year and remember that this year you wear size 6 clothing, size 11 shoes, you sort and organize all kinds of things every chance you get. You sleep in the bottom bunk, sharing a room with Benjamin. You love to make lists. I wish I had a picture, but now I'll remember to take one next time. Your lists are very detailed and precise, although I have no idea what they say. You love to draw and color and read "I SPY" books, and you're so good at giving compliments. With the exception of the occasional melt-down...and I mean full-fledged MELT DOWN, you are a very even-keeled boy. You have gotten to spend several weeks over the last year-15 months on the farm with Cowboy Grandma and Grandpa and typically just go with the flow.
Four years ago, this was the scene: it felt like we had been waiting forever for you to come! By the 26th, you were already close to a week overdue! Never-the-less, the afternoon in the hospital was calm and we continued to wait while you decided that you were ready.
Thirty minutes later:
And now, FOUR YEARS later...
Breakfast in bed (my bed!!--I wonder how many birthday breakfast pictures I'm going to look at over the years and discover how many are in MY bed???)
You're surrounded by family celebrating you today...
...just as you were four years ago! Such proud siblings!!
Then...
...NOW...
You are special Joseph! And not just because your plate says so! You are a delight and each day I look at you and treasure the boy you are. You've developed and grown so much in your fourth year. Silly to think about recording, but I love to see the changes from year to year and remember that this year you wear size 6 clothing, size 11 shoes, you sort and organize all kinds of things every chance you get. You sleep in the bottom bunk, sharing a room with Benjamin. You love to make lists. I wish I had a picture, but now I'll remember to take one next time. Your lists are very detailed and precise, although I have no idea what they say. You love to draw and color and read "I SPY" books, and you're so good at giving compliments. With the exception of the occasional melt-down...and I mean full-fledged MELT DOWN, you are a very even-keeled boy. You have gotten to spend several weeks over the last year-15 months on the farm with Cowboy Grandma and Grandpa and typically just go with the flow.
Each day that you take a nap, and I am lucky enough to lay beside you to nap with you, you hold my hand and say, "Mom, guess what?" "What?", I reply (because you won't go on until I do). "I love you." ***Smile*** You've been so excited about this birthday. We've been studying all the cake possibilities for weeks as you make sure you are armed with the "cake books" at nap time, and finally you choose these:
You were very excited about your "munster" cakes!
You waited patiently (kind of) all day until it was finally time to eat those 'munsters'. There is never a lack of excitement during birthdays, and Amelia was so excited to help you blow your candles out. You are such a good big brother to her and she loves you so much. She'll be getting lots of practice recognizing what goes on during birthdays between now and her birthday in a few weeks since there are two more between yours and hers!
Happy 4th birthday Joseph Alexander. You're my favorite Joseph in the whole wide world!
