"That's cause I'm 4 years old now mom..."

My big boy is 4 years old! What a joy! What a love! What a barrel of fun!

He is so dear and sweet and kind and good and smart and funny, quite funny, and very very boy! He loves to run and kick and jump and sword fight and dig in the dirt and collect things like rocks and leaves and build things and make up silly songs about the potty and bad guys and hear stories and play ball and draw and pretend, lots of pretend! He likes to be sneaky and to play little pranks and to give and get hugs from us. He's very inquisitive, but also likes to "teach". He's doing an amazing job learning a new language and culture. He does a silly penguin like walk when he's a little nervous and is trying to break the ice. He laughs when he thinks something is supposed to be funny, and then quietly checks with me just in case. He is overly protective of his mommy and brother and wants to be just like his daddy. He is still a little vigil ante and has a slightly overly developed sense of justice. He is quite a tough cookie, but will eventually share with me his sorrows because mommies just know how to make it better. I love that he still tells me everything. He can be very brave socially, making new friends quickly. He is very loved at his school, and is so blessed to have some great friends here now. In his mind we should play all day and do nothing else. He loves to pick out his outfits and still favors boots, anything with superheros and soccer pants (which is what he calls the athletic pants he favors). We're totally in that happy zone where he knows the rules, although he occasionally tests them, and can be most reasonable (except when over tired or hungry). He gets frustrated when he can't do something right right away and of course prefers to be first... but he's made great strides in both areas recently. I really do believe that he loves God and Jesus and knows who they are and what they've done for us, my most important prayer for him! He's recently started buttoning all his own buttons, zipping all his own zipper and buckling himself into his car seat. He LOVES his brother and is a huge help both with him and around the house. He goes to German kindergarten for three hours on weekday mornings and then spends the rest of the day with Mommy and Liam eating lunch, playing inside and outside and all over the house, doing learning time with mommy, and games and reading and craft projects and experiments and exploring. He is learning karate and has been awarded three stripes on his white belt! He is also playing club soccer in our village and thinks it's so cool to be like Daddy (who also plays on an adult team). He's a great sleeper, about 11 hours a night... but still needs a nap a couple times a week. He has had to deal with death this year for the first time when we lost a beloved family dog, Cooper. He wants to talk about it a lot. He does a great job taking care of our dear Chloe Jean (a Brittany Spaniel) and gives her lots of loving. He is pretty good at trying new foods but definitely has his favorites that are quite varied from Hersey's chocolate to spinach and broccoli, smarties to peas and chicken, vanilla wafers and yogurt and beef and squash and pears and strawberries and apples... lots and lots of apples... He is incredibly in tune with us and still hears and sees EVERYTHING. Discipline is easy, fun times are plentiful and hugs and kisses are still cool. What a most wonderful age! We are still absolutely crazy about him, and always will be!

Here are a few of his cutest sayings of late:

"That's cause I'm 4 years old now mom, that's how I knowed that."

"I'm 4 years old now mom, that's why I could do that."

"Did you know that I am four years old now, did you know that mom?" (He said this numerous times on his birthday. I didn't have the heart to tell him that both the miracle of his birth, and the excruciating pain, will ensure that I never forget!)

"Of course it is/I am/you are!"

"Mom, when are we going to have more babies? We need more boys in our family."

"Mom, when are we going to go live in North Carolina and Colorado and Oklahoma again?"

"Mom, are we still American?"

"Mom, look at what Liam can do!"

"Mom, listen to what Liam can say!"