LIFE AND LOVE

Every day for the past few months he asked me if he was four yet.

"Mama, am I four now?"

"No, baby, not yet."

"But I really want to be FOUR!"

He made it! This sweet boy is FINALLY FOUR! Watching him grow into this little boy has been the greatest gift of my life. Every single day is filled with so much wonder. I am in complete awe that I get to be his mom and that I get to help him learn and grow into the person he is going to be some day.

Here are some of his greatest hits:

1.) Right now, he wants to be a fireman or a coach! He said they can call him Coach Tedders. He just finished his first season of t-ball and you could almost call it a success. He loved hitting, not always a fan of base running and says he needs to work on catching. He was his own biggest fan.

2.) He still prefers when I wear my hair up. We always look through a book I made when I was pregnant and instead of the comments being about my growing (huge) belly, it's "You had your hair up when I was in your belly? I like your hair up mamma."

3.) And still a creature of habit. I believe last year I shared about his bedtime routine and the songs we sing. Rudolph is still topping the charts, but Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star has been added. And after "Sweet Dreams, Night Night, I love you," there's a boisterous, "I'll see you in the morning!!!" Also, someone forgot to tell him he lives in the hottest place on earth. All he wants to wear are these jammies that "hide his feet" and are clearly three sizes too small...so I had to buy him some new ones. ;)

4.) He loves to build. Train tracks, race car tracks, blocks, towers, and Legos. He calls his Lego builds "Sculptures". He builds and builds and says, "mamma, look at my sculpture." And then he puts them on display next to his nightlight.

5.) He is the greatest big brother around. He always mentions Lily in conversation and he will ask Lily and Clare to pray for him. He especially loved making pink cupcakes for Lily's birthday. We've had a little one in our home for the past month (more on that later), and watching him get to brother the way he was meant to be is indescribable. He dotes on her so much. His voice changes when he talks to her and whenever she starts to cry, he says, "What's the matter honey?" in the sweetest and gentlest voice ever. It makes my heart burst and break all at the same time.

6.) He adores his friends and cousins. Always asks to play with his beloved Lucy, but he is always up for a playdate at the park or the zoo. He is full of so much joy and lights up even more when he gets to see his friends He calls his cousin, "Hankster" and loves playing with him and all his other cousins!

7.) He loves playing outside. Hitting baseballs, knocking oranges out of the tree, and riding his scooter. He's been known to throw Every. Single. Toy. in the neighbor's yard. Thankfully, they are good sports and will toss everything back over the fence.

8.) Go CUBS Go!!

9.) And he still won't eat a "begetable" to save his life. Not willingly anyway. Not a one. We've got him to try a few bites and each time he looks like a contestant on Survivor when they are asked to eat a slug. No. Joke.

I try not to take pics of his "begetable" face, so here's his cute ice cream and baking face.

10.) He goes to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and every week, I love to hear what he has learned about. His favorite part of Atrium is "werking in the City of Jerusalem." His teachers draw a little heart on his hand and I ask him what it is for and he says, "because I'm a blessing!" That you are my dear boy, that you are.