Dear JP,
Happy 4th birthday sweet boy! Four years ago you had me up at 5am and this year I guess you were taking a walk down memory lane because I woke up at 6:30am to the sounds of you playing upstairs. Next year let's celebrate your birthday by sleeping in, ok?
This past year was kind of a hard one for you. Your best buddy Ruthie was in preschool 5 days a week and because she was in preschool and the big girls were in elementary school you and I spent a LOT of time driving around. I know that was probably the pits for you. However, this year you get to go to preschool 2 days a week! It is finally YOUR turn! I've been trying to get my errands run while you're at school so that we can do fun things on the days you're not in school. Speaking of school, you have the BEST teachers! I am so excited about this year. You are going to learn so much and make lots of new friends. Your class is almost all boys and I love that you finally get the chance to hang out with other boys! So far you seem to like school, although between hurricanes and illness you haven't gotten to go much. Your one complaint about school is that you don't get to play in the kitchen the whole time. (The kitchen is your favorite center.)
You love to be around other guys. If there is a guy around you will glue yourself to his side. You love to help your daddy and will even give up fun activities (like going to the pool) to stay home and help daddy do things like cut the grass or other work around the house. Many times in the evenings you will consult with daddy about what color shirt he is wearing to work the next day so that y'all can coordinate your outfits. It makes me so happy to see how much you adore your dad!
You are not only your daddy's helper but you love to help me too. If I'm in the kitchen you will often come help me cook dinner. You really don't like to play by yourself so if it's just the two of us at home you would much rather come help me with whatever I'm doing than play by yourself. I've learned that if I'm cleaning I can just give you your own cleaning job and you are happy as can be!
JP you are ALL boy. I keep telling people I'm a really good girl mom. I don't know about all this boy stuff. I'm learning though. If it involves bodily functions it's funny, every action must have an accompanying noise, and if you can hit, kick, or throw the toy it's a keeper. Also, swords (you have an obsession with knights) and water guns are fun. Oh, and you are ALWAYS hungry. Always.
I think your biggest accomplishment this year was in the pool. You suffered through swim lessons in May but still HATED to put your face in the water. Even bath time was torture because you didn't want water in your face. I did convince you to sign up for mini team with swim team since you had to be there everyday with your sisters. The first week you were very reluctant. Then we were at the beach the next week and at the pool you said "look at me do swim team" and you happily stuck your face in the water! I was pretty excited that maybe you wouldn't go to college still wearing your puddle jumper! Sometime in July you wanted to see if you could touch the bottom in the shallow end without your float. So we took it off. You haven't really put it back on since! You are swimming so happily now! You still can't touch the bottom and haven't mastered taking a breath while swimming but you can jump in and swim to either an adult or the side and I love it! I have really loved seeing how proud you are of your accomplishment! It helps that your sisters heap praise on you for your swimming. They are your best cheerleaders for sure! In other big accomplishments you have become a bike riding pro (with training wheels). You are super fast and love to ride!
Speaking of your sisters I think you might not be scared of them anymore...and it only took 4 years for you to get there! Last summer you and Ruthie started sharing a room and I have loved watching how close y'all are. She is definitely your best buddy. Emmie is the one you go to when you have a problem and need help with something. Ellie is the one you hang with when want something a little quieter. You are such a sweet brother JP and I think often your sweetness gets overlooked because you're so quiet about it. There are many times I have seen you share something special with them because they were sad. If we are at the store and you see something they would really like you always point it out and want to get it for them. I love to listen to y'all play and giggle. I love to watch your sisters teach you a new game. I hope y'all will always be as close as you are now!
I think one of my memories from this year that always makes me smile is you and your robe and slippers. GiGi's friend, Debbie Baker, sent you a plaid robe that her grandsons had outgrown. You were obsessed with that robe from the moment you saw it. You will walk around the house happy as a lark in your robe. This year I told you if you were a big boy from swim lessons I would let you pick out something from Target. So all week you talked about wanting slippers. So when swim lessons were over you got to go pick out slippers at Target. Every time I see you with your robe and slippers on I am reminded that there is a little old man inside of that 4 year old body!
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| I just had to share a pic of JP in his robe! I couldn't find one with the slippers on too but just take my word...he's adorable! |
This summer we buzzed your hair and all of a sudden you looked like a big boy instead of a little boy. I am a little sad that I don't have a baby anymore but really I love all the big things you are accomplishing. But then you open your mouth and ask for a "tup" of water or want to go visit our next door neighbor Mrs. "Wobbie" (Robbie) and for that brief moment you are my little boy again. I can't wait to see what wonderful adventures you have this year JP! Four is going to be a GREAT year!
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