Four

Dear Hunter,

Today you are four years old. 

Contrary to lore, the twos were terrific.  And that’s when I learned that it was really the age of three that would give me a run for my money.  You have had a good year being three.  But it was full of huge changes for you – massive leaps in independence and vocabulary and ability.

I suppose I can’t really call you a toddler anymore.  You are my little boy.  A little boy who is growing super fast.  Here’s a little bit about you.

You are my talker.  You talk all day long.  You have so many questions and they are not always easy ones.  I am amazed at your ability to really process the things I say.  What is stranger still is your perfect memory.  I’ve explained events or concepts to you only to hear you retell them to someone else later with clarity that shocks me.  I love listening to and seeing the way your mind works, even if you wear me out sometimes.

Nearly all of your playtime is spent “farming” with your toy tractors and implements.  I couldn’t even begin to imagine how many miles you have crawled on your knees. 

Your big sisters are your biggest cheerleaders and you love them dearly.  It’s hard for you to wait until they finally get home from school, but when they do you love to play with them.  Most of the time they are quite patient with you, but I think they spoil you too.

When you are with me and the weather cooperates we like to go hiking in the woods.  You find a big walking stick and off you go, me trailing behind you on the path.  A few times we hiked when it was too muddy and you still like to remind me of how we got stuck in the mud.  You also got a bike this summer and learned how to ride it.  We would go for “runs” where you would bike and I would be sprinting along behind you. 

When you are with your Daddy you like to go to the farm.  The two of you have all kinds of adventures out there.  I hear lots and lots about it in the days that follow.  You also like to run errands with Dad, help him shovel snow, or go wash cars together. 

This summer you were super duper sick after a nasty tick bite.  Hunter, that was a scary time.  I couldn’t even carry you carefully without you crying and screaming in pain.  After many many days on antibiotics, your infection finally went away.  But I spent the entire time sitting on the floor next to your sick bed in the tv room, because that was where you wanted me.  Right next to you. Occasionally you will mention that awful time so I know it holds some dark memories for you like it does for me.  But we are so thankful that you are healthy and well and have had no residual problems.

We started tot school together – weekly lessons where I sit down with you and help you learn your letters and how to write them.  You absolutely LOVE tot school.  Sometimes you get frustrated when something is difficult for you.  Other times you laugh quietly to yourself and tell me how good you are at letters. 

While you love to make us laugh you absolutely HATE to be laughed at.  That’s a pretty fine line, I’m afraid.  Your one-liners are absolutely hysterical.  And yet you are sensitive and don’t want anyone to mock you.  Also, the Happy Birthday song is enough to absolutely freak you out and you will hide your face no matter whose birthday it is.

You are a showman.  Sometimes that is fun.  Sometimes it is a little…challenging.  You really aren’t shy.  It seems like you will talk to anyone about anything (not always something I want you to talk about). 

You run to me a hundred times a day to tell me something funny you said or did or heard.  You go wherever I go.  You listen to my voice more than any other.  And when we are somewhere it is my eyes that you want on you at all times.  You are not my little shadow – you are my little light.  And I love spending my days with you.

You are so curious and inquisitive and that is a quality I hope you keep always.  My prayer as you grow is that you will dare to not only ask God the hard questions, but that you will also dig into His word to find the answers. 

I hope you always delight in the simple things that you love now.  You are a great delight in my life.  And you are so very very loved.

Happy Birthday little man. 

Love,

Momma