You are four.  I don’t have any pretty words or ways to say this except that I’m not OK with this.  I like that you can use the potty and climb in the car, but if those chubby cheeks of yours start thinning out, then I might have meltdown right along with you.     Your button nose sits just so between your two cloud like cheeks.  At this moment in time, you are my last little squidgy and I’m not sure what to make of that.

I’m praying your expressiveness never goes away.  That way you turn both eyes up to one side and raise those eyebrows of yours, with eyes closed, as you are trying to make a point.  Your face so expressive.  Don’t loose that as you leap from 4 to 5 and 5 to 6 and 6 to 20.

+ Your pronouns are still perfectly placed as far as I’m concerned.  “No my don’t!”  Yes, my are!”  “Her like that.  Him really do.”
+David Donavyn
+ Your favorite bedtime song is the animal song.  Which is made up and goes like this…”On the first day the Lord made the ______. ”  We choose the animal and you make the noise.  For some reason we go to 10 days.  You say we can only do animals that live in the rainforest.  Best of all, there is an animal, according to you, called a “college.”
+ Only cereal for breakfast or a frozen (literally) waffle you can walk around with
+ Netflix on the iPad is your favorite or Peppa Pig on the computer
+ “What is your middle name?” “Rocco Taco McMeemy”
+ Miam is your best friend
+ You love to dress up in costumes and Dark Vader is your favorite.
+ “Tonight we have squash?”  You ask every night.  “No.”  “Yay!”
+ You always want “zert” after dinner
+ You love to eat at Chick-a-Lay
+ Cars are a favorite toy
+ You have lots of friends
+ Every night at dinner you like to start, “best part, worst”
+ You still stick your tongue out like a puppy dog when you are shy, embarrassed or happy
+ You are just so silly

Most days I can’t take my eyes off you.  Yes, because you might run into the street.  Also, because you say the funniest things that catch my attention, even from the other side of the house.  Because you squeeze me tighter than anyone ever has.  But, also because when I look at you, I see someone I used to know.  A younger, care free, open hearted me.  Sparkle in the eyes and a gallop in the step.  I see you close those eyes and raise those eyebrows and I know, without needing photos to prove it, just how I used to look.  I see you scrunch that button nose and those chubby cheeks puffing up and I can feel my cheeks being pinched, again.  When I look at you each day I remember to be me.  It’s your birthday and I get the gift.  Everyday I get the gift of you.  I love you, puppy.

By Trina