Happy 4th Birthday! This past year has been full of changes, which you have taken in stride. You started preschool. Joaquin joined our family. We moved to Los Angeles, where you had to make new friends and start a new preschool. Sometimes there were growing pains, and some struggles with a new sibling, but you have come through as your shining, bright self! You amaze us with your ability to introduce yourself on the playground, to neighbors and at school. You are energetic and inquisitive, and have really developed a sense of humor. Your brother adores you and it is really fun to see the two of you play together.
Your interests are varied and very much your own: you love construction, transportation, and learning how things work. You spend hours looking at maps, tracing routes, and naming places. You still love to travel. You continue to love books and are proficient at reading. Numbers are your latest "problem" to figure out. You can count up to 1,000 and are starting to learn basic math. You like to cook (we have a kids cookbook we choose recipes from regularly) and learn about food -- especially how many grams of sugar foods have. Recently, you have become very interested in sign language, which you are learning in school. You put your heart and soul into dancing. You are riding a bike (with training wheels now) and are learning to play soccer. You love your "pajama suit." According to you, your favorite color is pink and your "best color" is blue.
We are loving to see your reason and logic develop. Sometimes it seems that you observe the world and ask a few key questions, then figure it out on your own -- it almost seems as if we can see the gears working. You still have an outstanding memory and are very clear about your opinions. About 6 months ago, you said that when you turned four years old you were going to eat lentil soup and green beans. And you did! (However, I am hoping that you will eat broccoli earlier than 33 years old).
You really say some funny, funny things. Like these:
"The water is too hot, it is as hot as the sun!"
"I am really tired! I am as tired as 80!"
"Look… it says Australia. Australia starts with an A and ends with an A, like Ohio. Ohio has two O's and Australia has three A's"
We wish we had a tape recorder to capture them all. In fact we wish we could record you all the time and relive all the precious moments we have with you. We look forward to this year of you being our wonderful four year old!
Love,
Your Mommy & Daddy
