Mason - Year 4

Today you are 4 years old!  Where has the time gone, my sweet little boy?  This year has brought so many big changes for you and for our family, and you have handled it all like a champ.

First of all, we moved to California!  We have a new house with stairs that you love.  You get so excited when we drop things over the side of the banister- our glorified laundry chute.  You have a big room with your new bunk bed and tons of books.  We still read you at least two stories every night; one with Mommy and one with Daddy.  Sometimes you even read the books to us instead of the other way around.  Your favorite books are some of my favorites from when I was a kid.  You've read "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" so many times, that I had to hide it just to give us a break from reading it every... single... night.

You like going to school.  You have learned how to write your name and you write it everywhere.  You like maps and puzzles, you probably have a better grasp on geography than I do.  You've recently gotten into Legos and like to build the kits with Daddy.  He even brought home some of his old sets from when he was little and you guys play together with them all the time.

You like to help us around the house.  Whether that is helping put the clean dishes away, giving the cats food, or helping Daddy to build something.

This year, you also learned that you are going to be a big brother - any day now actually.  You are already a great big brother.  You like to talk to baby brother in my tummy and feel him kick.  You read him some of your books and you got upset that he wouldn't be here in time for your birthday.  You help me even more around the house now that I have a big pregnant belly in the way.  You come running to help me with the laundry and washing dishes.  You even help me get up from the couch!!

Your favorite time of day is still when Daddy comes home from work.  You run outside and stand on the giant rock in our neighbor's yard until Daddy turns the corner.  Then you run to open the door for him and tackle him inside the car.

You are becoming more and more independent every day.  In the last few weeks, you excuse me from the kitchen so that you can make your breakfast yourself.  You like us to help you less and less- getting dressed by yourself, brushing your own teeth, and making some of your own meals.

We look forward to seeing what this next year brings for you- how you change and what will stay the same.  We still constantly look at you and wonder when it was that you suddenly got so big!  We love you Mason!