And He's Four...

Our family closed out the month of June with a very special celebration. For weeks (possibly months) Harrison had been asking us...

"Is it my birthday yet?" 

"Am I 4 yet?" 

"Is today my birthday party?"

On June 26th we could FINALLY answer "YES!" to his questions (2 out of 3 anyway) and the grin that we got in return was overflowing with giddy excitement. And then - in typical Harrison form - the questions started again!

"Does that mean I'm big?" 

"Will I stop growing now?" 

"Will the new baby come today?" 

There's never a dull moment with you, Harrison Paul, but we love every minute of the craziness. Here's a quick snapshot of YOU as you kick-off FOUR!

 You, my dear, are a total goofball...and I'm not sure who you make laugh the most...your dad, brother and me, or YOURSELF! Days with you are filled with silly dances, wearing shorts on your head and "shants" (translation: a shirt worn as pants) on your legs, made up words, fart sounds and devious little grins that let us know you're already thinking of the next way to make us laugh. Like I said before - NEVER a dull moment.

 You’re smart as a whip, Harrison Paul - sometimes too smart for your own good!  You have a vocabulary well beyond your years and a memory that often catches us off guard. You can write your name, your brother’s name, and the rest of the alphabet as well. 

 You love your little brother something fierce - and while brotherly spats are commonplace in our home - you’re always the first to come to his defense if you detect a threat. You’ve declared him your “best friend in the whole wide world” and there’s nothing that makes us happier than watching the bond between you grow. 

Everyday it becomes more clear that you’re not our “little” Harrison anymore. You talk like a big boy, act like a big boy, and even give me occasional looks (teenager style) like a big boy. Its hard for my mama heart to let go of the idea that you're my "baby," but at the same time I am so proud of the big boy you are becoming. 

When you started taking swimming lessons last fall we had a lot of conversations about “waking up your brave.” You are timid by nature - an over-thinker and hesitant about all of the what-ifs that come with the unknown. While your dad and I often want to push you out of your comfort zone, we’ve learned that its best to let you ease into things at your own pace. This summer you’ve really embraced the concept of waking up your brave and its been so fun to watch you flourish. You love the water, are a speedster on your new bike and can climb to/jump from the highest parts of the playground - all things that have challenged you in the past.

A few odds and ends: You call jaguars "jack-whackers" and little girls "grills." We're working hard on our manners, and you've learned to be extremely polite when you want something! You love a good after dinner dance party and can't do the sprinkler without letting out a hearty belly laugh. You're amazing at enforcing rules, but not always the greatest at following them. You've moved into "Aggie's room" in preparation for the baby's arrival. The room is FAR from finished, but you always tell us how much you love it. You have a variety of "sleeping friends," but the most important members of your crew are Charley Bear, puppy and your seahorse. You always request "one more huggie and kissie" before I leave daycare in the morning. I'm secretly hoping that never stops.

 Here's to you, Harrison Paul. I hope that FOUR is filled with endless adventures, silliness, and continued growth of your amazing self!