Happy Birthday, Lincoln!

Happy Birthday, big kid!!  You’re now a fantastic, fun, and fearless four-year-old!  We had a great time this past year, although it went by way too fast for me.  You’ve asserted your independence in many ways, but are still loving and cuddly and sweet.  I can hardly wait to see what the coming year will bring!

You are officially at the age where you say “I can do it all by myself!!” and it is the truth.  You wake up in the morning, go to the bathroom, dress yourself, and wander downstairs ready for the day.  When it’s time to leave, you put on your shoes, grab your backpack and head for the door.  I find myself just watching… it’s all happening so fast!   You rely heavily on Blank Blank, the silky blue blanket with the alphabet and puppies on the edging.  We’ve tried to limit it only to nap/nighttime, but it is a true security blanket that calms you in any situation.  Trying to break the connection, we’ve told you that if you want it with you, you need to remember it.  The other day, you paused at the car, and said, “MOM!  I forgot my responsibility!” Daddy and I hope that in the coming year you kick the habit, although two dentists so far have said not to worry about the finger sucking that accompanies it.

You remain enamored of super heroes, and even named your little turtle “Batman.”  You’ll spend hours in a cape or mask rescuing your sister or her stuffed animals.  I worry a little about the play wrestling and fighting you’ve started to mimic, but have now decided that it really is just the boy in you (and every other 4-year-old boy we know)!  With your low center of gravity, some of your wrestling maneuvers are actually quite impressive. You have mastered what we’ve dubbed “the special move” when you jump 2-3 steps from the bottom, land in a crouch like Spider-Man, then kick your legs out to the side with a hand thrust forward. Almost every night at tuck-in, you ask me to sing a silly song we made up about the Justice League to the tune of “Down By The Bay”:

Did you see the Batmobile? With Batman at the wheel?
Down by the bay...
Superman's from another planet, his arms are strong as granite
Down by the bay...

The song has gotten longer and longer as you’ve learned about more heroes, which puts my rhyming skills to the test.

You love sports, and can dribble and catch balls, hit off a T, and control a puck.  You may be small, but you are mighty! You somehow manage to keep up with your sister when running, which is no easy task since you are, at age 4, only as tall as she was at age 3.  Speaking of Greta, she is, for the most part, happy to have your attention, and you understand her limits most of the time.  There are days when she’ll shut you out of her room and calls you “her little bother” instead of “little brother,” but usually the two of you are thick as thieves.  You are very affectionate, and truly care about each other.  She reads to you at nighttime, and now you are trying to read, too.  I find myself just watching.  Such grown up kids!

Speaking of growing up: “school” is going well for you.  You are writing your full name, drawing funny pictures, and playing nicely with your friends. The girls in your class love you, and constantly ask for playdates.  The teachers take good care of you, which helps ease the Mommy Guilt I suffer every day.  You also sing lots of songs and have the sweetest voice. Your rendition of “The Months Of The Year” is so precious!

Your fascination with the ocean continues.  You love to learn about sharks and sea turtles, and have countless books, including an encyclopedia, which have taught me so much.  I’m excited (and a bit nervous) to see how you do with swim lessons this summer.  You climb in the tub with goggles, flippers, and a snorkel, so I think you’re ready to learn.

That’s who you are, today, in a nutshell, my sweet baby boy. But as grown up as you are, you are still my little one (and not just in size, although you are a mere 28 pounds.) I probably “baby” you more than I did your sister at this age, and seem powerless to stop.  I guess the point of “Love You Forever” holds true... you can grow and grow and grow, but as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.  I love you, Lincoln David Merrill.