Dear Dean,
Holy cow! I can't even believe it. You turn four years old today!! Happy birthday, baby bug.
Time went by really fast this year. That's probably because you and your sister always keep us on our toes. You are so full of energy. You love to run and play. Sometimes we have to stop you and tell you to cool out...or else!! This past year was probably the hardest for us all to figure out. People say watch out for the terrible twos, but you definitely had a case of the treacherous threes!! You were quite the handful at times. Your dad and I (and the rest of your family!!) have worked really, really hard to always be consistent with you -- whether it be your daily routine (especially naptime!) or even discipline. All of our hard work (including yours!) has paid off big time. You are incredibly well-mannered. You always say please, thank you, you're welcome, etc. When adults are talking you say, "Excuse me." before interrupting -- although this one is always a work in progress. You never throw fits when we're out in public and rarely even do so at home. You can "use your words" to let us know exactly how you are feeling. I'm so grateful that all of our time and energy has paid off. You are an amazing kid.
You are so kind and compassionate. I'm often surprised at the things you do. For example, we recently made cookies. I gave you the very last quarter of a cookie to enjoy by yourself, but Lucy ran into the kitchen and saw us with the cookie. She kept saying, "Cookie? Cookie?" I asked you if you wanted to share the cookie with her and fully expected you to say no way, but you didn't. You looked up at me as though you were confused -- I just gave you this special treat and I asked you to share it. You walked away for a second and before I knew what was happening, you had given your sister half of your tiny cookie. You were so sweet to her. You said, "Here, Sissy. You can have some cookie too." I could have melted on the floor right then and there. You are truly the best sharer I have ever seen -- not just in a toddler, but in any person I know. It isn't always easy to share our things, but you always seem to find a way to make it work and make sure everyone is included. This is one of my favorite things about you.
Now, let's be honest. You don't always love to share! You and Lucy will fight over toys constantly. If you go to timeout, it is usually because you've knocked over your sister or have taken a toy away from her. I'm sure I will tell you this every year of your life, but your sister absolutely adores you, Dean. She wants to do everything you're doing. She wants to play with you and laugh with you. Most of the time you are happy to play with her, but sometimes she smashes your tower or takes your Legos and you can't stand it!! You poor guy. You'll deal with this for the rest of your life. I hope you can get used to it. Ha! More often than not, you are truly excited and happy to play with your sister though. You love to climb into her crib with her and hide under her blanket or pretend you are sleeping. You also like to jump in the crib with her. This always makes me SO nervous, but you guys laugh hysterically. There is nothing better than hearing you and Lucy laugh together. You've recently started reading to her or explaining how things work. She will sit patiently and listen to everything you say. I'm sure this will backfire on me later in life!
You still love to eat. You'll eat almost anything. You've never really been a fan of potatoes, but you started to eat them a little bit this year. You seem to not notice that mashed potatoes are still potatoes! When we sit down to dinner, you normally eat all of your vegetables first and usually ask for more. Like I said, you're the coolest kid ever. You've always been easy in this area and we really, really are grateful for that!
Your grandparents, aunt and uncle, dad, and I (and the rest of your family and friends!) love to hear all of your stories and jokes. You have the most amazing vocabulary and the most vivid memory. You tell me stories about things we've done last year or the year before. I can't understand how in the world you remember the things that you do, but you will tell me little details about things that I don't even recall. Your thing lately is to say things like, "Mom, remember when I was two and I (fill in the blank here)?" All I can do is crack up because you'll usually put your hands in the air and shrug your shoulders while you talk. Tonight you put your hands up and shook your head back and forth when dad left the room because you weren't sure what in the world he was thinking (he left your Nemo downstairs at bedtime!!).
I try to take as many videos as I can to capture exactly what you are like right now. You are absolutely adorable. You're wild and crazy, but the sweetest and kindest little boy. You're funny and serious. You're the perfect balance. You give the best snuggles, hugs, and kisses. Anytime you are sick, you always make sure to ask me, "Mom, don't you love my sick voice?" because you know how cute I think it is. You are just the best, Dean. I truly cannot get enough of you. I am SO BEYOND happy to be your mom. You make me so proud. I love you more than words can express.
Happy birthday, my beautiful baby.
Love,
Mom
P.S. I did want to share one more story with you. About a month ago, Dad asked you to turn off the light in the living room. As you reached for the switch, Dad said, "Look how tall you're getting, Dean!" You were so excited and yelled, "Mom! Look how tall I am!" I couldn't help but feel a little sad that my baby was getting so big. When you noticed my face, you said, "But mom, I'm not getting that big." I told you that it's okay to get bigger and you really are getting taller. You looked up at me and said, "But Mom, I'll always be your baby." Ah. Dean. You make me so happy. And you're right. You will ALWAYS be my baby. No matter how big you get. I will always be your mommy, Dean Bean.
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