Brayden's birthday

It has taken me forever to write this.  I have had the pictures uploaded for weeks.

I have been thinking about it since before his birthday.  How would I write a birthday letter to my sweet boy?  The one who I always wondered if he would like to live inside my skin with me...or if there would ever come a day where this sweet creature would want to be independent of me.  And of course he has.  Mention his daddy or football or baseball or books to read and he is off.  And I am crushed, in the most delightful kind of way. 

Our sweet boy turned 4.

4 Whole Years Old.

We made him a game table for his birthday.

He was also the happy recipient of a goldfish

and a Curious George puzzle.

The gifts that make him the happiest are the ones where it means he gets to spend time with one of his parents.  :)

The gold fish made it less than a week (his name was Nemo) and the succeeding Kratt Brothers (Chris and Martin didn't last through the month.  Ick.  And my goodness, the tears!).

He loves to master a new skill, but is just so happy to have mom or daddy put his shoes on for him and get him dressed.  He is smart enough to know his alphabet and numbers and smart enough to hide that from me when we attempt homeschool/preschool.  He says "let me think about it..." and goes off to read a 20 page book and "I don't know" but can put all of the numbered pieces of a puzzle together.

He has a black tooth from bumping it on Jack's head.

Of course, that was the time that I told him, "Your fine, bud!  Go ahead and play!"  We are still waiting for that dang black tooth to fall out.

He is so, so excited about the new baby.

About his "sister".  He is DETERMINED she will be a girl.

And that she will sleep with him, in his room.

He comes more and more out of his shell every day.  At church especially, around family even more so.

He actually enjoyed his movie themed birthday party this year!

And gobbled up the hot dogs that I served begrudgingly.

How could I tell him no, when that is what he wanted for his birthday dinner?

I think he might have even enjoyed the attention this year.

Jack must be showing him how to do it!

We might have surprised him when we started to sing Happy Birthday,

but he made it through with a grin on his face...not even a thought of tears or where he might hide his beautiful little self.

He is turning into quite the cowboy, chasing Beaulla back into the paddock when she escapes.  He isn't quite as enthralled with the chickens or eggs as Jack is, but he is all about the horses.  I think this year he might turn Beaulla into a show pony at the county fair.

He is such a sweet big brother!

Jack adores him, and I hope, hope, hope they stay the way they are right now,

best of friends and lonely without each other.

Happy birthday big guy.

There just aren't words to tell you how much we love you,

or how grateful we are to have you in our lives.

You are one special little, BIG GIANT HUGE (in your own words) person.