Dear Four Year Old Kaleb

Dear Four Year Old Kaleb,

             I can’t believe you are four years old! I know I say it every year, but you have grown so much in the last year! I think this year held the biggest changes so far. When the year started, you were in diapers, sleeping in your crib, and staying at a daycare. Now you sleep in a big boy bed, wear underwear, and just finished your first year of preschool. You know all your letters and sounds, can count up to 20 (most of the time), sometimes you can blend sounds together and read words, and you can say the Pledge of Allegiance. I’m so impressed with everything you’ve learned.

            You’ve also been quite a challenge this past year. The place you stayed before preschool was all girls and there were only 3 of you. In preschool, you have many boys to roughhouse with and you took advantage of it. You are ALL BOY and, honestly, very strong-willed. You are also showing your temper more this year. (You get that from your daddy) If something doesn’t go your way, if you get in trouble, or –heaven forbid- you lose a race, you yell and stomp around. We’ve really had to crack down on your behavior.

            Probably the biggest change you’ve experienced this year is your new baby brother, Peyton. I’ll be honest. I was a little nervous when we found out you were going to have a little sibling. You’ve always been the center of attention and the apple of everybody’s eye – now you’ll have to share the limelight with a newborn. I wanted you to still get all the attention, and I was a little worried about how you would handle it.

You have always been a sweet, darling child, but when Peyton was born you started acting out at preschool. You have been super sweet with him, but school was different. It has been one of my greatest pleasures to see how you act towards your brother. Your daddy says that it won’t always be this way, but I refuse to believe it. Peyton adores you and you’re mighty crazy about him, too. You call him “my baby” and “brother.” If he’s crying in the car, you’ll start talking to him in a sing-song voice saying, “It’s okay brother. It’ll be okay. We’re almost there.” You make Peyton laugh until he’s blue in the face. He thinks you are funnier than anyone else.

You are still really into cars. In fact, you tell us that your favorite thing is transportation. No lie. You use that word. You can tell us the difference between a backhoe and an excavator (apparently, a backhoe has wheels and an excavator has tracks), name any and all types of transportation, and ask countless questions. You recently started becoming interested in dinosaurs. Cars are still your favorite, but Mimi bought you a dinosaur book that you really like too. Oh, and you really love The Lorax. We watch most every day. Thankfully it’s a really cute movie!

You really enjoy going to church now. Your favorite bible stories are Jonah and the whale and David and Goliath. We can’t wait for you to learn all about Jesus and really understand how much He loves you.

As far as family goes, PDaddy and Mimi are now in the running for first place for your affection. I mean, you LOVE all of your grandparents and you’ve even started asking to go to Mammaw’s house. That’s Daddy’s grandmother. Your grandparents have had to start being a little harder with you because you like to assert your, shall we say, independence. Aunt Millie is having a baby in December, so that should be really interesting.

Kaleb, Daddy and I love you so much and even during the hard times, we are always talking about how smart, amazing, funny, kind, and strong-willed you are. I hope you never change - except for growing in the Lord - and I can’t wait to write you a letter this time next year and see how much you’ve changed again!

 

Forever and Always,

Mama and Daddy

First Birthday

Second Birthday

Third Birthday

Fourth Birthday

10 Month Update

Age: 10 months!
Weight: 21.6 lbs
Length: 29 inches
Sleep: We're back to daycare this month so he's on a nap schedule there. Most days he finishes up his nap when he gets home then goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:00.
Likes: He ADORES his brother, but he also loves to be around any people. He can't sleep without his paci, but he doesn't have a particular blanket he must have. He just needs to snuggle. He also likes when people act silly, throw him up in the air, pretend to drop him, and blow raspberries on his belly. He likes watching "Color Crew" and eating. He really likes eating....especially Puffs. He didn't like them last month, but he eats them by the handful now.
Dislikes: If he's crying, it's almost always because he's hungry. He still doesn't like the stage 3 food because of the "chewing" he has to do with his gums.
News: Peyton is now pulling up on everything. I put his snacks all around the ottoman so that he has to travel to get them. He'll take some steps holding our hands but so far none on his own. He's in 12 month clothes still and wears a size 3 diaper during the day and a size 4 at night. He is absolutely precious and incredibly sweet-natured.