Bye Bye Baby

I don't know how it happened so fast but Brayden is 4! There is something about 4 that is so grown up. I still felt like he was a baby when he was 3. Now I feel like I have a little boy.

The morning started with a birthday sign, handmade with love by Preston

A day at school was followed by playing outside. Preston gets so hot he hates wearing a shirt so Brayden has now decided he needs to be like his big brother

We usually go out to dinner for birthdays but for a kid who has very little interest in food that was not an option. The kids tried to convince him to go somewhere for dinner but he was not interested. He wanted to stay at home and have Strawberry pie and soda, two of his favorite things. Everyone asked if that's what I let him have for dinner. Of course, he's the birthday boy!! He insisted on putting his own candles on.

Yes, there are 8 candles on the pie!

He's all business when he's eating his pie!

And then it was on to presents

When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday he to told me a "money spencer with the round money's" we had to go online and find the picture. When I found the one he was talking about he was so excited and carried the picture around with him all week hoping he would get it for his birthday

We love this little boy more each day. We loved him from the moment he arrived and 4 years later we are still smitten. He is an amazing little spirit and we couldn't imagine our house without him. He is hilarious and keeps us all laughing. The kids often comment on how dang cute they think he is. I love to see the love and affection that each of the kids have for him. They each have their own special bond with him and adore him. I love the sense of innocence and he adds to our home.

There are so many things I love about Brayden but here are 4:

1. I love the way you announce you mood each morning when you come out of your room, it's usually something like this "I'm not gonna fight today, I'm not gonna be mad, I'm not gonna be mean, I'm gonna be happy." I love when I leave you ask me "did you forget something? A kiss and a hug"

2. I love how quirky you are. How for a time you would wear nothing but PJ's, then when you realized no one else did, you still wanted to wear them but it had to be under your clothes. How you have to put your pants on first and then your shirt. How you have to have 2 milk cups when you go to bed. How you make up your own names for things. How your age is different every time someone asks how old you are.

3. I love how you fix your hair and then ask how do I look, to which I must answer "Awesome" or you correct me.

4. I love the fits you throw. Yes, I know it sounds silly but most of the time I usually just smile when you are throwing one because they are so predictable and I know that soon I will not have a cute little person flailing on the floor with tears stream down his face when life doesn't go just as he wants it to.

Some of my favorite words:

"lucky" - yucky

"nilk" - milk

"Madasit" - Madyson

"K-low" - Caleb

"lou" - you

Happy Birthday my sweet little man!