It's your fourth birthday and the temperature driving home tonight from Auntie's house was -11. Not as bad as the -26 the night I went into labor with you 4 years ago, but it felt about the same. Guess your middle name was appropriate after all ;) You have grown up so much in the last year and here are a few things about you that you may want to remember from this year:
- Because Reese is so tall we sometimes forget that you are pretty big for your age as well. You're fairly skinny at age 4 but you're 42" and when you're wrestling with Reese you can usually give her a good run for her money despite the 20 lb weight difference between the two of you.
- Emily lights up when you come into the room. She loves it when you make faces at her or talk to her. I'm sure you're going to be a great big brother (x2) again in a few weeks.
- You love working with Daddy in his shop and helping him with any project he's doing. You're preferred "toys" are anything with a plug, stringing together multiple cords/dog leashes/whatever you can find and taking things apart and putting them back together. You know the right names for most of the tools that your Lageman Uncles are still trying to figure out ;) [ok, and Mommy, too]
- You speak very well and pronounce most words correctly. The only one that I can think of that you consistently say more like a typical 4 year old is four-wheeler, which you pronounce "frreer-wheeler". You say this often as you like to ask "Daddy, will you take me on a frreer-wheeler ride?"
- You still like your blanket(s). We "left" one of them at Aunt Sarah's house over Thanksgiving but you still have the blue star blanket. You don't carry it around quite as much as you used to but I'm guessing it could be traumatic if we remove it completely so you're safe for now.
- You love wearing hats and often wear winter hats or the Sun Devils ballcap that Uncle Tom and Aunt Jane bought you. You also really like wearing gloves, although inside you tend to go Michael Jackson and only wear one- not sure where that comes from.
- You have a wonderful, devilish grin and you seem to know that you can melt anyone's heart by flashing it. Man, are we in trouble.
- We weren't sure how you would adjust to Reese going to school this year and being left "alone" with Emily at daycare but you've been just fine. You have a lot of friends there and really enjoy your teachers. I think you like having some Reese-free time, actually :)
Suddenly you're looking a lot older, much more like a little boy than a toddler. I'm sure when your brother arrives next month it will make you look even older to us. We're loving watching you grow up but don't do it too quickly, ok? Happy, happy birthday to our (not so little anymore) Asher man.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy
