4

He's 4 and he knows it.

Here is an interview session with him.  I wanted to capture how he is today, right now, in his 4 year old moment.
Of note-this is how HE sees himself.  I can't wait to clarify how it really is how I see him below.  Also, sorry the camera kept running out of space so the video is in 3 parts.


Eli's favorite color is in fact white, still.
He doesn't love Mario, he is obsessed with it.  I can't wait until we can breathe without that topic coming up in every conversation.  For board games  he wants to beat you at Candy land, Chutes and Ladders, Uno Moo, Kerplunk and Hiss.

His favorite foods are NOT peaches (he actually doesn't like these at all), oranges and hot dog buns.  He is still a slow and small eater.
His 4 favorite foods:
1. Apples
2.  string cheese
3. tacos
4. cucumbers
I approve all of the above.
He doesn't like pickles and pineapple

What did Eli learn while he was 3?
1. How to write all his letters and all his numbers and his name
2. He shows more interest in math and has started to add
3. Full potty training and at night as well
4. First swimming lessons without a parent

What will change for him in his 4th year?
1. He will start 4K, 1/2 day and 5 days a week.  (his teacher will be female)
2. He will play basketball and soccer
3. Learn to ride his bike with training wheels (he is already!)
4. Hoping he starts to identify words and START the reading process

Eli's 4 favorite activities:
1.Puzzles
2. Games (Mario or board games)
3. Rrt projects
4. Run around and throw and kick balls

Eli is starting to reason quite a bit.  He most often mimics his dad but also tries to sound like any old grown up.  He repeats phrases I say all the time and it makes me giggle.
"That is my deal"  and "That is my plan" are phrases I hear often.
He also says things like "Hughie, by 100 I want you to stop.  1, 2,3,4,5,6, 7,8,9,10,11, 100. Stop Hughie".  In the car he says random things that I think are related to nothing else ever in his whole life "Mom, do I have a lot of skin?" but usually come back full circle in relation to a memory or something he sees or has learned.

Eli is really curious.  He is always contemplating how something worked, if you did it the same way last time, why you decided on something and if you are being fair.  He struggles with his imagination. He isn't super creative yet.  He likes to play Legos but really prefers to play them WITH someone who can build for him.  When he colors, although he stays in the line in a color book, he draws mostly rainbows and scribbles.  He doesn't yet try to draw people or houses or things.  He has Mario figurines and a few other guys but never really "talks" for them and hasn't yet played "pretend" with many things (kitchen food, teddy bear etc).  I'm hoping Hugh helps him spark some pretend, creative play.

Eli loves to go on adventures, which can range from the zoo, to the beach, to the library, to a friends house.  He loves puzzles and will sit and work on them for a good chunk of time.

He has quite a passion for all of his cousins and really looks up to them.
He's still a string bean.  I have no official stats yet but he weighs 30 lbs on our scale with clothes on.  The poor kiddo still struggles to hold up a pair of 18-24 month pair of swim trunks.  But he rocks them.

He's more social than I am.  He wants to be with friends and try new things all the time.  He is just the right amount of shy and equal parts bold.  He will talk your ear off and is listening even if he isn't obeying.  He repeats, repeats, repeats.  Nothing about that is ever going to change.  Time for me to accept, accept, accept.

In case you have a child like Eli I want to give you hope.  Year 2-3.5 (ok a little more than a year) was the roughest in terms of bedtime shenanigans.  And if you're a parent you know what they are.  Things have gotten better but I never thought we'd survive.  So hold out hope. Keep being strong and soon enough your little will zonk and be more routine.    It will happen, they will be pulling worse shenanigans when they are 18 than bedtime stunts.

He's 4 and I don't know what to think or do.  It's not a huge milestone, like 1,  5 or double digits or 18, 21 or 50.  But all of a sudden he will be 14 or 40. And since I love the big part I play in his life he doesn't need to turn 5.  So I hope this year goes slow. 

S-L-O-W.

 What will this 4th year bring?

This is one beautiful boy.