Happy birthday, 4-year-old kiddo!
You have been very excited for this particular birthday for weeks, in Christmas-countdown mode asking “how many sleeps” until your birthday. You put a lot of energy toward thinking about what presents you were hoping to receive, and you were motivated to practice writing if it could be a birthday list.
The last few years we’ve thrown you Oktoberfest themed birthday parties. This year you had your say and wanted a “unicorn princess” birthday party. We compromised to have an Oktoberfest-unicorn-princess party where you and Mom, and some of your friends dressed as princesses, and I wore my Oktoberfest garb. We had unicorn cookies, cupcakes, beer and pretzels. It was a wonderful mash-up.
You received a lot of great gifts this year, mostly arriving in pink packaging, including a doll crib, binoculars (high on your list) and unicorn PlayMobile set. The biggest hit has been a music device that combines a recording microphone, piano, drum tom and DJ wheel. You love to record your voice in strange, creepy tones and hear the playback. It reminds me of what I’ve been told about myself at your age, playing with an 80s-version microphone that could also had special voice effects. I used to put on shows standing on the fireplace mount. You’re not performing quite yet so maybe you’ll go the studio musician route.
Another shared passion of ours is photography and you pushed pretty darn hard for what equates to a Polaroid camera. “I want a camera that prints the photos on paper right away.” Very specific. We couldn’t break the bank for that breakable toy yet, but maybe soon.
Grammie and Popa are in town for your birthday. They are really great about being in town for your and Matteo’s birthdays these past years. This year, you two have given them a run for their money, acting like absolute animals and rarely listening or following direction from anyone. On top of that, there’s a cold going around the house that half of us have — Matteo got the worse of it — and that’s not helping moods.
I have the cold, but your Mom says I have a “man cold,” which is to say I over-exaggerate the symptoms. It’s hard to say who’s right when she doesn’t know how I feel! Back to sipping my tea.
These past few nights, as your Mom has had to spend more time getting Matteo settled into sleep, I’ve been on point with you, and I really enjoy the one-on-one time. You hustle me a bit to stay up late, usually claiming to be hungry, and I gladly oblige to talk to you about your day and what’s ahead tomorrow. You constantly surprise me with a sharp memory and bigger ideas than I expect out of a now-four-year-old. And when your excuse has expired — the bowl of Cheerios is empty or the book is over — you easily turn over to try sleeping without a complaint.
I am so glad to be your Dad and thrilled by the little person that you are. Your Mom and I entertain each other with the stories of what you do throughout the day because you are so smart, funny and interesting. With your birthday, we celebrate four years being parents together and we’re really proud of our partnership and the experience it’s been. Thank you for that.
Love always, Dad