The REAL Game of Life: Happy 4th Birthday Evan!

Happy 4th Birthday, Evan!

Dear Evan,

You're 4 years old! I feel like every year I will say "I can't believe you're a year older!" I hate saying "time flies" but it really does! Time is full of so many fun stories, memories, events and snuggles with you.

The terrible 2's and terroist 3's are behind us and I look forward to the "terrific 4's". :) I made that up but I can hope, right?! From age 3 to 4 you've lost a lot of your "baby face" and look so much like a little boy now. A very, very handsome little boy. Nia & I have our work cut out keeping the girls away from you someday!

Words to describe you at this age.....energetic, free-spirited, pure, emotional, frustrating, silly, caring, thoughtful, creative, determined, smart.

Things you love to do:

- Create: whether it's drawing or building with blocks/legos/playdoh, you love to create things with your imagination. It's so much fun to see what you come up with. And it's always so detailed (you are your Daddy's son!). You'll draw a picture of a car and point out a small piece of the engine you drew. Or you'll build a race track for your cars and make a garage for them to park.

- Play: whenever I ask you what you did at school, you say "play." You're great playing with friends or by yourself. Over the past year you've become a better independent player using your imagination to play with toys by yourself.

- Be active: you love to run, ride your bike, play outside, build forts, play catch with Daddy. This past year you learned to ride a bike with training wheels and now you cruise around the neighborhood and usually I end up running/sprinting behind you to keep up!

- Read books: we read every night before bed and I always cave when you want to read more books and stay up late. How can I say no to more reading?! It's so cute to watch you read and tell the story to yourself. You'll mimic how Daddy or I read certain words or parts of the story and you'll make funny voices for characters. You love chapter books too. You'll find one of Daddy's or rent one from the library and carry it around the house. You once told me "Mom, when I grow up can I have a pile of books like Daddy does?"

- Do activities: You'll ask me for the empty macaroni box to make an activity or project out of. You'll cut out shapes from paper, pieces of straws, glue them to the box, color it and add some stickers and turn it into a race car.

Every year I ask you the same questions and your answers continue to make me laugh & smile. I typed these answers as you were talkign so these are all your quotes as a big 4 year old!

Evan - 4 Years Old

1. What is your favorite color? Orange & blue

2. What is your favorite toy? Rockets, race cars & motor boats....oh yah and jet planes

3. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries & carrots

4. What is your favorite tv show? Wild Kratts

5. What is your favorite movie? Cars...I mean Planes...I said Planes

6. What is your favorite thing to wear? Shorts & the shirt I made at school (a tie-dye shirt)

7. What is your favorite animal? Tiger

8. What is your favorite song? Rock & Roll

9. What is your favorite book? Planes and my new Halloween book from Aunt Katie and a Dinosaur book

10. Who is your best friend? Logan & Jamo (Jameson)

11. What is your favorite snack? Goldfish (but you need to put Goldfish on your list so you remember to buy it Mom)

12. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk

13. What is your favorite food? Macaroni

14. What is your favorite game? Climbing things. I teach kids how to climb.

15. What is your favorite thing to play outside? Jet planes

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas because Santa gives presents

17. What do you sleep with at night? my little lion & little Green Bear

18. What do you want to be when you grow up? Batman

19. What's your favorite thing to do with mom? Do activities and then after activities play in the basement (Mom, make sure you put Goldfish on your list because you need to buy them)

20. What's your favorite thing to do with dad? Play with my marble madness house

Birthday morning pancakes - filled with sprinkles & chocolate chips! (Note to self: do not put a candle inside a hot pancake. It will melt in the pancake....)

Birthday cake & presents with Grandma & Grandpa Anderson, Uncle David & Aunt Stacy. Think we have enough ice cream?

Birthday celebration with the Ellis' & Hergott's

One downside to turning 4 was the 3 shots you had to get. We took you to buy your very own ski helmet after shots as a reward. At family pictures you insisted on taking some with your helmet. :)