There's a girl in your class who tells everyone that she's 3-and-eleven-twelfths. When she said it recently I thought: hmmm, Noah still has a ways to go. But no, in fact today you are officially 3-and-eleven-twelfths! I've been saying you're "almost four" for so long that it's blowing my mind that you are actually still three. You're tall, articulate, compassionate, reasonable... all kinds of things that make you seem older to me-- and to everyone else who meets you. But when you're hanging out with a five year old new friend at the park who is looking you eye-to-eye I remember how young you are. You can't always follow their line of thinking or articulate your thoughts in a way that makes sense to them. Usually the solution is that you suddenly start chasing each other. So communication successful? Successful enough, for sure.
I've been working. A lot. And you surprise me because when it's time to go you ask for a hug and a kiss and then happily tell me "bye!" It makes my leaving so pleasant but I'm also sad to be leaving my boy who is maturing so fast. I've been looking at you lately and feeling very surprised at how grown up you look. I recently was the helping parent at school (you opted to bring apples, much to Daddy's relief because they are somewhat in season) and you were generally a head taller than your peers. Carol, one of your teachers, recently told Daddy that you walk a fine line: you spend all of your time with the two boys in the class that don't always make the best decisions but you tend not to go along with their less than ideal choices. One boy in particular is very very persuasive (as the teacher had me observe when I was there) and you just walked away. This caused the other boy to get pretty frustrated. We're working on you using your words to explain that you're not ignoring his requests, you just don't want to do what he asks.
Every morning you say: where are we going today?!? Apparently every day is a new adventure that naturally includes a trip somewhere (the library, post office, playground, grocery store, Nina's house, school). It's fun to watch you take in the world (asking "why?) and process it all. You love to read (lately it's the Ranger Rick magazines that Grammy brought from when her boys were kids). You love picking books out at the library. We tried doing "the farm book" (aka Charlotte's Web) but it lasted one sitting... really, not enough pictures. You quickly memorize the words to the books and if we switch out a word you think it's silly and correct us. Pretty soon you're "reading" the whole book to us and we're listening and enjoying hearing your little mouth say all sorts of words.
It's hard to think of you as separate from your sister, these days, which is funny because there was once just a Noah. The two of you are pretty much inseperable. Yes, you get annoyed with her and yell at her that you're taking a break, but generally the two of you enjoy hanging out together (in fact you recently used the term: "hanging out" and I suppressed a smile). You sometimes ask if you can have your own bed but Daddy and I worry that you two would miss each other too much. You love digging in the sand with her, tossing a ball to her- even if she is the better catcher/thrower, and reading books with her. Very very sweet and I'm so thankful that you two have each other.
The big 4 (doesn't quite have the same ring as 4-0 but... whoo! I can't even imagine you at 40!! eek!) next month. You're asking for a camel cake. Why? No idea. Hoping Grammy can manage that. We've almost convinced you that brown frosting is camel frosting that will be perfect on cupcakes for school- seperate from your birthday cake.
Wow- 4! Hard to believe.
K, before dwelling on that too much...
Love you,
Momma
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