Jack Emmet: 4.5 years

Little Buddy by month 

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 

2 years // 2.5 years // 3 years // 3.5 years // 4 years

You // You are such a little boy these days! You love playing superheroes and having powers and you love playing on your own. But you also love spending time with your brother and your friends. You love being around people, but then you need your time alone to recharge. I just love you. And I love getting to know who you are.

Growing // I had you step on the scale a few weeks ago and you weighed 38.6 lbs. You just keep getting taller and taller and I keep moving things from your closet over to your bothers.

Eating + Sleeping // You still really love breakfast, and I just started buying Kix a few months ago and you could eat bowls and bowls of that. You're a pretty good eater. You love eggs, but you don't like things in your eggs. You prefer sweet potatoes to regular potatoes. You love tacos and turkey meat and green beans and peas. You still really love pasta with cheese. You love apples and bananas and that's really all you eat in the way of fruit, oh and grapes!

We try to get you to bed by 7 PM these days now that you aren't napping, and some days you fall asleep in the car in the afternoon on our way to the gym. And you wake up stating, I was just a little tired mama, but now I'm awake! You wake up in the morning rearing to go, and you normally want to eat your breakfast, get dressed, and get on with the day. And you always ask me first thing, what are we doing today mama, where are we going? 

But with your bedtime, you watch a show or something, then we read books, brush your teeth, pjs, not necessarily all in that order. And we just walk you into your room, you crawl up into your bed, put the blankets on and tell you that we'll be back to check on you, and it's brilliant!! You go right to sleep on your own these days, gone are the days of lying with you. We're so proud of you!! Gone are the days too of you waking up just to have us put your blankets back on. You use to walk into our room and just want us to put you back to bed to cover you once again in your blankets. But then I got you a bigger blanket, and that was solved!! Thank you Jesus!

Most mornings you wake up around 5:30/6, but you walk into our room and crawl into bed with us or sometimes when I tell you it's not time to get up, you just walk back into your room and go back to your bed yourself.

Nicknames // Jackie, bubba, pup pup

Wearing // The majority of your clothes are 4T, but you do have some 5T stuff, and I think some of the shorts you're wearing this summer are actually 3T. Your shoe size is a 10. I let you take full ownership over your clothes, most of the time. Or I at least give you choices, you can wear one of these 3 shirts, and you'll pick it and put it on your body for the most part. You have a hard time putting on socks, but you're getting it. You love to wear jeans, a t-shirt and a zippy as you call them, a sweatshirt with a zip. And your shoes and jeans have to be a certain way. It totally blows my mind that you're so particular at such a young age, but I love how you know what you want and you go after it with such determination.

Loving // You really love being a big brother, you really do. You really love when we're all together or when you get special time with one of us. Like I said earlier, you love being around people, but you also love your time alone to play. I don't know what you'll do when Ryan eventually drops his nap as that's like your special time to play with your special things. You love pretending and make believe and playing family. You love going to the library and reading books and creating things. You love seeing your friends and the important people to you. You love making people laugh.

Loathing // You don't really like when we try to control you, but I don't like when people try to control me either! And you don't like when Ryan hits you or pushes you - Ryan can be pretty aggressive and you don't really like that, again, I don't blame you. I don't like when he's aggressive either.

Doing // You are truly my little helper. You want to help with everything, so I'm constantly having to think through how to include you in anything I'm doing. But you really love putting things out on the table for dinner and clearing the table and putting all the things in their appropriate places. You are climbing everything these days. It took you awhile to get comfortable and confident climbing things without assistance, but now, I'm like where's Jack, and you've climbed up some big monstrosity of a thing. A few weekends ago you swam off the boat in the open water at the canal, so proud of you! You are doing so many brave and courageous things and we're so proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone and realizing what you are capable of rather than living into the fear of the unknown. It's a delight to watch you discover your capabilities!!

Milestones // You had another urgent care visit. We got another stamp in your passport with another trip to Ireland for Auntie Ruth's wedding. You started at a new school. You went on your first camping trip!

Words/Phrases // One minute, Where us going today mama? What planet are we on? I need space alone.

Dear Jack {4.5 years}

My dearest Jack,

Yesterday was your half birthday and you are now officially a 4 and a half year old. As I watched you yesterday, clinging to my leg as I dropped you off at school and waving to your friends when I picked you up, I just thought what a beautiful, independent being. And if you heard my inner thoughts, you would say, Mama, I'm not beautiful, I'm handsome.

As I type this, your brother is napping, your playing in the living room independently and completely alone and having the time of your life. I haven't checked on you in like an hour, and I'm sitting in the rocking chair, just rocking as I listen to the sound of your voice as you play with your train tracks and every car we own.

And I can't help but smile.

Jack Emmet, my firstborn, my unbreaking, the one who started it all. I adore you.

Your imagination is beautiful, your heart is pure gold.

It's such a joy to watch you evolve into a being a part from me. I truly can't even put it into words.

You are such a character and a performer and you make the funniest faces.

You are loyal and compassionate and so sensitive to those around you.

You love to pretend and make believe and you cherish the two hours of playing alone that Ryan's nap grants you.  

A few weeks ago we went camping, and you just turned to your dad and I and said I need some time alone. And we smiled at each other and watched you run off to the edge of the campsite as you pretended to shoot bad guys and use your powers in your make believe world.

I was so blown away that you knew what you needed and you were able to put words to that need. May you continue to do this, may God grant us the wisdom to raise you up to be a man that speaks truth, that is willing to speak his heart and make his needs known.

You are the best little buddy. And I love spending time with you.

You appreciate routine and knowing what's going on the next day - where we're going, who we're going to see. You aren't bothered if plans change, but I think you just like having the heads up, so you can anticipate what's coming.

And you always have a bag full of things, whether it's a bag you've packed to go camping with dada complete with a little toilet paper and a fork and a random assortment of things, or a bag of your lego guys or a bag of random things in a little brown bag to take in the car with you. It's hilarious - give you a bag and you'll fill it with the essentials.

You my child have such a sensitive and soft heart. My hope and prayer for you is that you come to know the Lord, that you hear His voice and trust His goodness. My hope and prayer for you is that you grow up knowing who you are and whose you are, that you believe your worth is in the Lord rather than in the world, that you can own who you are and claim it and declare it to the world, while also recognizing the need and power of growth and transformation, that you are fully confident and comfortable in your own skin and feel full freedom to share your heart and your emotions with the world without fear of rejection.

May the Lord fill you in a way the world never can. Every single day I release you to Him, as you are not mine to hold onto.

Jack Emmet, it is truly a joy being your mama and one of my greatest privileges.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mama