February 2014: 41 months (3 years and 5 months)

 
Dear Patrick,

• On Sunday 2/9, you rolled out of your bed and hit the floor with a thump and never woke up. We heard the sound all the way from our room and turned on the video monitor. Sure enough, there you were laying in a heap on the rug, sleeping soundly.  Your dad walked down the hall, picked you up and put you back in bed without ever waking you up.  
• You like to tell “progressive stories” now which involve the whole family.  We usually start the story, “Once upon a time…” and you add to the tale.  Your father and I give the story structure and usually an ending, but you never like it to end and keep it going by saying, “...But then one day and evil witch came...”  (There is always an evil witch.)
• I took you to play at the Richards house after work 2/21 and you and Ginny told the best progressive story ever.  I think David recorded it and I need to get my hands on that audio to keep forever.  
• Your school declared snow days on Tuesday 2/11 and Wednesday 2/12 for which we sent you to your grandparent’s house. Then on 2/13 we got you home again in time to make a snowman before the snow melted the next day.
• Sonny and Katie; Jono and Jack; and Janis came into town for a visit mid month, which was a lot of fun! Having dinner cooked and ready for us by Katie and Janis was a real treat.  Oh, and you got some cool clothes from your cool NYC aunt and uncle!  We missed Jen but will get to see her in April!
• Your father and I sprang for gas logs in the fireplace this month, which makes the living room cozy.  “Do not touch,” you warn us (as if we are the curious three and a half year olds).
• On 2/26 you were in the bathtub and told me, “Mom, my penis volcano is about to erupt!”  I had no idea what to say, but interpreting your metaphor, I pulled you out of the water so that you could pee in the potty.  Then I laughed so hard and texted your Dad immediately.  Penis volcano. Awesome.  
• You had your first REAL tantrum when you cried because we would not let you put a toy with a battery in the bathtub. Honestly, you are so rational all the time that I forget that in reality your brain is like that of a caveman. You were inconsolable and sobbed so hard you couldn’t get your breath.  The whole ordeal lasted on and off almost two hours.  Let’s just say that when the bath water finally drained from the tub, I wanted to be washed away with it.
• As we were driving home from school near the end of this month, I heard you singing to yourself. We established after some discussion that you had made up the song.  I told you how creative you were and how much I liked it.  You said humbly, “Oh, Mom, thats just called blue-grass.”