April 2014: 43 months (3 years and 7 months)

Dear Patrick,

• From the backseat of the car on Tuesday 4/1, you said, “Mom you’re beautiful.”  I told you how sweet that was to hear, and I told you that you were beautiful too.  But you explained, “No, I’m not beautiful... I’m not wearing a dress.” So I said, “Well, ok, then you are wonderful.”  There was a long pause from the backseat, like you were thinking my comment over and then you said, “Yep, I am wonderful. I’m not beautiful, but I am wonderful.”  
• The weather was so pretty on 4/2 that when we got home from school, we put a blanket on the ground, brought snacks outside along with a few books and had a picnic in the grass. We opened the Easter package that came early from Omi and Pop.  Ah, welcome springtime.
• You wait until the bunny is awake on your clock and then you come running into our room most mornings.  On Wednesday 4/9, your father asked how you were feeling and you said, “I’m doing well,” which really made me laugh.  It sounded so adult!
• We got a new roof thanks to some clients of our father’s who couldn’t pay the legal fees, but they could work!
• The pollen is horrible for you this month!  On 4/12 your voice had changed into a pitiful little crackle, as if we lived with a tiny smoker.  And we went through almost two boxes of kleenex in one day.
• As we were driving home from school, you said, “When I get bigger, I’ll be soooo big I won’t fit in the car.”
• When I took you to the eye doctor this month, you would have thought it was a trip to Disneyland.  You loved it and everyone loved you. “Excuse me, Miss Wanda, what does this button do?” You are so polite, curious, happy and excited.  The nurses couldn’t get over you - they must see kids all the time come into the office scared or upset, but you high-fived the team like you owned that place!
• You call the kitchen the "kitchen room,” which makes sense.  We do have a living room, bed rooms and bathrooms - why not a kitchen room?!
• We drove to Macon for the Easter weekend and even though it rained for most of the time there, we stayed busy dying eggs and playing with a few new toys: laser guns, the crystal tree, parachute man, clay, and a hurricane bubble machine!  On Easter morning, you had already eaten half a chocolate bunny before we even knew you were awake.
• While in Macon, you learned the word “appetizers” and that apps come before the meal, “Oh,” you said with your epiphany: “like the blessing.”
• One morning before school, I filmed you singing all sorts of songs and you love to watch yourself.  In “Do-Re-Me,” you sing “...a needle and thread,” which is my favorite lyric.  I sent these songs to your Aunts & Uncles and Jen said that Jack in particular loves to watch you over and over.
• Your dad told me this story: on Sunday 4/20, you two went to the grocery store together and apparently you were not listening to your father, so he tapped you on the leg. “Dad, did you hit me?” you asked with shock on your face.  “No,” you father said, “I did not hit you - I just got your attention.”  You thought about that comment for a moment and then made a grabbing motion with you hand in front of your father’s face and said, “You got my attention?  Well, I got it back.”

Love,
Mom