January 2015: 52 months (4 years and four months old)

Dear Patrick,

• I knew I had on mom-goggles when I heard you describe, "pee shot out like a bow and arrow" and I thought to myself, “Wow, Patrick is an amazing poet. That was a great simile.”
• We noticed that there are some words you say incorrectly, but I don't want to correct you because it makes us laugh.  For example: “sad light” (satellite), “hand cups” (handcuffs, which in the context of Legos do, in fact, look like hand cups), “light Bob” (light bulb). Light Bob may be my favorite because its as if all objects should have a first name...why not, right?
• After school one day, you collected and then lined-up across the front of the island counter in the kitchen: the peanut butter jar, a spoon from your drawer, nilla wafers and a plate, and then with a satisfied clap said, “Let’s get organized.” That's MY boy - yes, let’s do it! An organized snack is the best kind of snack.
• I volunteered you for another VisitGreenville ad (see image above) because you are a great model and I like to bring you to work. You are getting so big that Ramsey Photoshopped some length off your legs!
• On 1/11 you announced that you would like to put yourself to bed - alone; you didn’t need any help. Your father and I watched from the kitchen, where we were told to stay, as you stood on bear to turn on your sounds, turn off the overhead light and a smaller night-light glow took its place. Then you closed the gate so Coop couldn’t come in and cracked the door, using lion as a brace, which is the standard procedure. We couldn’t see you as you fluffed your blanket and tucked in the bottom and sides, but your Dad mimed your motions knowing (without seeing) what you were doing in the routine we do most every night. Almost immediately, the significance of the moment washed over me as I realized you didn’t need us (for bed, at least!) and I was a little sad, but mostly very, very proud of you.
• You still like to pretend to eat the strawberries printed on my PJs. That never gets old.
• Apparently in the hand-washing line at school one day, William and Landon (who were standing on either side of you as the group waited for their turn at the sink) were “fighting” over your friendship saying, “Patrick is my best friend...no Patrick is my best friend.” So, you turned to Mrs. Betsy and said in an effort to settle the discussion, “My mom is my best friend.” Well, you got that right!  Betsy told me this story knowing I’d love it.
• I put lotion on your face after bath one night and you said, “this hydrates my skin.” Hydrates.
• Coo-coo, the realistically-painted, plastic lizard, who looks remarkably real has scared me this month. You play with him and then leave him around the house in various places, making me want to call Terminex.
• "Patrick, are you playing with your toys or putting them away like I asked?" I said to you as I heard the motorized car do wheelies in the office. "I'm testing my car to make sure it works - but I'm not playing" you explained.
• The idea of family movie night is something we developed this month on Fridays, so I researched appropriate movies for four-year-olds, finally settling on “Monsters Inc.” Even though it got great ratings, I worried that the idea of monsters might scare you -- so I spent a lot of time throughout the film pointing out how nice the monsters actually were. Despite my efforts, however, you woke in the middle of the night screaming with fear. I ran down the hall to your room mentally preparing to rationalize the monster angle and asked your tear-stained cheeks what was wrong. “The little robot boy” you cried. What? You mean, the one moment of one very, tiny, little scene at the very beginning of the movie that had nothing to do with monsters at all?! Seriously.  
• A better choice for movie night was your Dad’s suggestion of “The Lego Movie,” and now you both have become “master builders” by taking apart the kits and building your own trucks and planes. In truth, your Dad usually creates the vehicle and then you come running to show me what “you both” constructed. Between Christmas and some extra kits we bought for this rainy month of January, you are amassing a great collection of Legos. And now "Everything is Awesome" song is permanently stuck in my head.
• Omi came to help get the house across the street ready for Uncky Bunky next month and one morning over breakfast she complimented you on how polite you are. “I always say please and thank you...except when I forget” you told her.