Counting to Four

We had a fun day of celebration earlier this week as Josiah turned FOUR years old. Since we had his 'official' party with my family in Indiana a few weeks ago, we chose to spend his actual birthday at the zoo.
Besides the fact that we sought shade whenever possible due to the melting heat of the sun, the kids and I had a fabulous time!

It was a special day for all of them, but I was particularly focused on making it special for Joey. I let him choose our direction, said yes to most of his requests, and splurged on some things I usually would not. Like the carousel.

True to his careful nature, his favorite exhibits were all the ones he could get close to behind the safety of the glass: the gorillas, the polar bears, and of course the lions.



And it wasn't hard to say yes to the Dippin' Dots in that heat.


It has been fun for me to reflect on this year in Joey's life and think about the way he's growing up and how I've been privileged to watch him develop right before my eyes...

I love how he often notices details and will compliment me on something small like my earrings or my choice of shoes. He was the first to notice when I rearranged the wall art in our living room, and more than once he has leaned in to whisper to me that he thinks I look pretty. (He's a keeper!)

He loves to wrestle with Daddy (and his baby brother) but it's never a complete match until it ends with some snuggle time.

His giggle is contagious and he loves to make us laugh. I'm never sure who laughs harder when he's being tickled.

Music speaks to his heart, and I will often find him playing by himself while singing whatever little song he has on his mind--sometimes one we haven't listened to in weeks--and his sweet voice is music to my ears. It often brings to mind this verse: "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise." Psalm 8:2

He has surprised me by way of frustration as he has resisted my desire to teach him to identify the letters of the alphabet, yet when asked what a particular letter is, he's correct most of the time. Stinker.

And though he is by nature shy and timid, I've enjoyed watching him recently as he independently introduces himself to a new friend and asks their name, and as he has bravely conquered the two-story twisty slide at our town playground without my prompting. Big steps for my little guy.

He may be in the lowest percentiles for his size, but his heart and personality make up for it in a big way. I'm so pleased to celebrate the completion of his fourth year, and I'm looking forward with great anticipation for what this next year will bring.