Jackson is 4!

Dear Jackson,

It's hard for me to believe, but you are officially 4! You've been looking forward to turning 4 for months, and now you are a certified 4 year old. You are the shiniest star I know. You are sweet, silly, sensitive, and goofy. You have so many friends at school, who, as you lamented, "follow me around too much". You are just so funny that other people are attracted to your personality. You are a little lover through and through. You love your sister, mommy, and daddy. Right now, though, you really love the baby. You love to see my belly and talk to the baby and give him or her hugs and kisses. You whisper "love you baby" and "Hi! I am your big brother!" at least once a day. I know you will be the sweetest, most protective big brother that any sibling could ask for.

This year you have really come into your own. You are certainly not a baby anymore; you are a kid through and through. You love to play outside; right now you love to swing, play baseball, and play any kind of chase game. You aren't very interested in learning to write, but you enjoy going to school. Your favorite things are Batman (and other superheroes), Paw Patrol, Power Rangers, and Trolls. You've watched the Troll movie about 50 times since you first saw it a week ago and you always tell me that love is in our hearts. Batman has been your love for over a year now, and it doesn't seem to be letting up. You've really opened a new world to me, as I was not very familiar with much about Batman (or any other hero) beyond the very basic stories I knew from children's books and movies. You still say funny things like panpakes and yogrit. You love to eat buttered bread and even suggested it as a good birthday dinner idea. You are a little obsessed with your hair and can't stand when you have duck fluff sticking up.

While you seem to be growing up so quickly, I still see traces of your baby self when you climb in my lap and nuzzle your head in my shoulder or when you fall asleep on the sofa. I couldn't imagine a sweeter boy. You make my life so much funnier and happier. You have boundless love for your friends and family. I love each surprise your bring into our lives. I can't remember my life without you in it, nor would I want to.

Love you stinkeroodle mctoodle!