AJ lately

Oh little dude, so much is going on in your world lately. It feels like every day I wake up to a new, older, more grown up little boy. Sometimes it takes my breath away. Like when I can suddenly understand everything you are saying on the phone. Or how about the fact that you actually talk to people on the phone now instead of just sitting there silent with a smile on your face. You are growing and changing so fast and I am so proud of you. I probably don't say that enough. I need to remember to find a balance between catching you doing something wrong and catching you doing something good. More praise, less crabby sleep deprived mama.

Some things that are just so very *you* lately:

• You are learning to talk about your emotions. "I'm very angry about loo, Mama" "Loo are not my best fwend" It is tough to be a 4 year old, I'm sure. (It's not always easy to be the punching bag of a raging 4 year old either, FYI) Even when they are not the words I like to hear, I am thankful that you are using them. Glad you are expressing your emotions with words and not tantrums and blind rage. 
• Listening to your pretend play is one of my favorite sounds. You get so animated in your conversations with yourself. I can hear bits and pieces of Postman Pat, and Bananas in Pajamas and Fireman Sam. It seems you are always working on a special delivery or a rescue. You build elaborate towers with your mega blocks and then get exasperated when little brother comes through and knocks them down. You call him "Baby Sammy the Destroyer" and it reminds me that when you were about his age I started calling you Captain Destructo
• You are potty trained and I am amazed that it finally happened. You are so proud of your "happycopter" that you finally earned. You often point out that Sammy is a long way from earning a happycopter of his own. (I secretly hope he'll be the easy one to potty train because he wants to do everything like his big brother!) 
• You love your new classroom. So much that I wish we had the resources to send you every day. You are learning so much and loving the time with your friends. I hope we can find ways to have some fun together on your off days. I'm not ready for you to be done with hanging out with mama just yet. 
• You have loved watching the show Wipe Out! this summer. I'm thankful the host's humor goes over your head, but there is no mistaking the belly laughs you get watching the contestants get slammed/knocked over/tossed into the mud. I love watching you watch the show. You're definitely a fan of the physical comedy. 
• You still say loo instead of you and the day "loo" stop I just might cry. You have been on a jelly "sang-witch" kick of late, "but no peanut butter mama!" You now say bacon instead of "bay-ren," much to your daddy's dismay. Your food allergies make breakfast out anywhere pretty tough, but we've found one local spot to go on the weekends where the waitress already knows that you want "a side of pash-browns and some bacon" but she lets you order anyway because she thinks you are so cute. You also love to remind said waitress, "No coffee for me franks, I'm allergic!" The fact that you are cute and sweet kind of makes up for the fact that we're still working on the inside voice thing. 
• You've been having nightmares lately and it breaks my heart. Wish there was more I could do to help you through them, but I think it's just part of this age. So we sit together and rock and I hold on to the fact that someday you'll be too big and I won't be able to make everything better anymore by just rubbing your back.