Happy 4th Birthday, Dresden!!!

Somewhere, in the midst of all the whirlwind craziness of life for the past five months, our Dresden Grey turned 4! We decided at the last minute (collectively, he and I) that he would have a superhero party. He really started becoming interested in superheroes over the past few months, so we thought it was appropriate. I decided to take the (really) easy route, and have his party outside at a park, as our house was still in no shape to receive visitors (we moved in on May 27th, two weeks prior to his party, and were still swimming in boxes). I ordered one of the delicious Kroger cakes (they are the best!!!) with an Avengers theme that Dresden chose, and we were set to go!

The cake!

Auden got quite a bit of attention, but D was okay with that ;-)

Miss Lyla Wonder Woman!

Jack, Dresden and Owen with their awesome superhero masks!

Little Miss Harper!

She was such a good baby for the party. Spent most of it passed out in someone's arms!

 It's tough work being a Justice League-er

The Moms! I love my friends!

Being so goofy!

All the little guests

Hannah and Madison

I'm so happy that Dresden has so many little friends that he could share his day with. I remember when we first moved here and he was so much younger, wondering how he'd ever have a birthday party with people other than family, but it turns out it just takes a couple of years! I love, too, that so many of them are the kids of girls I went to high school with. Full-circle moments just make me happy. It was really just a low-key, perfect day and the kids were plenty happy to run around and play on the playground.

And now, what to say about my gigantic 4-year-old boy? First, I cannot believe he is 4. Where did my baby go?! Every time I pick him up, or have to carry him for any reason (which is something happening less and less frequently now...sigh...) it seriously feels like I'm holding a 10-year-old. I cannot say 4 has been easy thus far; he tries our patience and pushes our buttons on a constant basis, but he can also just be really cool and fun to be around, and he still has a very sweet heart underneath his incessant need to pretend he is a monster or villain or superhero or ninja. We are still convinced he will be in theatre at some point, if not a famous actor, because he still spends most of his day as some character he's created in his head, or a version of one he's seen on t.v. It is exhausting to watch, but when we step back and think about it, pretty amazing in the way he literally does NOT break character. It's a big deal, those times when we just don't "get" what he's trying to do and he has to break the fourth wall to explain things to us. Ha!  He weighs 34 pounds, and he's about 42 inches tall; he's just as skinny as ever, but definitely a growing boy. He's still a pretty picky eater (I haven't done him any favors in this area, I need to be better about just making him eat what I fix for the rest of us), but loves tilapia, mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets, pizza, spaghetti, cantaloupe, apples, waffles and omelets, to name a few. He's definitely my son for his love of sugar, which we both need to stop eating ASAP!

He is a wonderful big brother, and just adores his sister. There are times when he is way too hyper and rough around her, but it's just because he loves being around her. There have only been a few times when he's gotten fed up with her because she's crying next to him in the backseat, or when he's trying to hear his bedtime story and she's "talking" so loudly he can't hear. I have loved watching their sweet moments together; sometimes if she's upset, all by himself he will start to comfort her, calling her "sweetie" and "honey" and telling her it's alright. I can't wait to keep watching as they both grow up together.

He goes to school three days a week, and really seems to love it. I am loving the way he comes home and, while he won't tell me outright exactly what he did that day, slowly I'm able to piece things together because he will make a new sign of sign language, or start singing a little song I've never heard before, or ask a question about a topic we haven't really ever talked about. He is also getting so much better with writing his letters and numbers, and recognizing those when he sees them. I can't wait for him to get even closer to reading throughout this next year. It's exciting and scary and daunting to think that this time next year, he will almost be in Kindergarten. Hold me!!!

He is still the most social, friendly little kid I've ever known, and seriously does not know a stranger. I always make jokes about how if anyone needed to meet a girl or a guy, they should really take Dresden as their wingman, because he is the BEST at meeting and charming people. He just loves to say "hi" to people and get to know them, and I love that so much about him!

So that's our 4-year-old Dresden in a nutshell! He's a wild, crazy, sweet, hilarious mess, and I love him to pieces! Happy 4th Birthday, Dresden Grey! Mama, Daddy and Auden love you!

Love,

Cassie