Four

I usually feel as though I have lots of insightful thoughts on my kids birthdays. This year all I can say is "Four? When did this happen?"

...

Four?

Are we sure?

2008-2004...

Yep, that's four years old.

Leif thinks it is quite funny to tell me he was three yesterday, he is four now and tomorrow he is going to go to kindergarten, ok?

He doesn't know how real that feels.

Four?

Are we still sure?

I have to admit I am not mourning three. Maybe that is making me less insightful on the subject.

It has been a rough year with Leif and I am just now seeing a different little boy emerge. I routinely said, "terrible twos? What are you talking about? How about terrible threes?" And I meant it. Leif pushed every boundary, struggled with friendships, struggled in his preschool room. Nothing seemed to come easy and I frequently found myself at wits end.

The past few weeks - embarking on age four - seems to be a new world for Leif. He is calm, friendly, one of the more "easy" kids in his new class according to the teachers. He tries not to hurt feelings, he likes to help, he doesn't use "bad language" (though lets us know of every transgression of ours, anything from the TV, or whatever he has heard on the playground). He is starting to enjoy art and amazes me with the things he knows. I have a new little boy at age four.

Milestones (or my brag book):

-Leif can write his name. (Though he is lucky his name is short and comprised of various curves.)

-He can count to 100 and is getting better about recognizing two digit numbers. (Though in counting he sometimes forgets 15 and has to occasionally be reminded which -0 number comes next after forty.)

-He knows most all the letters and associated sounds and is learning to tell you what letter a word starts with by sound (this is very hit or miss).

-He can spell Skadi's name and recognize it as well as a few friend's names, like C's name and the fact that it is very similar in spelling and sound to cat.

-He has become mildly obsessed with soccer and we have learned he is pretty good at kicking a ball. He can hit his sister dead on nearly every attempt... he now has a soccer goal to practice with instead.

-He recognizes street signs (I was surprised to hear him say, "that sign says yield mommy".)

-Leif loves to cook, particularly break the eggs (I did find a small bit of shell in my crepe the other morning though... I am blaming AB.)