Camden's 4th Birthday

Dear Camden,

Four years old already!!  Can you believe it?!  You have been counting down for weeks, even though you don't totally understand the concept of tracking time.  What an addition you have been to our family!!  There were times when I wasn't sure either one of us was going to survive the 2s and 3s, but here we are at a brand new year!!

Over the last year, we've moved (twice); you've learned about our loss and heaven's gain; you've learned to write your name, circles, squares, triangles, and few other letters; have started to learn to use scissors; can put on your own shoes; can count to 20 every time and 30 sometimes.  You continue to use words well, sometimes to your own detriment.  If I've said it once, I've said a thousand times that its a good thing your funny.  Its seriously your saving grace sometimes, but its also my favorite quality about you.

You are a good brother.  Landon is your buddy and you have missed him being gone to preschool this year.  Sometimes you play well together and other times you fight like crazy, but I know you love each other.  You are the same with Ayden and Laney Kate.  Yesterday you were trying to wrestle with Laney Kate just like you do your brothers, and thats not even close to the first time you've been too rough with her.  But, if she is crying, you are always quick to sing to her.  And she stops.  Every.single.time.  You always start with "Jesus Loves Me" and then if she needs more you add in "My God is So Big" or "Who is the King of the Jungle?" or "Jesus Loves the Little Children" or sometimes you sing them all.  But, she always stops - at least while your singing.

You love a good laugh.  Sometimes you get your laughs by picking at and pestering people, or sometimes you tell jokes, but most times you're just Camden.  The things you say make me laugh every day.  Your four-year-old sense of logic cracks me up and the questions you come up with blow my mind.

Your most favorite thing to play, for the moment, is superheroes.  You and your brothers put on your costumes every day and run around the house staging battle after battle.  You love to be Batman and chose a Batman birthday party.  But, you also like to be Iron Man, SpiderMan, and Bumblebee.  You'll come out in your Batman costume and ask if I know who you are - and then you'll rip off the mask and ask who you are THEN.  From Batman to Bruce Wayne or Iron Man to Tony Stark or SpiderMan to Peter Parker.  I think you and your brothers (and Daddy, too) know everything about every superhero and supervillan under the sun.  I just smile and nod a lot. ;)

You love having your cousins so close, but you miss our friends and family in Jacksonville (and you like to remind us that your brothers were born in MO, but you and Laney were born in Jax).  When we mention Rylee and Caleb, you still sometimes get that turned around with Caleb and Luke and you ask why Mrs. Ash-a-lee's house and Mr. Johnny's house and Aunt Le-lanne's house and Miss Kelly's house and Miss Megan's house are so far away?? 

You still sleep almost every night with your night-night, and you still suck your thumb at bedtime a lot, but not every day like you used to.  You are also starting to outgrow your afternoon nap, but Momma is hanging on to that for as long as I can.  The only thing we've established in that regard so far is that when your 7 like, Ayden you won't have to take naps anymore.

You are a good helper, especially when its just you and me.  You don't like to clean up on your own, but if I help you, you hop to it.  And, you love to be in the kitchen with me, watching and/or helping me cook.  But you think we need to get a boy apron for you to wear like Grammy has.

In the fall, you and I are going to be doing preschool at home, and we are both getting pretty excited about it.  I'm looking forward to one more year at home with you before you go to school.  Its fun to get to plan themes that I know you'll enjoy.

You have learned so much this last year and you have grown so much.  You really are a good, big boy.  I love you so much, Camden Isaiah.  My prayer for you this year is that you will always love church as much as you do now, that you will learn and grow and have a passion for Jesus, that you will always have a tender heart under your tough exterior, and that I will cherish this time with you.

Happy Birthday, Cams!!
Love,
Mama