Patrick's 4th birthday - how can it be?

Patrick’s Favorites at 4
Food – pancakes, ketchup and green beans
Movie – Spiderman 3, Black Spiderman is his favorite character
Colors – Red and Green
Song – the original Spiderman theme song – yes, he knows the words

He LOVES to dress up in costumes. And for a 4 year old boy, he has a lot. Red Spiderman, Black Spiderman, Jedi cape, chef’s apron and hat, explorer hat, blue super hero cape and mask, red super hero cape a mask. And he got a Darth Vader costume complete with “breathing voice” box for his birthday. And the first thing he does when he gets home is change into one of them. I so enjoy watching his creativity and seeing what he can “become” using his imagination.

He is still listening to the same lullaby cd that we listened to since he was born. I guess it’s a nighttime comfort thing. And the crazy thing is – it’s not even the one I make for all my new mom’s as baby gifts. It’s “Guess How Much I Love You” the story and then lullabyes. I think I find as much comfort in it as he does. It reminds me of when he was little and we rocked and cuddled.

He’s gotten really good at stalling going to sleep. I usually shower after I put him in bed, but he’ll come in one or two times while I am showering to tell me “Mom, I love you. That’s it. Good night.” Then after my shower, I’ll sneak in and watch him. He talks to his Snoopy or his Hippo or reads books out loud. And finally falls asleep. Then I sneak in and kiss him. I wish I could still pick him up and cuddle when he is asleep, but his big boy bed it too tall for that.

We were at the gym last week and he saw the climbing wall. He decided he wanted to climb it. I went to ask the climbing wall guy how big you had to be to climb the wall and he said big enough to wear the harness. It was cinched up as small as it would go, but it fit. So he climbed the “big wall at the gym” as he calls it. I was disappointed I didn’t have my camera – but why would I at the gym. Next time we’re there (next week), I hope to get pictures of both of us climbing.

All last week I had been talking up his party and all his friends that were going to be there. Friday night I made the goody bags with the kids’ capes, masks and super hero arm bands. I had to shorten most of the arm bands, so I had lots of red, blue and yellow squares of paper. Patrick asked if he could have them so I said sure. I gathered them all together and then threw them up in the air and said “COMPARDY.” I think he was going for “confetti.” He got out his blocks and made me a cake and we pretended it was my birthday. Then he made me close my eyes to give me my presents – stacks of red, green, yellow and blue Legos that he said were Power Rangers. Just what I wanted.

I am so blessed by this little person Gad gave me. In all the ways he makes me laugh and brings out new parts of me I never knew were there. Say a special prayer today for Mr. Patrick Tye Codd.

Me and the birthday boy at Spiderman Park.

All the SUPER FRIENDS who were at the party. We missed you, Preston!