Nate is 4!

We celebrated a birthday around here not too long ago. Nate turned 4.  I think he had a fun day.  [Sidenote: I've noticed a trend in my birthday posts that I've decided needs to end today.  Pretty much every time, I say something about the celebration being "low-key" in an apologetic way.  This is how we do birthdays and I need to stop feeling bad about it!  I think our kids are doing alright so we're good.]  

Back to Nate...we started off the day like we normally do--decorating with balloons and streamers before he woke up.  The girls loved helping with that.  He wanted German pancakes with raspberries so that was a tasty breakfast.  Then it was off to work and school for Joe and the girls.  We had some fun time together.  I really love my mornings with my boys.  Sometimes mornings are mostly spent cleaning up the breakfast/lunch-packing/last-night's-dinner mess or trying in vain to get jobs done (see last post) but I do love it nonetheless.  

We had fun meeting Joe for lunch at (where else?) McDonald's.

(pay no attention to that guy in the background...I'm too lazy to crop these)

Later we had his birthday dinner (roast beef with corn on the cob and rosemary bread; he was this close to deciding to have tacos for dinner...).  Then it was present time.

All I could get out of him that he really wanted was more light sabers.  So, he did indeed get another one--a purple Mace Windu one this time.  He was excited that it actually lights up and makes noise.  That brings the total up to 5 light sabers!  Crazy kid.

His sisters picked out a cool foam sword that was a big hit.  I love these pictures of him opening it:

He also got these great books that he loves:

I just love these expressions:

Time for cake and ice cream!  Nate decided on a chocolate Yoda cake:

I still can't believe he's 4.  I just love this guy.  He make me happy every day.  He's in a fun stage right now because he's getting older and learning tons, but he still says or does adorable things all the time.  He's just so fun to watch.  I love when he gets in his crazy energy modes and starts jumping around like crazy chasing his football or whatever, trying to drop kick it and catch it, too.  We call this game "Poo-yah".  

We got cable recently (for the BYU football season) and what have we done?  Watched a lot of really quality TV--like Full House reruns and many episodes of American Ninja Warrior.  Our kids love that show.  Nate proceeded to come up with his own version of the jumping spider:

Nate is getting to be a better reader.  He loves sitting in the front seat next to me while we wait to get the girls from school.  He always wants me to write words so he can sound them out.  Unfortunately, he doesn't love trying to read sentences in an actual book.  We did get him through one BOB book but now he refuses.  I'll take interest where I can get it, though.  He also loves counting on his fingers to figure out math problems.  I am dearly hoping his love of math will last longer than the girls' did.

He's a great artist.  He drew this self-portrait the other day for Joe that I just loved:

I love how he drew his hat and the huge F.

He is very imaginative and is great at coming up with all sorts of games for us, often involving goo monsters.  He knows I don't love pretending to kill things so he'll change it for my sake to putting people in jail and making sure they don't escape.  

He can still be quite sensitive at times if he gets his feelings hurt.  He has mastered the pout, too, and does it a lot.  Sometimes I can't help but laugh at his big ol' pouty lips, though.  It's too cute.  He really hates when I do that. :)

He is such a great big brother to Elijah.  Now that Elijah is bigger, he's not quite as gentle with him as I'd like. Sometimes he'll just start bothering him to get him to cry.  I think it's more curiosity on Nate's part than ill will.  I guess that's what big brothers are for.  Wrestling around...

Elijah sure seems to love it.

I love this series.  They are brothers for sure!

It's going to be fun watching them grow up together. I'm so blessed to be a part of it.

We sure love our Nate!