Four.

Dear Camden,

Today you are four.

 1. 2. 3. 4!

Your very first request after we woke you up and sang Happy Birthday to you was to snuggle with Mama.  Four years full already, but I'll never get enough snuggles with you and I guess you still feel the same.


You have been eagerly, not patiently, waiting for your birthday to come.  I think we've been counting down to it since the day after Christmas and almost every day you reminded us that you wanted the pushing Dusty for your birthday.  Good thing I got it on sale at Christmas time and stowed it away until your big day.  All the days of you asking for it and I still don't think you knew we would actually get it for you. You were thrilled to find it waiting by your breakfast plate.


After snuggles and opening your gift we had your traditional birthday donut breakfast.  You kept exclaiming over the excitement of donuts and all the Disney planes decorations I put up for you the night before.  You are starting to learn that we do birthdays big in our house.


This year we knew what you really wanted for your birthday - "go to the store!" so we purposely only bought you one gift.  Then we headed to Toys R Us to let you shop for the rest of your gifts yourself.  I love this awkward smile - not only are you in a weird smile phase, but this was your "Okay take the picture so I can get back to all these toys" face.  We were in there a long time before you finally chose your four gifts.  It was an eclectic mix of a Toy Story play set, Hot Wheels tracks, and Planes toys.


By the time we finished shopping we were overdue for lunch.  When we asked you what you wanted, you replied, "the yummy chicken".  A little more questioning revealed that what you wanted was teriyaki chicken from Pei Wei.  We all love it there so everyone was happy with your choice!


When you finished your lunch, you requested Cold Stone and the playground which are in the same shopping center.  It's your birthday after all so we happily agreed.  You picked cotton candy, chocolate, and marshmallows.  I can't think of a mix that better sums you up at the age of four - sweet, wild and cuddly.

We let you guys play on the playground a bit before we headed back home for a nap.  You spent the rest of the day happily playing with all your new things.  Of course that night for dinner you had chicken nuggets, followed by chocolate cake.  This year you wanted to buy a chocolate cake for your birthday and you picked out this snazzy number.  We added some of your new Planes to it per your request.


We were being treated to a chorus of, "WE WANT CAKE!"


Then it's cake you shall have!  I have always loved the moment when TG rounds the corner out of the kitchen with their cakes.  Their faces are always full of such innocent joy over something as simple as a cake all aglow.  I can't ever quite capture it on film.


You wished to go to the moon.  It's an inside joke we have, but I think you might believe it's real.


MMMM CAKE!


We all love you so much Camden.  I don't think you have any way of knowing just how adored you are by everyone in our family.  You are the happiest, sweetest, funniest little guy.  You are the first to share your things, the first to console one of us if we're hurt or sad, and the one that can make all of us smile, no matter the circumstance.

I can't believe that when we moved into this home, you were just a tiny newborn, not even two months old.  4 years...don't they go by in a flash?   My heart clenches even now reflecting on the passage of time and how quickly you've grown and how much faster everyone says the next years go.  I am so thankful to be along for the ride.

I am so proud to be your Mom and I love you very much.  Happy, happy, happy birthday Camden.