Dear Lucas (47 Months & 1 Day),

I woke up Saturday and automatically realized that you now have one month until your birthday and I actually started to cry (not an ugly cry or anything like that but there were a few tears.) I guess since you are our only kid I'm not quite ready for you to grow up. Four just seems so old and grown up to me, especially in all the ways you've been growing lately.

A month ago we started potty training you (for the 100th time) and knock on wood, but this time it seems to have stuck. Staying home and not going ANYWHERE and not doing ANYTHING really helped. The biggest thing that got you potty trained though is playing to your SUPER competitive nature. Anytime that you resisted going to the bathroom all I had to do was say "I'm going to pee first. I'm going to beat you" and you would drop whatever you were doing and race to get to the bathroom first. This of course though lead to quite the awkward conversations where you asked why I didn't have a penis and when I explained about the whole difference between girls and boys all you wanted to do was ask questions about "Chinas" as you call them. I am just glad that you are FINALLY out of diapers during the day. FINALLY!!!

I am beyond thrilled that you are potty training success but I am most excited about your new found love of letters and words. A few weeks ago I was flipping through some of your pictures and noticed that you had letters randomly written all over the papers. So I asked if you wanted me to write out your name for you and you copied it easily. From there you ask us to write out words for you all the time. You also use your fridge magnet letters to spell out three letter words you know. I can't take ANY credit for you learning your letters. You did it on your own. I am quite impressed and extremely proud! Now I don't feel so bad about you not getting a spot in Pre-K next year.

You are now tall enough to stand in the shallow end of although it took some MAJOR convincing for you to try. You are such a water baby but you love the safety of your floaties. The day you finally got brave enough to stretch out your feet and touch the bottom you were so proud. You said "Mommy I did it! I'm growing bigger! I was brave like God!" Anytime you are scared you quote the bible verse you learned at Church, "Be Strong and brave, because God is with you." Sometimes you also like to quote it in the funniest moments. One day you were having a pillow fight with your Great Uncle Oggie and as you were whacking him with a pillow you yelled "GOD IS WITH ME!"

You really do enjoy going to church. This morning when I asked if you were ready to go you answered me with a loud and excited,"YES!" Every question I asked you this morning you answered in the same way. Then you told me, "I'm excited to go to church. I'm excited like Maybe!" That made me laugh. Maybe is your Grandparents dog that gets so excited that not only does her tail wag but her whole back end. Sometimes she looks like she is drunk when she tries to walk because her tail and rear are going side to side and she can't walk straight. If you get hit by her tail it can really hurt and I am pretty sure it is a registered weapon in most states. You have a love hate relationship with that dog. Sometimes you claim that you don't like her and are scared of her then I'll catch you laying on her and kissing her or even locking yourself in her kennel with her.

You and your Dad are two peas in a pod. You really adore him and I hope you guys are always close. Sometimes you wake up and ask for your Dad but he is at work and you'll tell me "I wish Daddy was home and not at work." I promise you he would rather be home with you too. (By the way, you still think your Dad works as a bubble gum maker.) Your Daddy is wonderful and I am so very thankful that he works so hard for our family. He is the one that made it possible for me to get to stay home with you these last few years.

Little Boo, I love you to the moon and back,

Mama