4 Going On 1,000

Life has been pretty stinking amazing lately.

I continue to worry about when my affectionate little boy will become a "don't kiss me in public!" kid... and every milestone is another reason to worry. But just days after his 4th birthday, he is sweeter than ever.

He tells me a few dozen times a day, "Mommy, I want to stay like this forever" as he hugs me or cuddles at bedtime. He holds my hand happily in public. He lavished kisses on me and doesn't seem to care who is around. And he still screams with happiness when I appear in the doorway at preschool to pick him up - and he about tackles me to the ground with a huge hug - the best moment of every day.

Although one big thing DID change at the 4-year milestone: His taste buds. All of a sudden, he is eating broccoli and asparagus happily without even a tiny complaint. Tonight we're trying brussel sprouts just for fun.

Daniel has been talking more about growing up and getting bigger. He wants to be 100 or 1,000 years old still, and seems to think that as he ages, I will get younger. He frequently tells me that when he is a hundred, he will take care of me as a baby. We had a brief set back when his desire to grow up last week when growing pains hit with a vengeance. He sobbed quietly on his bed, holding his legs, crying "I don't want to get bigger! I want to stay small!!!" But the next morning he was back to his old aspirations of being 1,000 years old.

Recently, Ms. Stephanie came to visit again (always a favorite of the kids!). She took some amazing family photos of us, and I'm so grateful to her for capturing this magical time in our lives. Enjoy... these are some of my favorites.