Growth & Appearance:
Your hair is halfway down your back and you’re mistaken for a girl 99% of the time. In fact, you’re called a girl even when we lead in with introducing you as a boy.Your hair is usually filthy with dried yogurt caked in it somewhere. You’re still blond but your hair seems darker than I remember your brothers being.

You have your dad’s legs and feet; meaning your knees meet in the middle but your feet do not and your feet are as flat as flippers.

Your finger is most always in your nose. Especially when you’re nervous.

You have a big, infectious smile and plump lips.

Sleeping:

When it comes to sleeping, you’re our worst kid yet. I realize now just how lucky we were with your brothers’ sleeping patterns. You have an affinity for waking up at 4am, requesting yogurt. Some nights we hear you downstairs, opening the fridge and clinking the spoons around.

We moved you into your own room because you sleep patterns are different and it wasn’t benefiting any of us by having you share a room with your brothers.

We waited way too long to move you out of the crib. You were sleeping in the pack n’ play for a while too, after the ol’ mattress on the floor trick didn’t work. You’re now in your very own full-size bed. You’re the youngest and yet you have your own room and the biggest bed, not sure how that happened.

Putting you to sleep is a nightmare most nights; like a game of whack-a-mole. Always with periods of exceptions. Most nights we give you a phone and let you watch videos until you pass out because that’s just been the easiest way and when you’re exhausted and have nothing more to give, you rely on bad habits. We’ll work our way out of that maze we walked into when the time is right; for now, it’s not a battle worth picking. We’re just happy we’ve gotten you out of our bed, in your own room. Step by step, day by day.

I put you to bed around 8pm but we play whack-a-mole until 10pm or even 11pm some nights. You usually get up after your brothers, after 7am.

Getting you to nap is a nightmare as well. Not worth the struggle, despite the fact you’re tired and need it. When I can, I put you in the car and wait for you to fall asleep and then take the older boys to skate park and let you sleep while they skate. Makes for a more enjoyable rest of the day.

Eating:

You’re a french fry fiend. If there’s a fruit alternative, we go for it because if there’s fries on your plate, they’re all you have eyes for.

Other things you like: broccoli, yogurt (all day, everyday, multiple times a day), avocados, bananas, strawberries, blueberries. Basically fruits and some vegetables.

I was hired by Danone to shoot some pictures of you eating yogurt, seemed fitting. There are now pictures of you eating yogurt in Spain.

You’re a fairly good eater otherwise but you require assistance; the foods above you’ll happily help yourself with… everything else requires some sort of manipulation, pleading, distraction, silver spoon… you get the idea.

Development:

Previously, when we asked you for a kiss, you would press your lips to our face for a quick second. Now we ask for a ‘kiss with noise’ and you do the same with an added exaggerated smooch.

You spent the first two years, and then some, exercising your ability to make ears bleed with your screams. We’ve had to walk out of restaurants, grocery stores, amusement park lines, and everywhere in-between. I’m happy to report that those days are more-or-less a thing of the past… with exceptions.

You appear to be left handed, like Hooper. But I still notice you throw mostly right.

For the most part you play independently. You have a good imagination and give voices to different characters.

Potty training was a nightmare. We finally got you your own little potty and you seem to be picking it up.