Will at 4 . . .

• thinks getting messy is an important part of having fun
• has an excellent sense of humor. "That was just a joke, Mommy! I am just being silly."
• creates tents and forts with sheets, blankets, and chairs.
• digs in the sand and dirt.
• pedals a bike.
• asks hundreds of questions daily.
• protects and comforts Quinn.
• adds "actually" and "of course" into any conversation when it seems fit.
• posesses an excellent work ethic. "Digging for a foundation" or "fixing a water main break" is serious business for Will.
• helps with the laundry. The favorite part being removing the "blint" from the dryer.
• gives daily fashion advice to Daddy. "Daddy, you not can wear that tie with that shirt because blue and white don't go together."
• sings songs from Music Together, Sibling Fun, Shining Rivers, and of his own creation.
• plans to drive a big excavator someday.
• dreams of living in a tree house.
• builds drills, cranes, and houses from Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys.
• will listen to books until Mommy's voice gives out, and then takes the stack of books to Grandma to read.
• designs railroad layouts for Quinn's trains.
• climbs trees, "Daddy mountain," and up slides.
• tells stories like Miss Michiyo.
• cares for mice Ralph and Mortimer by feeding them treats, cleaning their cage, and giving them kisses.
• prints his first name.
• relishes food especially kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, and chocolate.
• performs "tricks" on the swingset.
• conducts music class like Ms. Julie.
• favors the colors pink and red.
• skips rocks in the creek.
• splashes in the puddles during a rainstorm.
• recites random lines from favorite books . . . "ooey, gooey jam to spread," "deep in Bear Country," "all full of muck and mud," "engine, engine number 9."
• adores his Grandma.
• wants pet rats.
• imagines he is being chased by a bear.
• wears size 6/7.
• worries about losing his curls.
• hikes through the woods taking time to notice the wildlife.
• wakes me during the night to share dreams. "Mom, I dreamed a dinosaur was chasing me." "In my dream I was driving a backhoe loader."
• sets up the Little People "city" putting the farm animals in their proper barn stalls and the zoo animals each in their enclosures.
• searches the skies for red tailed hawks and airplanes.
• points out trucks for Quinn to see while riding in the car.
• looks forward to another season of t-ball.
• "fixes" things with his tools.
• runs barefoot.
• says, "I am getting bigger because I have mice, I can buckle my carseat, and people keep telling me I am growing sooo tall."
• is growing up right before my eyes, and it is oh so bittersweet.