Thoughts About Jackson Turning 4

In an effort to remember things about each kid at each age, I've been trying to do my 'thoughts' on each birthday.

So here are some random Jackson thoughts and some of my favorite 3-year-old pictures ...

I'll start with one picture that sums up who Jackson is ... and really, he's been this way for a long, long time.

I mean, would you look at that? I didn't tell him where to put the little pegs. He figured that all out on his own ... see all the red in a row. And then all the white. And oh mercy if they get mixed up.

Jackson, you are a boy of ... order... patterns ... You're methodical ... Particular... You have ideas and opinions. You know what you want.

You are easily excitable. Expressive.

You love trains -- still. Thomas and James and Percy and Gordon and others, too.

You play SO well alone. You just play and play. Very easy in that regard.

You have a great imagination and you do a lot of imaginary play. You make your trains talk to each other and you set up elaborate scenarios where James falls off the bridge and Thomas comes and rescues him. And those Troublesome Trucks do lots of crashing and making of trouble.

You love to cuddle. You are most definitely a Mama's Boy. You continue to randomly approach me and just say, "You're beautiful, Mommy. I love you." {And here are the keys to your new convertible young man. Stay out as late as you want. No curfew. And if you want to skip school tomorrow I'm good with that, too.}

You love Honey Bunches of Oats for breakfast. And vanilla yogurt is delicious to your little taste buds. And when you like something at supper you say, "This is a good recipe, Mommy." {And you proclaim the opposite when it's something you don't care for!}

You and Maddie bother each other incessantly, which drives me in sane. {Just keeping it real, folks.}

You absolutely LOVE books. I catch you very regularly {daily} snuggled up on the couch or in a corner, just sitting with your legs straight out, book on top of them, sucking your thumb and turning the pages ... I love that. Maddie has been a wonderful example to you of loving books and reading early. I have no doubt you'll begin the reading process soon. You have such an interest. And now that your little buddy Triston is reading {yes, he's a child prodigy!} you have picked up the books that he reads on the way home and you echo what he has said and you declare that you're reading, too. Soon my boy. Soon.

You pose for the camera regularly. You don't like messes and regularly ask for a napkin to wipe your hands and face and you never mind washing up before supper. You were DISGUSTED by sticking your hands into the pumpkin.

You are a funny boy, Jackson.

You consistently make me laugh. Why just last week when we were driving in the car you were asking me a question, wanting me to look at the book you were holding up. When I wouldn't look backwards at you, {because I was DRIVING} you kept saying, "Look, Mommy. Look here." And finally, in a fit of frustration, you raised your voice and said, "HEY, eyes up here!" Ya, I burst into load laughter. What 3 year old says that? And as I looked in the rear-view mirror you were holding up the book into the mirror pointing to where you wanted me to look! Hilarious. {And for the record, you must have learned that at school because I've never used that line once. But I just might steal it. It seemed to strike a chord in you!}

You still love your blue blanket. We have pushed for no fuzz anymore, but whenever you find a little bit you snuggle it like it's your long-lost-best-friend-EVER. Or in the case below, you just stick it in a special place so it doesn't get lost! You love riding your new bicycle. You are proud that you are four and from the minute you turned four you began wondering when you would be five.

You still suck your thumb and you need to be done with that. Which means I need to get better at enforcing that. Which is high maintenance. And we all know that I'm not so good at high maintenance stuff.

You are a joy and a delight.

You love taking baths, and most recently, showers. {And for the record I wish I had your six-pack abs. Rock solid.}

You absolutely make me into a pile of mush ... as I tell you often, "I could just EAT.YOU.UP."

Buddy, Mommy loves you with a love that is not explainable. I would die for you, just as I would for Maddie. And when I stop to consider that my love pales in comparison to the love that Jesus has for you that blows my mind. By loving you and understanding that depth of love, it gives me a greater understanding of the love that Jesus has for each of us.

My prayer for you this, your fourth year, is that you would learn more about Jesus. That you would soak up the stories in the Bible. That you would ask questions about God and Jesus and that you would be developing character and integrity and Biblical principles, even at this young age. I pray, even now, that some day you would be BOLD in your faith. That you would unashamedly choose to follow Jesus Christ. That you would have a heart to help others. That you would choose kindness and selfless living. That you would live a life of joy that comes from loving Jesus. I think God has big things planned for you, buddy.

I love you 'too' much, Buddy bud!