Almost Five

Cooper is 4 in this photo and  Frank was 7 in this photo.

In under a month, my oldest will turn five! I can't believe it! It really is so true that time just goes so much faster as we get older, but I think having kids makes it go 10 times faster. So I don't forget my wonderful Cooper just the way he is now, I'm writing a letter.

Dear Cooper,

It is January 2014, and in just under a month, you will turn five! I honestly can't believe how grown up you are all of a sudden.

Lately, when you draw pictures, you have started being able to really spell your whole name correctly each time and recognize the letters from your name in books so well. When we watch movies/shows together, you somehow absorb sayings/quotes surprisingly well, and use them in our ordinary conversations perfectly which always surprises your dad and I.  

When we go climbing on the weekends, you really enjoy climbing now and have so much energy! You like to sing in the car with the music loud, and your favorite to rock out to right now is Lorde.

You love to teach us new German words and are singing little German songs so well now. A favorite is the train song you want us to always do before we eat dinner where we grab onto each other and choo choo around the room.

Your sense of humor at your age is really so developed, you keep dad and me smiling quite often, and usually get us to bust out laughing at the dinner table with your jokes or stories. Sometimes just being your literal four year old self, its hard for us to contain ourselves. Just the other day we were asking you who you'd like to invite to your birthday party. You mentioned a little girl's name, and I asked what she looked like, if she was the cute little black girl I always see when I pick you up, and you said, "um, yeah, but she's not really black, she is kinda brown".  Sure thing, I stand corrected.

Some things you still say so funny and cute, that I almost don't want to correct you and lose those cute mispronunciations!

- Copasina = Thomasina
- fassert = dessert
- esperiment - experiment

I cherish most our cuddling time in bed together each night. Books, fruit, and stories tickled on your back. Plus  you give dad and I bunches of kisses and hugs before bed. Frank mentioned the other night they are finite and I need to cherish each one. I don't ever want you to stop giving me those hugs and kisses. You promised me once again the other night that when you are older and go to college, I can come live with you ;) and that we could go into business together and you'd stay living with us forever. You think we should all become bakers and make really good cakes and candy for people, because everybody loves cake and candy. I like the idea tremendously!

You are my special one and only Cooper. Very willful and headstrong, yet sweet and sensitive, smart as a whip and full of love. I love you so much and am so thankful you are mine each and every day.

Love momma.