Dear Ian,
You are growing up too fast! You are 4 years old and brought us another year of joy, laughter and I have to say, some aggravation. Oh how you have grown and matured in the past year.
You loved to sing and knew many songs during the first half of this year. For the second half of the year, you love to dance to hot music more than singing. You like to create a disco-like atmosphere by turning off all the lights and just leaving a particularly dim light on. Then, you pick a CD; put it in the player and dance like crazy. Your dances are very groovy, sometimes you dance like a super hero, sometimes you dance like kung fu fighting.
You are still as particular as ever. I have to ask your permission to rearrange your toys and almost always never get to do it my way. You are very clear minded and know exactly what you want. You are a great helper around the house. You are such a hard worker and you pretend to mow the lawn and vacuum with your toy vacuum. You help me clean the table, dust, change batteries, mop, peel carrots, sweep the floor, bake cup cakes and lots more house chores. However, you end up creating more work for me to do after you help. You love to help wash the car and end up dominating the spray nozzle. You also love gardening and don’t mind planting some new seeds or watering your plants even in the hot summer months.
Last year, we were bragging about you being so good that you did not want to buy toys when we brought you to the toy store. This year, you want to buy every single thing from every single aisle. You are also good about using the word “need” (as in “I need to buy this”) instead of the word “want”. However, you almost never get to buy anything that you “need”, hehehe. We try to tell you that we do not buy something every time we go to the store and only buy things that we need.
Last year, you were quite reserved when you were outside of our home. This year, you have become more sociable and get comfortable easily outside.
I can’t even describe how crazy and totally in love you are about your favorite character, Lightning McQueen. You absolutely cannot share McQueen with anyone. You said “No one can have or buy McQueen because he is very very very very very very very very very important”. You kiss McQueen whenever you see the car. You kiss the TV when you see McQueen on TV. You kiss a card if McQueen is on it. You always ask me to take you to see the real McQueen. You ask me where McQueen lives because you would like to send him a letter. I hope I can take you to see a real size McQueen some day.
You are still fascinated with rotating equipment and likes wheels, gears, and especially fans.
This year, I truly enjoy having conversations with you. Your mixture of seriousness and childishness makes me laugh all the time. Here are some of the funniest things that we talk about.
Ian: When I grow up, I want to be God.
Mama: Oh really, why do you want to be God.
Ian: Because God is good
Ian: Do I have a wife (in his words: lau po)?
Mama: Not yet, but when you grow up, you will have one. Who do you want to be your wife?
Ian: McQueen
I once told Ian that he is God’s gift to me.
Ian: Why am I a gift?
Mama: Because you are God’s gift to me.
Ian: I am not a gift. I am a human.
Ian: Why does Megan not have any teeth? Did she eat too much candy and lost them? Or are her teeth not grown yet?
Ian: Does Jesus have a car?
Ian: Why is Megan’s butt in the front?
Mama: Are our hearts big or small?
Ian: Small
Mama: Where are our hearts located?
Ian: In my tummy but I am not sure because I have not seen it before.
One day, I made some yucca root to be dipped in sugar for Ian. My mom used to make me that when I was young and it has been a while since I ate some. So…
Mama: Can you share a piece with me?
Ian: No
Mama: But I would like to have some?
Ian: Are you hungry? (I thought he was going to give me some if I said I was hungry. )
Mama: Yes
Ian: OK, if you are hungry, go find something else to eat.
Mama: Speechless :-0
Here are some your favorites…
Favorite thing – Lightning McQueen
Favorite food – Ice cream, broccoli, grapes, hamburger, spaghetti, cup cakes
Favorite drink – Soymilk and juice
Favorite friend – Lightning McQueen
It was a tough and sweet year for you as your little sister Megan joined us. It was tough for you because you used to have all my time and now you have to share my time with Megan. It is sweet for you because you love your sister and love to be the older, wiser and more powerful big brother. All in all, I am extremely proud of you because I think you have done so well with receiving Megan.
Your skin still requires high maintenance. Thank God that you can eat chicken this year. So, we still have milk, eggs, peanut and sesame to work with.
As always, we hope and pray that God will always lead your footsteps and always protect you. We love you and are so proud of you! Happy 4th Birthday!
Love,
Papa Mama
P.S. Decorating McQueen on the cake turned out to be a lot more challenging than I thought. When the cake was done, you asked me why McQueen looked more like a minivan than a race car. Nonetheless, you told me that you liked it, whew.....
And Ian is 4...
