Tanner Turns Four

I started the day by telling Tanner all about the day he was born: How we dropped Jake off at Auntie Sue's house and headed to the hospital. How the nurses and doctors were so late getting started with the surgery. How Papa and Nana were worried because we hadn't called with any news by 10:30 and came to the hospital to make sure we were all OK. How he was so comfy there inside my tummy that they had to use suction to get him out during the c-section and how he came out with a BIG bump on his head that his Papa was so concerned would never go away. How we brought him home on Thanksgiving Day and ate turkey and all the trimmings that his Grandma Mary and Auntie Sue had prepared and brought to us in tupperware. I told him about how he used to love our heated bathroom floors in our old house and how he and I would sit in there in the middle of the night and doze since the floors comforted him. That seems like yesterday.....
So..... how is it that that little baby boy has turned into a big four year old???

We started the morning with a few family presents and the iPod was a HUGE hit. He had said repeatedly that he wants one like Jake has so we found a used old school nano on Craigslist a while back (a little beat up and not functioning perfectly, but perfect for the needs of a 4 year old!) and got him that and some new headphones from us. He listened to it a lot yesterday, dancing and singing along, telling us excitedly what song was on next. His favorite of the day being "If You're Out There". Grandma Mary sent him some very cool football jammies- complete with football slippers- and Auntie Sue gave him a Matchbox Car ramp set that is currently being utilized in the front room by all three of the kids. He is excited about the ant farm from Nana and I know he will love watching the ants (just as soon as we send away for them....). Papa sent him money which he decided to spend part of on a t-shirt at the State Championship football game on Friday night.

He had a party at the Merc with three of his preschool friends. It was low-key but I think the boys had a great time playing tackle football in the bouncy house. He had picked out nerf-like footballs to give out as "party favors" and those were the hit entertainment. He had pizza with his friends, loved the hockey players on the cake, and opened his presents excitedly. My mom and I were amazed how mellow everyone was- generally I think that 4 four-year old boys are way rowdier than they were.... but I'm not complaining! It was easy, fun, and most importantly: exactly what Tanner had wanted.

Of course, it wouldn't be fitting (in the scheme of the last 6 weeks) if everything went off without a hitch. Faith started complaining that she "had a throat" midday and by evening was running a fever, crying, and saying that her throat hurt. Ok... so I guess she didn't escape the strep outbreak unscathed.