I say suddenly, but it's taken me ages to write this tale.
(So Grandparents, you have not missed a birthday, panic not).
However BabyBoy3 turning four came as a bit of a shock.
Not so much that he was four. I can read a calendar. I was there at the birth (eating biscuits with the midwives and guzzling tea WHILST Mrs. Amazing was being amazing and an absolute legend, and actually doing real magic of creating a person from her body, for the third time, the hat trick!).
I knew BabyBoy3 was soon to be plus one, i.e. BabyBoy4.
(Despite being told not to jump on the bed...
The birthday excitement was too much for BabyBoy3/4
Ow.)
Still SHEESH!
It was quite a shock when it finally hit home that he was four.
To think that all my babies had grown up and the toddler years, the nappy years, all those joyous and weird and pooey wonderful days were done. It was quite a jolt to the noggin.
The tipping point in my wibbly wobbly mind was his birthday party.
We had been brave and done the party at home again...
Right, that's all the knives, guns, shotguns, nukes, missiles, swords, daggers, breakables, fragiles, hot things, cold things, poisonous things, toxic things, stuff that gets stuck to your clothes and is a right pain to wash off, secret things and tiny things that are really collectable so that they don't go '''missing'''
Mrs. Amazing: 'So you started with Boy11's room then?'
Uh huh <Takes off full nuclear suit>
Miss7's room next...
<Opens Miss7's door>
<Sparkles and glitter waft out>
<Enters cautiously, but is quickly hog-tied in devious trap>
We did think about hiring someone for the party.
Or booking a room and then hiring someone. But then I remembered that all costs crap loads of money. And actually a small gang of four old's, surrounded by their parents, probably weren't going to cause Team Parent (yay!) to much trouble.
We've done it twice before. We have two elder children. We've earned our stripes.
We can do this.
[Both lying broken and battered two hours later]
[Both lying broken and battered two hours later]
Mrs. Amazing: 'Urhghhh... Soooo tired...pass the wine...'
<Is slugging wine from bottle>
<Empties bottle, gets another>
Mrs. Amazing: 'When you're done... any chocolate?'
<Points as is slugging>
Mrs. Amazing: 'You've eaten five bars already???'
<Is slugging but manages to nod>
And we did.
We did it. The party was awesome fun! BabyBoy4 had a really good time, and it was lovely to watch him play with his friends. Who are all quite, quite, mad, but lovely and fun and happy. They were all so sweet.
BabyBoy4 loved every moment of it and we got to be involved with it all. Brilliant.
Boy10 helped out. Miss7 helped too. BabyBoy4 could not have felt more loved.
Good.
There was an issue.
A confusion over the theme of the party. Which was a bit of a problem.
When I spoke to BabyBoy3 he clearly wanted a pirate themed party. But when Team Parent (yay!) met to discuss the party, Mrs. Amazing revealed BabyBoy3 had requested a Frog themed party. Obvs. We arm wrestled for it.
Frog party it was.
And the Cake as by Mrs. Amazing was awesome.
(When we were out and Grandma was over babysitting…
She gave BabyBoy4 a whole frog to eat…
They are solid icing…
<Gives you a look>)
BabyBoy3's 4th birthday.
Was the most eagerly awaited birthday I have ever know (except the Queens as we all got a day off). BabyBoy3 asked for ages about when his birthday was. Months and months we were asked about his birthday and when it was...
BabyBoy3: 'Is it tomorrow?'
No mate, months away...
BabyBoy3: 'Is it tomorrow tomorrow?'
No. Mooooooonths away...
BabyBoy3: 'No, no. Is it lots of tomorrow tomorrows?'
Kind of... Look you see how it's cold and dark out?
BabyBoy3: <Smiles as very lost>
Well when the sun comes out, it's close to your birthday
[Next day sun denying all seasonal expectations, comes out]
BabyBoy3: 'YAY! It's my birthday!!!' <Does in your face dance, which he learnt from me Boy11>
Right... No... When I said it was when the sun comes out...
[There are tears]
The other two.
Looked forward to their birthdays, sure. Every year, as is the tradition.
But BabyBoy3 was really excited about it. Months and months before it was going happen.
I blame Miss7 for constantly reminding him his birthday was soon, but not too soon.
But hey that's the fun of having siblings in your life.
<Coughs> fun.
Anyhoo...
Here's my amusing list of things about BabyBoy3 that in future I'll look back on and blackmail him about with a smile and a tear in my heart as my little dude has grown into a big boy.
<Vomits>
As normal I shall avoiding all the obvious stuff, like he's awesome, he's nice and just give you juicy Matt and Luke goss...
1. BabyBoy3 blocks the toilet up the most.
No he isn't a bear. He doesn't block it like that.
Instead BabyBoy3 is extremely generous with the toilet paper he uses. Every time.
We no longer watch him as he does it on his own. And as this is the third child Team Parent (yay!) have taught to wipe.
Just the fact he does it fills up with happiness and joy. So nice NOT to be involved in all the business anymore.
Yet the mornings I've dragged myself out of bed, stomped to my throne, only to find a basin full of water.
Well there's been a lot.
Twice I have found a whole roll wedge down there.
Brilliant.
2. BabyBoy3 is the master of apologies
Or I am the biggest sucker to that little boy...
BabyBoy3: 'Sorwe Daddy. Sorwe Daddy' <Saddest little cute 'I've learnt my lesson totes' face>
That's OK dude... Just try to avoid it next time...
BabyBoy3: <Biggest eyes you ever seen>
Have a cuddle
BabyBoy3: <Cuddles me>
You want a present?
BabyBoy3: <Nods>
3. BabyBoy3 can't play Mario Kart
Oh sure this isn't a world breaker. It's not the end of the world.
Really it's not going to stop him in life in anyway.
And yet... As I watch him play. He really can't do it. The brain connections that say wall-avoid just are not there. Bash bash bash into the wall he goes. I'd like him to be better. Ah well, give him time.
Still it doesn't stop him demanding to play every now and then...
So dude what ya wanna do?
BabyBoy3: 'Car racing game!!!' <Bounces about>
But you suck? You sure? It always makes you cross and bored?
BabyBoy3: 'BRRRRRMMMMM' <Gets gaming cushions>
Fine...
4. Our song has changed.
If you read this blog enough you may well have noticed that me and BabyBoy3, have a song.
(Which I still ain't telling you what it is). That I sing to him as I put him to bed every night.
Recently he declared that our song is no longer wanted. -I wept for hours.-
Not wanting to let go of this special bond I had very carefully set up. I changed tack and asked him what song he would like to sing instead.
And then I had the genius idea that I could teach him the words of a song, and how to sing it at the same. A three year old that could sing in tune, what a blessing that would be!
A Disney favourite was chosen (I still ain't saying) and that's what we sing together, slowly so he can learn it, every night.
He loves it almost as much as I do.
5. You can call him Spider-Boy now.
And Buzz Lightyear. And BatBoy. And Robin. And <Giggles> Woody. Basically whatever he is wearing you can now call him.
Which may not sound like much. But for the past three and a lot years you would be told off by BabyBoy3 for that kind of outrageous comment...
<Is looking at BabyBoy3 dressed as Batman> Hey Batman!
BabyBoy3: 'THAT'S NOT MY NAME. I'M BABYBOY3!'
OK mate... <Runs>
My fierce, bonkers, little spider-boy.
6. It's Daddy! YAY!
No one is happier to see me arrive home than BabyBoy3. No one.
If I could bottle this bit of BabyBoy3 I would, and keep it forever. He actually says yay too.
Outloud. Yay.
When BabyBoy3 hears me come home, he leaps up from whatever he is doing, and runs to the door to see me. Even if it's just to shout 'Come see Daddy' and then he legs it off again.
It's possibly the best feeling to have someone so excited you're home. And I shall revel in it whilst it lasts. As the others? … Not so much anymore...
I'm home!
Boy11: <Eyelids flicker in recognition, barely>
Miss7: 'Hey Daddy' <Doesn't move>
Mrs. Amazing: 'Hi. Bye. They're all yours' <Runs out of the house>
BabyBoy3: 'DADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDY!' <Runs at me and hugs me>
<Has high voice> Dude! A bit more carefully next time. Lovely to see you!
<Walks off John Wayne style, eyes watering>
Wouldn't trade it.
7. BabyBoy3 is our most hitty child.
It's fine as he's got tiny little hands and no damage can be done. Still.
His kicks can pack a wallop though. Wincey wallop if you're not careful.
It's a mixture of him being very excited about everything in life, and him having very little spacial awareness.
It's also totally my fault.
As the Ninja training I do comes up a fair bit at home. I go once a week.
Sometimes I show him. We all watch Dragon Ball Z (which I am sure doesn't help). And although I did the exact same with Boy11 and showed him everything Ninja-ey I did.
I also had a lot more time back then. And I've kind of skipped over the part where I said to Boy11 a lot: you don't do any of this to your friends and family.
My bad! (I think BabyBoy4 rocks).
8. BabyBoy3 moves furniture.
The other two didn't do this.
Some mornings we try and go into BabyBoy3's room and well you can't.
As he's moved the bed in front of the door. Or the bed is sideways. His lamp is knocked on the floor. There's normally toys strewn everywhere and walking anywhere in the room is totes unsafe for any of Team Parent (yay!).
It's normally a morning thing he does whilst he waits for us to all wake up, and then wakes us all up at 6am anyway.
As for what time he gets up to do his furniture rearranging...
I shudder to think.
<Shudders>
See.
See.
9. BabyBoy3 disagrees with Team Parents (yay!) bedtimes for him.
He doesn't wail. He shout. He doesn't cry.
Sometimes he lays there singing to himself, or playing with toys in his bed.
Other times runs about and steals stuff from Boy11's room. Or Miss7's. Or our room.
It's like living with a magpie.
And it's not as though he’s quiet about it, THUD THUD go his little feet across the ceiling as Team Parent (yay!) turn the tele up and pretend he's fast asleep....
You go
Mrs. Amazing: 'I don't want to'
He just hides under his covers when I go up, and giggles
Mrs. Amazing: 'He just hugs and kisses me and tells me lots of things'
Arm wrestle? Oh no... wait... Mario Kart contest instead!
[After]
Damn it! <Trudges upstairs to find BabyBoy3 moving all my clothes into his room>
10. BabyBoy3 is still the happiest little fella ever.
OK probably not ever. But compared to the other two. He's well ahead.
I am really, really, really, glad that BabyBoy3 still has this about him. I wrote about it on his third birthday. At the time wondering if it was just because he was young and little and hella cute. A bit of me worried that as he grew up his wonderful attitude to life would slowly be stripped away. BUT IT HASN'T!
He's still the happy go-lucky dude he's always been. He just seems to be happy to be here, existing. Which is something I shall always aspire to.
BabyBoy3 you were utterly brilliant. Thank you.
I can’t wait for more matey.
X
(BabyBoy3: ‘Can I eat my lunch in my den?’
… Hmmm… Yeah!
I see no problem with that!
[Later, whilst cleaning sofa]
... I see problems with that...