Happy Birthday Pete!

Happy 4th Birthday to our sweet, sweet Pete! Pete is growing up way too quickly and sometimes looks like such a big boy it makes my heart hurt.  I cannot believe he is 4! He has been so excited to be “2+2” for so long and has been asking about his birthday for weeks. I think it made Pat and I equally as excited for his big day!

IMG_1869I find it very difficult to adequately capture Pete with words … he is just this amazing little boy with such a big personality that I feel like writing about him will never do him justice. You have to experience him to understand him, if that makes any sense. Pete is a great kid. He can be oh-so-challenging at times because he is precocious,  incredibly stubborn (no idea where he gets that from), opinionated and sometimes just too smart. But Pete is also one of the kindest, most caring, empathetic people I know. He cares so deeply about people, his animals and toys and the creatures he imagines. He is the best big brother I could imagine to James because he truly loves him and wants the best for him. We joke that he is “parent #3” because he often yells out “baby electric!” or “baby at the water bowl!” when James is getting into mischief.

Pete is a chatterbox. There are days and nights that he never stops talking (literally, never) and Pat and I just look at each other and sigh smile because we cannot keep up with his train of thought. He’ll talk all through his bedtime routine, while we’re reading books and singing and sometimes he’s still talking as we close his door and say goodnight. We’ll hear him talking to his animals and reading them stories and he often falls asleep mid-sentence. His imagination is incredible and he weaves these intricate stories that make complete sense to him and he is never not thinking about something or another. He is so inquisitive and I thank the creators of Google on a daily basis!

Some Pete-isms from his year as a three year old:

After putting Pete to bed and then walking back into his room:
Mama: Pete! I forgot to sing you songs!
Pete (on a fake phone): What’s that Mom? I’m on the phone.
Mama: Oh, sorry Pete.
Pete: That’s okay Mama (hangs up fake phone). I’ll just send them a text message.

After making a smoothie for himself (with Pat’s assistance):
Pete: Mmm, mmm, mmm … that is one good smoothie. Thanks, Pete, myself!

At his old school in RI:
Miss Kathy : Pete, do you want to ask Miss Jessica about that?
Pete (thoughtful for a moment): No. That actually won’t be necessary.

After we moved into our new house:
Pete: Sigh. Oh Mama. How do you think our old neighbors are doing without us? Maybe we can bring them flowers to make them feel better for missing us.

About 5-6 months after Jimbo was born:
Pete: Well Mama, I’m not new new like James, but I’m still kinda new.

After hearing a loud crash on the stairs:
Mama: (holding my breath)
Pete: Hey mama?! I slipped coming down the stairs, but it’s ok. I caught myself before I braked a bone”

Getting ready to help Pat with yardwork outside:
Pete: Mama, I think we need some privacy here.
Mama (confused): Oh, okay. Why?
Pete (sighs and rolls his eyes): Oh mama, it’s just an expression.

Pete seems to possess a wisdom beyond his four short years. We often hear that he is an old soul, and I think I have to agree. He has this intangible quality about him that I find hard to even describe … I am absolutely fascinated by him on a daily basis.  We are so, so proud of Pete and I feel so incredibly lucky that I get to be his mother. He is just such a special little boy and has no idea how much joy he’s brought to Pat and I. When Brienna died, it was like someone turned out the lights … but then Pete came along and turned them back on for us. I’m not sure he will ever truly understand what a gift he is.  We love him so, so much and are excited to see what’s in store for our favorite four-year-old!

Touch A Truck

Pete is on vacation this week from preschool, so today we went to a “Touch-a-Truck” event to benefit one of the local schools that caters to kids with disabilities. I told Pete about it last night, so he was very excited. As soon as we parked, he unbuckled as fast as he could and was ready to leap out of the car. As we walked towards the event, he was jumping up and down proclaiming “this is going to be the best day EVER!!” It was pretty adorable!

We went to one of these in RI before, but Pete was hesitant to go on any of the trucks right away. Today, his friends Sadie and Liam were with us, so he had all the confidence in the world and bounced from truck to truck. He started on the fire truck, spent most of his time in the Police Prisoner Transport van (hopefully not at all indicative of the future!) and ended the day on a gigantic backhoe.

He informed me as the morning went on that he wouldn’t be smiling for any pictures “because it takes a long time for a smile to pop up” but I did finally capture one!

Pete - Touch A Truck 4/2015

Jimbo couldn’t do too much at the event, but he loved his fire hat and asked to put on Pete’s fire jacket when we got home. Cutest little fire chief I’ve ever seen!

Fire Chief James 4/2015