Big Brother Ben (week 208)

It happened today, I am finally four! As I look back over the past (208) weeks of life, we have been through a lot (the picture at left is one year ago). We have gone from diapers to briefs; from daycare to preschool; from renting to owning; from mama to mommy; and from only child to big brother. It has been somewhat of a blur, but through it all I can say that I have been most fortunate to have a wonderful family that loves me very much.

Over the past weekend, we had a small birthday party in the backyard. I only invited a few friends from the neighborhood but there was plenty of jumping, plenty of heads bumping, and plenty of crying in the bounce house. It was a classic Southern California suburban affair with pepperoni pizza, baby brothers and sisters, and lots of pictures. Mommy made us baseball cupcakes with white frosting and red stitches. And although it was two months late, I finally got my air hockey table.

This week, I also had a parent-teacher-conference. Actually, I didn't attend, but mommy and daddy met with Ms. Zen to talk about my cutting, counting, and classroom behavior. Thankfully, I got a clean report. My teacher said that I was a nice little guy to have around, although I sometimes get caught-up in the moment when I want things to go a particular way. Fortunately, I am already on my way to passing the next level as I can write my name (with a few backwards letters), and recognize all of the shapes that we tested. However, I still need some practice with recognizing and writing some of the numbers.

We also went to Blair Field Monday night to see the Dirtbags (CSULB) take on the Fullerton Titans. Since is was my first night game, it was a big deal for me. They had all the stadium lights on and we could see them from a distance as we drove-up. I told daddy that I was 'very excited' for the game and it didn't disappoint. While we could only stay through the fifth inning (it was a freezing 45 degrees and well past my bedtime), we had a great time eating peanuts and hanging-out with Stacy and her friend Brian who were cheering for the other team. As it turns out the four errors came back to bite the Dirtbags since the final score was 4-3 in favor of Fullerton.

But the main thing that I am most grateful for on my fourth birthday is my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and of course my friends and parents. Some say that I am the luckiest kid on the planet. Most days, I get to play outside in the Southern California sunshine. I have already been to Disneyland at least four or five times; Dodgers and Angels stadiums more than I can count; and have regular family visitors from the East Coast. They actually fly out to see me! I go to a great preschool; play organized baseball twice a week; and see my mommy and daddy every morning when I wake-up, and nearly every night before I go to sleep.

I know that not everyone is so lucky as Chris and I. This is why I want to dedicate some time this week to thank everyone that has loved and supported me through these first four years. It is no doubt that I feel loved, and feel important to people in my life. More than anything else, this has shaped my enthusiasm for the world, my confidence to make new friends, and my zest for the opportunity to play every day. And while I sometimes get fixated on drawing stadiums or playing baseball in the backyard; I am a great kid with lots to be thankful for.