Christian is FOUR!

I can't believe it, but this little guy is turning out to be kind of a big guy these days. He is 41 1/2  inches tall (76th percentile) and 38 lbs (68th percentile)! I'm obsessed with height predictor websites, and it's looking like Christian might be 6'0" or 6'1" when he's full grown. We shall see. He has VERY large hands. There's a kid in his Sunbeam class that was born the day before Christian, and Christian's hands are crazy bigger.

Christian has always been a great eater, and he continues to be. He loves to try new foods and healthy foods. He will try just about everything. He doesn't, however, want anything to do with mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese. The other day my parents heated up some wheat rolls on their grill. The tops of the rolls got burned pretty badly. I started to cut the tops off all of them, but Christian stopped me. He said he liked burned rolls. I said okay, but was doubtful he would actually eat it all. I was wrong. He took the entire roll (with no butter or anything) and took a big bite of the blackened top. "Mmm," he gushed. Then he coughed a few times. With a mouth full of bread, he said, "I love it!" Cough, cough. Loves meat -- hamburger, chicken, salmon, you name it. But he will also eat salad and LOVES fruit. Also, anything dipped in ketchup or Ranch is sure to be a favorite. He loves his sauces!

He loves to be a big brother. I think he might be feeling a little out of sorts, though, with the addition of Luke, and he's showing it by being excessively affectionate with his baby brother. He's made a couple of comments that have made me a little worried about how he thinks of Luke. The other day Christian was warming up by a little portable heater. He said it was a good thing Luke wasn't right by the heater because he was plastic (and plastic, in his mind, would melt by the heat). I quickly replied that Luke was NOT plastic. He is a real person, with skin and bones.

The kids and I (and Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Paul) took a ride on the Heber Creeper in May. This picture cracks me up. Christian is not trying to mean here, he just always has to be touching Luke!

Another time Christian was doing something that was endangering Luke. I told him not to do it. He asked if Luke could die if he did it. I tried to explain how fragile babies are and that they can die a lot easier. He then said nonchalantly, "Yeah, but he'll resurrect." This panicked me a little, and I explained that if Luke died he would not be resurrecting for a LONG time. Needless to say, I keep a close eye on Luke.

Christian loves to pick out his clothes and get himself dressed every morning (he especially enjoys wearing superhero t-shirts and camo pants or shorts). We have started doing chores, and he can make his bed all by himself, too.

Amazing balancing act on the statue's arm. No hands! :)

He has pretty severe eczema, and it got really bad this summer, especially behind his knees (the knee pit). We were able to get it cleared up finally after a visit to the doctor and some steroid cream. In the same spot he has molloscum, which probably made the eczema worse since both things itch. Can't wait to get rid of the molloscum, but it might take several more months.

He continues to loves cars, trains, and robots. He loves books and has recently really enjoyed trying to sound things out. We've done a few reading lessons, but I need to be better at doing it every day with him. He loves the trampoline and riding bikes. He is currently in a tumbling class and is signed up for soccer this fall. He took swimming lessons this summer for two weeks, and he started out great, but by the end of the first week he developed a fear of the back float. So his teacher didn't pass him, and he'll have to retake the first level next summer.

He is very rambunctious, and he loves to tackle and wrestle Kate (she usually does not like this). A couple months ago, he decided to build himself a slide out of a large empty box in the office. Needless to say, a few minutes later, we heard screaming. Christian had knocked his front teeth really hard -- one of the top ones was pushed back at a cringe worthy angle and bleeding. I thought we were going to have to take the tooth out, but a couple of days later it moved back into place and didn't seem so loose. I took him to the dentist, and the dentist said he had fractures above his top teeth, so the tooth might turn grey or it might prevent his permanent tooth from coming in. We'll have to keep an eye on it.

He'll be starting his second year of preschool this fall (three days a week!). He's currently a sunbeam, and his teacher has commented to us several times that he always knows the answers. Proud of our little sunbeam!

He is full of energy and affection. He has a tender heart and adores his sister Kate. He mimics her often and will often change his breakfast/lunch selection based on what she's having. He also loves his cousins. He's becoming good friends with his twin girl cousins that are a year younger than him. And he loves his older cousin, Connor. Connor (12) is an amazing soccer player and is teaching Christian his fancy moves.

Christian is lounging here because his bare feet were burning on the 100 degree cement. He wasn't trying to be goofy, but it looks funny. 

Christian LOVES Star Wars, so I ordered Luke and Darth Vader cake toppers and decided to make a cake this year (I usually just order one from Walmart). Christian got lots of fun presents, many Star Wars related (light sabers, Jedi robe). We love our little Padawan!

And I'm going to finish with what I posted on Facebook for his birthday.

"Did you know everything is better when you're four? Just ask Christian -- it's his birthday. For the last hour I've been hearing, "What the heck? Oh my gosh! I didn't know I could run faster when I'm four!" followed by "I didn't know I could jump higher when I'm four!" followed by "Look what I can do now that I'm four! I can do EVERYTHING!" as he ran, jumped, and flipped outside and around the house. Love this birthday boy. He's hilarious, energetic, and sweet -- every day. I'd tell him, "You can be anything you want when you grow up" but he wants to be Darth Vader, so I'm gonna keep a lid on that for a while. Just keep the can do attitude! This kid's going places (just praying it's not the Death Star)."