Bode at 4

Wow. The leaps and bounds you've made this year! You've done a lot of OT and it has helped immensely with your sensory processing issues. You've always been a happy child, but now we see that more frequently.

At age 4 you are:

• using the potty! Woo hoo! Woo hoo!! Maybe someday you'll poop in it, but we're taking what we can get right now

• riding a 2-wheeler with training wheels

• favorite foods are whole wheat waffles with jelly, any kind of treat, chicken nuggets, broccoli

• Phrases: "Oh Brudder!" "Yep! I sure did!" --"i'm cwuisin'!" That's' awesome! Cool! I'm smokin' ya!" One new phrase that is causing a problem is "Dat's not choosing da wight." You say this whenever you're admonished or disciplined (and you're not saying it about yourself/your choices, but about ME). You used it on your friend Mariann who is in the CTR5 class and she was quite offended and you ended up in a timeout for the fight that ensued!
  
• are doing this hilarious "thumbs-up" gesture that totally cracks us up

• favorite toys are the GeoTrax trains and trucks and the elliptical trainer in the basement (not meant to be a toy, but whatever keeps you happy...)
  
• imagination and pretend play is a huge thing lately. You've had pretend friends over for hours and admonished me for not cutting up one friend's "food" very well. Not enough effort on my part. Sorry kiddo. Today there was a lot of lava to be dealt with outside by the playset
  
• are awesome with Keegen. When you were still in nursery and he was crying you really tried to help him feel better and play. Last night, you were so patient with him as you showed him how to recharge and use the remote control cars.
  
  
• do well in your classes. Preschool is going great and you love Sunbeams, mostly (apparently) because you rock at Bingo
  
  
• love to read. You really enjoy storytime and discovering new books
  
  
• are starting to put letters together to make words
  
  
• do a bang-up job writing the alphabet and your name, "DAD" and "MOM"

• are very perceptive and notice lots of details i think most people wouldn't see

• are most willing to talk at bedtime. Not so much during the day. It's almost as though you need the hours of the day to process that day's events and then you have lots to say. So we have a nice little bedtime chat each night where you tell me what was good (or, as you said tonight, "I'm going to tell you everything that made me Super Happy today!") and things that bugged you; etc.
  
  
• are 40 pounds and 42" tall and wear a size 12-13 shoe

Oh and so much more. You are a sensitive, fun, persistent little guy. You are learning so much everyday and it's a beautiful thing to hear you say, "I'll do it myself...I want to try...I can do it...I want to help..."