Im aware that Mackenzie gets more detailed updates on here. There is no real reason for this other than after she was born the whole notion of keeping up on her milestones in a baby book wasn’t going to happen, so I started monthly letters. I should be doing the same for Nathan…even if it is only once every six months.

Dear Nathan,
This month you turn four and a half. FOUR AND A HALF. How we are just six months away from you being F-I-V-E blows my mind. My baby….HOW did you grow up so fast? It makes my heart ache a little that its all going so fast.

You are a loving, caring, affectionate, tough, stubborn, determined, hard headed, brilliant four year old. You are a great big brother (most of the time). You use your sister as a pawn when you see fit. Like when we went Christmas shopping for her and you went down the cars/trucks aisle of the BX and picked out an airplane, “She’ll want this airplane…..we’ll just share it how about?” You like playing upstairs in your room (“mom—Mackenzie wants to go play in my room….don’t you Mackenzie [high pitched motherease voice] you want to go play upstairs with Nathan? Say yes, say yes?”) Mackenzie just nods her head like a bobble. So we go upstairs where the battle of toys begins. You want your sister there, but not too close. And not touching anything Playmobil. So you try and bait her with something lame and in your high pitched motherease voice say, “here Mackenzie….you want to play doctor? Here is the breast pump anesthesia mask.” Which buys you about 30 seconds before she’s back in your stuff.

You still love airplanes. You still line them up and fly them around. Im glad you have something you’ve enjoyed since you were a wee little guy. You have started getting into legos. Playmobil, Little People, Chubby People and wood blocks keep you busy. You love doing workbooks and coloring and painting.

You absolutely think you are one of the big kids when you play outside, even though you are the youngest. You come in for dinner, dirt smeared across your face, hands black and tell me all non-chalantly that you were “playin’ Lava Monster at the park…..whats for dinner?” Gee….did you turn 16 while you were out there too? You now have a scooter like some of the other kids and it makes me smile as I watch you from the kitchen window whizzing by. How did you get so big? And so coordinated?

On the nights that your dad works late or is gone, after we put Mackenzie to bed we have what you affectionately refer to as: you and me time. It sounds more like something that would be on The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love. Its much more innocent than that and it usually involves a chat over a bowl of ice cream. Snuggling up and watching a movie, reading books or coloring. You love having my undivided attention and I get that, I like having yours.

You love to help me in the kitchen. Its what we do. We were real busy over Christmas and I think your very very favorite is frosting sugar cookies. Theres frosting! and Sprinkles! And colored sugar! You like to tell me “you’re the bestest mommy I’ve ever had” or sometimes I’m “the best mommy in the whole universe.”

You’re doing well in school even though you still have occasional protests about going. You have nice printing and can write your name as well as mine and your dads. Mackenzie’s is a bit longer so we’re still working on that. You have started reading books and doing addition/subtraction 0-10. Kindergarten is going to be a breeze for you kid. The other day you were sitting at the table and out of the blue started furiously rubbing your hands together. “This is friction” you announced, “my hands are warm, feel them. Thats friction.” Uh…..ok Albert EINSTEIN. Incidentally I think you learned that little gem from TV.

And speaking of TV….what do you like to watch? Ki-Lan and Clifford. Those are the clear favorites. You are also your mother’s son and you are all too eager to sit with me and watch a “hospital show” (something surgical and bloody) or something on animal planet like “man eating shark” or “caught on tape- snake eating entire antelope.” Hey, at least its educational. I think.

The other day when I was sick and dozing I felt you come over to me tap me on my chest and give me a kiss. You are a very loving little boy. You dole out hugs and kisses and will even cup my face in your hands and smile at me. This gives me every assurance that even on the bad days, Im doing something right. When I tuck you in I tell you I want you to be my GooGoo* for ever. Sometimes you tell me you will until you’re a grown up, other days you assure me– promise me, you’ll be my GooGoo forever. I hope so.

Love you forever,
mom

*in case you’re wondering-I’ve called Nathan GooGoo since he was a wee one, when he was a baby he’d always make the sound “nnn-goo” so I started calling him my N-Goo baby, then goo goo and the name just stuck. He’s also my Nath-a-lathe, Nathy, and Nate the Great. He does not like just ‘Nate’….he promptly tells me thats not his name.

Filed under: Nate the Great