Malachi turns 4.

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again next year, but I CAN'T BELIEVE MY BABY IS 4!!!  Although he acts so big it was weird saying he was only 3.

So the day before his birthday he got to do 'The birthday walk' at preschool.  They talk to the kids about what a year is, and how the earth moves around the sun and that makes a year.  Then they light a candle to be the sun, hold a globe, and while the teacher reads out a little history of each of their years (written by us), he walked around the sun.  The whole thing is a little ritualistic for me, but it makes the kids feel special and that's what matters.

Then the day of his birthday he had his traditional pancake breakfast (it's the only time they get chocolate pancakes with icecream).  And he got to open his present from us - a scooter that he's been talking about for months.  And so we had to go to the lake for him to try it out.

Then the next day we had his party.  There were so many people and we were so busy trying to say hi to everyone that I didn't get to take any pictures.  Luckily my sister grabbed the camera and took pictures of the presents and cake.  Malachi had such a great time that we didn't mind the absolute caos that 50 people in a little house can create.

He wanted a digger cake.  And with a 1 week old baby, this was what Mummy came up with.  My brothers thought I'd used real dirt (it's actually crushed up oreos), so I guess I did a good job.

When I think about Malachi the 4 year old and everything he's becoming it makes me cry.  I am so incredibly proud to be his mother, and feel overwhelmingly blessed that he is my son.  I know everyone thinks they have the greatest kids, but he is so easy to have that I swear I totally lucked out.  The sort of stuff we have to "growl" him for is things like not shutting all the curtains when he was asked to, or forgetting to bring his reading books home from school.  We have no issues from this boy.  He's the best big brother a kid could ask for, often voluntering to stay home from stuff so that he can help me with the baby.  He's so bright and so eager to learn and know things.  I am constantly in awe of how much he can do, and how hard he tries when he can't do something.  But before I start turning this into a list of his achievements (which would go on forever), let me just say that I know that if as his parents we don't screw him up, we can expect great things from this kid.  The Lord truely has saved the best for last.

I love you Malachi, more then you know and probably more then I show. 
Happy Birthday son. Oxo