Walking with the Cooks: Happy 4 years, Josiah!

Our little man is four!!! He was very into his birthday this year and spent much of the month before asking if TODAY is my birthday??? Josiah loves to help. I think this is a mixture of intense curiosity and a love for community. This makes him my sous chef, an eager learner, and a caring brother. He is intense when he is upset and feels things deeply. He is empathetic and cares for others who might be hurting (like Sarah losing her first tooth, Gigi starting chemo, BC4 being healthy, and simply Lydia walking in a parking lot).

Weight: 42 lbs 6 ozs (90%)
Height: 43.5 in (97%)
Diaper: he is well potty trained except for at night- we just can't kick the nighttime habit!
Clothing: 4T/5T, shoe size 11

Likes: singing, doing his "school" books (letters and mazes), helping Dad pull weeds, helping mom in the kitchen, riding his bike, glitter glue, wrestling with Dad, snuggling up to listen to a favorite book, babies, playing on the piano, trains and farm equipment (we see lots of it around here!)

Dislikes: hair wash night, Lydia walking in a parking lot without holding hands, letting Lydia play with the baby toys

Schedule: Josiah is going to sleep around 7pm, but we are at an age where he does well if we need to be out later than that. He normally sleeps until around 7am unless Lydia's early morning singing wakes him up. Right now he is in a room by himself (he misses Sarah's company terribly!) and going to sleep faster and sleeping in later than he had been. Naps are mostly a thing of the past. He still spends a "nap time" in his room and usually plays, sometimes reads. Every two weeks or so he crashes for a nap, as well as after shots or sickness.

Eating: He is a good eater and continues to be a heavy water drinker. Josiah plays hard and sweats hard, so this is really no surprise. Favorites foods are yogurt, green peppers, pretzels, cheese, and all manner of candy and special treats. He is willing to try most things, is ok with a little spice, and is not a fan of broccoli, but eats it anyway!

Potty Training: We are all set during the day and naps. Nighttime is a different story. Strangely, he is doing worse since we moved from the apartment (where we first switched from a diaper to a pull-up at night) to the house. He was really good about getting up to use the bathroom when he needed to go after we put him to bed, but before falling asleep. Since we moved, he just goes in his diaper. We'll see how it plays out!

Fun facts:
* He wants to be a painter when he grows up . . . a painter who paints the inside of houses. He recommends that every room be a different color. If that doesn't work out, he is planning on driving a garbage truck.
* Josiah LOVES dancing.
* He is still a really focused little guy when he is into something. It is one of the biggest differences I see between him as Sarah as far as gender goes.
* Classic hymns are some of his favorite songs. I love that those are becoming his heart songs.
* I think he could ride his bike or play with a hose all day.
* Blue Dog remains his favorite nighttime companion.

[no real chronological order]