Happy 4th Birthday, my Dylan!

Dear Dylan,

I love you so much!  You are such a good little boy.  And it's not just me saying that.  Your teachers at school and church, our friends, other moms, and Daddy say so too.  You still can use a nap, and take one almost every day.  If you don't nap, then you can get pretty whiney.  It's usually short lived though.  You're a good big brother to little Isaac. 

You are a peace maker.  When both you and Isaac want the same toy, you will often let me know, but are often willing to give it to your little brother.  It's funny that you figured out that I want you to wait to give it to Isaac only after he is nice and stops crying b/c crying isn't the way to get what he wants.  Once he is happy, you will share the toys with Isaac and tell him that it's only because he is being good.  Then you turn to me and say "right, Mom?"  Yes, you're right my little man.  I don't remember myself saying that, but it seems that my actions speak louder than words. 

You love super heros. 

You get soooooo excited when we get you something new.  You tell me how much you love it, even if it's a cheapo Happymeal toy.

  You get so happy and start jumping around with glee.  The other day, when I was getting you and Isaac a treat or something, you asked, "Mom, why am I jumping, what's making me jump up and down?"  I said "your excitement," to which you agreed. 

You love going places and being active.  I asked where your favorite place to go is, and you said "the three dollar store, to get toys, and sometimes just to look at toys."  When I tell you that we're going to a store just for a birthday present for a friend, or for something not for you, you understand, and can verbalize it to Isaac for me as well, but of course you still tell me the things that are your favorites and that you really really really want and need.  In the morning, you ask where we are going today.  You are excited no matter what I say.  You like to go to school, but you love friends' houses the best.  When it's the weekend, you beg to have Malia over or ask to go to her house. 

They get to see each other M-Th, and often on the weekends.  Sometimes they're together too much to be excited to always be together. Sorry Dylan, but Malia is your Valentine.  I decided:)

One night, when tucking you into bed, I asked you if you knew what we were going to do the next day.  You informed me that 2Dylan was going to come over.  We had played over at his house that evening, and apparently you and he had made big plans.  You two had agreed upon it, so you insisted that it was so.  The next day, you kept asking when he was going to come over.  It was pretty funny. 

You would rather play with toys than color or write.  You do like to use siscors, and when I get a package in the mail (usually Fishy Face Photography related), you go get your siscors, show me how you're carrying them the safety way, and help me cut upen the tape.  You can draw by connecting the dots and I had you write your name 25 times on the backs of each Valentine for the kids in your school and your school teachers.  I love how you asked which one was for teachers you had when you were 2 as well. 

You like your picture taken, which is a good thing for me!  You sometimes ask me to take your picture. 

You're a Sunbeam now!  You're the oldest one, and know how to sit still and really do sing in singing time - you even know more of the words to the new "I Know that my Savior Loves Me" song than I do. 

You like to sing.  You will sing to yourself and to me, which I love.  Singing is a way for me to redirect you and Isaac.  You know some articles of faith and some other songs. 

You like to pick out your own clothes, and if you could have it your way, you would wear these red shorts and a superheros shirt every day.  You wore gloves from Lacey all the time (and told everybody they were from her), but they've since been lost or hidden to be washed.  You went to school in this outfit you put together all by yourself.  I told you that you looked completely rediculous, but I figured why not?!  It's so silly and makes me laugh, and it made the other kids and teachers laugh too.  I warned you that people would tell you that you look funny and would laugh.  You said "I KNOW!!"  You thought you looked good.  You did take the hat off at school, but left the baby legs on!

You like to wrestle Isaac. You watch your uncle wrestle, so you try out the starting position and how to win. You try to teach us in this following instructional video:

I don't want you to wrestle.  It's unhealthy how JT has to make weight, and he always has a fat lip, bruise, cut, and abrasion on his FACE at church on Sunday.  Matt, another of your uncles, finally figured out that  boxing wasn't for him b/c win or loose - he got beat up!  (Then he still did wrestling after that, maybe not so smart after all.) 
So we're starting you in Tee Ball next month.  You're pretty excited about it and while I make dinner (yes, it happens on occassion), Daddy goes in the back yard with you to practice.  Sometimes you'll even tell us that you need to practice!  We took you to run the bases at a park, and you ran them again and again.  We're excited for you! 
You know what rhymes, and tell me out of the blue, you also like associations.  You are proud of yourself when you say words correctly.  You say "Mom, I can say TRR-uck now, I used to say [it differently]."  And I can say GRRR-ass now, I used to say rass."  You, like I, are a people pleaser.   
I love it when sometimes you call my name, and when I say "yes," or "what," all you have for me is a smile and an "I love you Mom."  I stop what I'm doing and give you hugs and thank you for that.  You are smart and know what makes my day.  I love you little man, happy 4th Birthday!
Love, Mom

Kat Gille said...
Wow, after reading all those details about him, who WOULDN'T love Dylan? I can't believe he's 4. That seems so grown up and non-toddler-ish. And what a good big brother! It's fun to read how you can watch what he does and learn what he must be observing from you. Smart kid! And what a good mom you are to have a son who is so kind and helpful and intelligent!
Happy birthday, Dylan!
Oh, and the wrestling video wasn't working so I found it on YouTube . . . and it's one of the cutest videos ever! It may just be my new bragging-rights show-off-my-nephews thing to show people. :) I love how Dylan gets in the stance and then Isaac comes up and . . . jumps on for a horsey ride! :)
From Aunt Kat
February 15, 2010 7:54 PM

Lindsay said...
That was the cutest post ever! You do have amazing kids and have done such a good job raising them (so far...hehe). I love the video, that is too cute!
February 16, 2010 8:13 AM

Holly Beckman Morris, Amy Palmer, Christi Newman, Lisa Sichel Shroyer, and Jarren Klemm like this.

· Sandra Dragosz Pittman · That note is so nice... Happy Birthday Dylan!

 · Sonnie Benson Happy Birthday Dylan, He's a very handsome Little Man.

 · Kim Dowdy Awesome, as always Tiffany! Happy Birthday Dylan!

 · Debi Crane Schweikert Too sweet! You're a great Mom,Tiffany! BTW, does Dylan look like JT or what??!!?
 · Dori Langston Fagan Darrin and I loved reading this.. We are both wiping tears away.. So sweet. Thanks for sharing.

· Carolina Coates Ohh that's soo sooo true! He is a very sweet and gentle boy. I miss him. I wish Nalani still have him around. They used to play very nicely. Please send him a big kiss from me :)

 · Shannon McNeill We have got to get together!! Miss you all. :) Happy Birthday, Dylan. Wow, 4 years old.

 · Willy Schweikert Dylan, I agree with your Mom. You are the best. Happy Birthday! Bishop