Last week we looked at the final schedule online and at the syllabus and confirmed that Tuesday is the Final but early.  Mom says its on Monday.  She meant her Lab, I think.  But she was dropped from her Lab because she didn’t understand that she had to go.  She thought it was optional.  Performance optional.  Responsibility optional. I waited for Mommy to tell me about the birthday circle muffins and words she wrote about your life.  She wanted to do it, so I didn’t.  But then she didn’t because she had daddy take her to class when there was really no final and shopping and they missed your birthday circle.  I should have been there.  I apologize.  I would have said this about you to your class, to you and Carl and teacher Robin:

Happy Birthday little one, as you get bigger and older, you get more funny, more smart and so strong.  You are nearly a handful.  You used to be our precious baby.  You liked Grandpa best of all.  And he’d hold and rock you.  I rocked you, too.  And Carl was your caregiver and he sang, ‘I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad” to get you to fall asleep.  We all sang that song after that. (And I’d hum a bit of it for you and Carl) When you walked you were careful.  Unsure of your balance and took a long time to run. You loved to eat everything, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, salmon and noodles and rice.  When you were two, your favorite food was blueberries, playing in the sandbox and staying all night with me in my bed. When you were 3, it was shrimp, feeding horses and planting in the garden boxes, picking fruit from the trees and going to Echo Lake cabin.  And at three you liked to run, push your scooter, ride the mule, pet your kitty, feed the birds, play at the park and dig in your sandbox. Now we’ll learn what you love to eat at four, what you will love to do and who you enjoy playing with.  All these things you will let us discover, celebrate and share.  Happy Happy birthday and to a fabulous year of being four, little buddy.

Mommy is home after we picked her up last night.  She will have hernia surgery next week.  Then she will try to heal, she said.  She will have to lay down a lot she told you.  I know, you said and blew at her in an exaggerated exhale.  I have to get back to the house again for an hour or so to get propane trench set up, call for window delivery and get the lighting guy on task.  Happy day my four-year old buddy -gma