Favorite Fifth Year Memories

• Rescue Bot party at Metroplex was SO fun!
• Watching you in the Bay of Play at Sea World
• Holding you while we watched Shamu that sticky, hot summer day
• The night you rubbed my head when I had a headache and you were so proud to be doing a mitzvah; after bath, you came in and said, "Good night, Mommy. I love you. I hope you feel better."
• Telling you about our baby and you being right that it's a boy baby!
• How you told me about comforting Quinn on his first day of school and what a mitzvah it was
• Our "in-law" talk and discussing Bubbie and Zaide at our wedding and how I miss Bubbie and loved her too even though she was Daddy's mommy (August)
• "Mommy, how do they get the baby out of your tummy?" conversation in October and how worried you were about it hurting Mommy
• "Mommy, I want to keep sleeping with you. Can we? Just for a little bit?" (October, before I left your bed one night when you were nearly asleep)
• The night I laid with you and you told me a quick story about the "Mommy who was going to have a baby and her tummy got bigger and bigger and it was almost time for the baby to be born." Then, you fell asleep after we talked about what it would be like when the baby is here: "Do you think he will cry a lot?" I asked. "Yes," you said, and when I asked what we should do if he cried, you gave perfect answers: feed him because maybe he's hungry, maybe he's ready for a nap, maybe he needs his paci or wants to go home or needs his diaper changed. Then, as I left your room and kissed your forehead, you grabbed MY hand and kissed it. (October 12)
• When I'd pick you up from school this year, and you'd roll down the window before buckling up to wave to everyone as you shouted, "Bye, Friends!!! See you tomorrow! Bye, Friends!" Sometimes you'd call them by name. Sometimes you'd say goodbye to the security guard, "Bye, Charlie!" But, EVERY time, I'd have to demand you sit down and buckle up already!
• Our day at the fair and how you said, "It looks like Big Tex wants to give someone a hug." (October)
• Watching you wave to me from the garage, as I left for work, giving me the "I love you" sign
• Harmonizing Peek-a-Boo at the dinner table - all four of us
• Watching you sing at the Thanksgiving program
• Dancing silly and doing our own little dances to the French Can-Can
• The day at Ms. Patty's when you finally came up for air on your own and took a long time to make eye contact with me from across the pool afterward, but when you did, you lit up and I teared up!
• Introducing you to Knox
• "Slipping Through My Fingers" song came on on the way to Grandma's house, I teared up, you were playing a game with me when I'd look in the rearview mirror and you'd hide. I think you knew I teared up, and when we got to Grandma's driveway, you unbuckled and perched yourself between the driver and passenger seats and stared at me. A long stare. I asked what you were thinking. You wouldn't tell me. But, we just looked at each other and I wanted to bottle you up! I took pictures of you in that moment.
• Watching you act in the Purim play (Uncle Mordecai)
• Singing "Super Trouper" in the car "shoo bop bop, shoo bop bop"
• "Are you praying to idols?" you asked me one night while I held your hand and Quinn's hand on the other side and leaned my head on the nightstand between your beds. "No, I'm resting my head," I replied. "Does God know that?" you asked with concern. 
• Listening to you read Dick and Jane for the first time. 
• Listening to you read ANYTHING!
• Your silly dance to Maccabeats "Dyenu" song, especially the part where you put your hand to your mouth to call out a loud yoddle
• Helping you write a love letter to Addy: "Mommy, how do you write 'I love you so much that I want to marry you?'" 
• Singing with you in your bed to the many lullabies: "Dream," "I L.O.V.E. Y.O.U," "Wings," "Hushaby Street," and "Appalachian Lullaby" and you always want to sing certain parts by yourself, even without Quinn singing, too, especially the lyrics "I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine, any time - night or day" when we sing "Dream."
• Reading this list to you tonight, and you teared up and asked if I could rock you. You thanked me for several memories and all the great things I said about you. We gave each other a kiss where we got "stuck" to each other, and you kept telling me "You're the BEST!" I'm pretty sure you meant it this morning and a few days ago when you said, "I'm gonna miss being four." Me too, sweet boy. But I wouldn't have it any other way!