Dear Joel,

Every birthday that you celebrate comes with incredibly bittersweet feelings and this year is no different. Now that you're four, we know that you are so much more of a "big" kid than a baby. Though that is definitely sad, it's also incredibly relieving to let go of all those parenting challenges that come with having a baby or toddler. You have a sense of independence that has given us a chance to finally feel like we have our heads above water. You are always eager to be just like the big kids and you finally can handle playing with them without getting frustrated that they're bigger, faster, and stronger than you are.

When it comes to playing with the big kids, you are 100% your sister's shadow. You follow her everywhere she goes and do everything she does. When she started school five mornings a week, you were absolutely lost without her. Though she's only gone for a little under three hours, it feels like forever to you. You've learned to make the most of it, though, and sometimes you spend the entire morning playing peacefully by yourself in your room. You've learned there's something so wonderful about not having anyone to boss you around or force you to share. You carry on happily by yourself and sometimes you're so content and quiet that it's hard to remember you're even there!

In true third born fashion, you do seem to just take everything that comes at you and roll with it. You make the most of anything and still help everyone around you appreciate the simplest joys. Those things that we all get too busy to see are the exact things that you stop and take notice of. While everyone else is carrying on with life, you are a stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of kid. Your wonder and innocence refresh us on a daily basis and we are so thankful for it. Just as we think our baby is growing up way. too. fast, we're allowed to slow down time for a bit and cherish the little things again.

Though time doesn't stand still, and you are indeed growing up, we're grateful for the little Joel"isms" that still make you our baby. The way you still carry your blankie all over the place and occasionally get caught sucking your thumb while clinging tightly to that wad of a blankie. The way you are still small enough to be carried around and willingly let us do that. The way you love to snuggle and give kisses. The way you still pick the classic board books that we've read to you and your siblings countless times. The way you mispronounce big words and nobody has the heart to correct you.

In the past year, for every little boy moment you had, you had at least a dozen big boy moments. You've grown and changed so much. You have an amazing vocabulary. You've learned so much academically and have adjusted wonderfully to being at preschool twice a week. For about the first two months, you'd cry the night before and cry before we'd leave and cry in the car. Then, one morning, it all just seemed to click. You now march eagerly and excitedly into that classroom every Monday and Wednesday morning. You have truly grown out of your shell and are so bold and fearless. Your sister takes advantage of that quite often and sends you to ask for a cookie from the baker at the grocery store or for a sticker from the cashier at Target. You've also developed a great attention span and love to build things, color, do puzzles, or watch shows (yet you RARELY get the chance to watch one geared towards preschoolers). This year, you have become completely self-sufficient at home. It takes multiple reminders every morning for your brother and sister to get dressed, brush their teeth, and so on. Not you! You jump out of bed and take on all those mundane tasks with such excitement. You're so eager to please Daddy and Mommy. That's not to say you don't still have major meltdowns and throw occasional tantrums, but you truly try so hard to make us happy. And at times when your brother or sister have an attitude with us or get sassy, you quickly come running to give us hugs just to try to make us feel better.

We certainly don't know what life would be like with you. A typical third child can often be overlooked or "forgotten", but you are most definitely the final piece to our family puzzle that makes it all make sense. Not a day goes by when we don't adore your unique personality. Not a day goes by when we don't long to see your precious smile that melts our hearts. Not a day goes by when we don't thank God for the blessing that you are. It is a gift to be the parents of such a wonderful child and we are incredibly grateful for another year of raising you. Happy fourth birthday Baby Joel, Joely Joel, Boo Boo...we love you more than you'll ever know!