A year of firsts

A baby’s first year is always touted as being the year exploding with new things and it’s true.  But who knew that being four could include so many first experiences?  Liam, I guess.  In the past year he’s racked up quite a list of impressive firsts, beginning with learning to ride bike just weeks after his fourth birthday.  A few weeks later he switched to a smaller bike and ditched the training wheels.

In July it was learning how to swim.  Four strokes and he’s out of breath, but definitely swimming.  And jumping off rocks and acting like a submarine.

With August came a few loosely structured preschool activities.  Learning to write letters and numbers, playing more games of Memory, and learning how to count to twenty without skipping sixteen.  Writing letters is easier than counting without skipping.

There was the first time to see the Nutcracker and going Christmas caroling on a tractor-pulled-wagon during a meteor shower.

The first gluten / dairy / egg / soy free cookie tray with choices that looked just as delectable as the one everyone else was oohing over.

There was guitar strumming and more guitar strumming and wishing that your birthday guitar sounded like the big people’s guitars.

There was the first fireman suit and not caring at all that it was three sizes too small and came from Goodwill because it still worked perfectly …

… even to make cookies.

There was a first work trip with Daddy that required a backpack full of entertainment and a favorite blanket.

The first time at the ice rink and first time on ice skates.

And super crazy independence with getting dressed if it meant you got to wear the clothes you wanted to wear.  Including a shirt you’ve long outgrown and a belt.  Always a belt.

The first game of pick up sticks played with your teddy bear because everyone else was doing school.

And learning how to roller blade in the kitchen while pretending to ice skate play hockey.  It took less than an hour for you to learn how to cruise across the kitchen.

A few days later, the weather turned frigid for days and your roller blades gave way to ice skates.  This time the skates cooperated all by themselves.

First woodsmanship festival.

First key plunking

First time to bat a ball independently.

First time shaving with the “lil man kit” Grammie got  for you and Adam to share.

First trip to the zoo and the sticky sweetness of cotton candy.

First art class

Learning so many new things can be exhausting …

… but it’s what makes the world seem like such a wonderful exciting place.  You never know just what adventure might come next.

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