Liam is 4!

It doesn't seem possible, but our Liam is 4!

He continues to be a "grab-life-by-the-horns" kind of a kid: fearless, funny, assertive, and so very social.  He loves big, fights big and can melt your heart with his creativity, imagination, and smile!

Even his weeks of sickness in January and February couldn't keep this kid down.  He got tickets for Christmas to see Disney on Ice at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, and who ever would have known he had been under the weather?!  He was too excited to care.

He is really becoming quite the little man.  From his interest in wearing a jacket and tie to church these days (thank you to cousin Shannon for lending us Dillon's former duds!) to initiating conversation with any (and sometimes, every) adult, he at times seems downright determined to grow up. As a general rule, Liam loves whatever other kids are into... especially big kids.  He often comes home from Aunt Doreen's with a new app or song for us to "upload", thanks to time spent with her 13-year-old niece Gina and 11-year-old nephew Lou.

Liam lives for Friday Family Movie Nights (held every Friday, provided he's been good!) and especially for the accompanying popcorn.  Without fail, he will not only sit next to you for stories or movies, but try to climb all over you... get up on your shoulders... leap off a table or neighboring chair into your lap... or whatever else the mood strikes him to do.

Liam is pretty much always down for a board game, and has been having a blast with the new games he got for Christmas.  He loves his new penguin game from Uncle Jake and Aunt Surabhi, the octopus game from Aunt Erin and Uncle Thomas, Spider-Man Dominos and Candy Land from Grandma and Papa (he's pretty good at both!), and this cool circus game from Miss Anita.

He is also getting more and more interested in drawing.  I loved this one that he drew for his buddy Kaelyn, who has curly hair (see?) and who he insists he will marry:

He made this one for Uncle Tim for his 30th birthday of Goofy, Mickey, and Minnie... see, Goofy is the tall one!

Although Liam's energy and volume are often on full blast (and frequently must be reminded to use his inside voice), he is also a truly sweet and thoughtful boy. When I wasn't feeling well one day and lying down before dinner, Liam gently approached me and said, "Mommy? You should come downstairs and have some dinner.  Because if you don't, I'm worried you will wake up hungry in the middle of the night."  It took everything in me not to laugh out loud!  And when running through BJs while steering one of their giant carts, he was sure to exclaim, "Excuse me, please!" to everyone who may have been walking in his wake.

Since Liam's 4th birthday fell on a Friday, he got to celebrate with his preschool friends by bringing in birthday treats that Thursday.  Preschool is in the mornings, so we decided to make dinosaur donuts!  (Loving Chef Chloe's vegan dessert recipes!)

We celebrated on his birthday with spaghetti (sans meatballs-- it's Lent!), which is Liam's favorite dinner...

... and then with some special phone calls from some very special people near and far...

... and of course with opening presents.  He had a very dedicated helper in that task!

Batman stuff!

The Hess helicopter!  Yessss!  (that face says it all!)

And a whole box of Dinosaur Eggs!

That night after the boys were off in a new-toy-induced slumber, I baked a birthday cake, which Liam helped me decorate the next morning:

And then it was off to meet Nana and Grandpa at Chuck E Cheese in Berwyn!  Liam emphatically insisted that that was the only place he wanted to go for his birthday, which we thought was rather interesting for a lactose-intolerant kid.  But the hotdog was safe, so off we went.  He had a BLAST.

C'mon up here, Joergen!

The boys were beside themselves with excitement when none other than Chuck E Cheese himself walked in:

High Five!

I adore Joergen's expression in this pic:

Hi Chuck!!

After a rousing group rendition of "If You're Happy and You Know It", Chuck tossed an armful of free tickets in the air for the kids, which was basically a free-for-all version of 52-pick-up.

When we'd had enough excitement (which coincided with the moment when the place started to get packed to the gills with what seemed like hundreds of concurrent birthday parties), we sat down for lunch.

Then it was time for cake!  Make a wish, buddy!

Liam lickin' those fingers!

Present time!  He was so excited to get a fireman costume from Nana and Grandpa... the best part undoubtedly being the hatchet!!!

With hatchet in possession, Liam proceeded to use it for pretty much everything.  I love this shot of him trying to open an envelope by hatchet... Nana and Grandpa's expressions (and body language) say it all.

After a fun-filled morning, we said good-bye to Nana and Grandpa, sent Joergen and Daddy home for naps, and headed to Villanova to keep the party going!  Nova was sponsoring a free indoor winter carnival for kids as a lead-up to the Marquette game that night, and what better place to meet up with our buddies Brigid, Kara, and TJ?!

Liam and Brigid

In addition to hours of moon-bounce bouncing and obstacle course-racing...

... Liam got to try his very first cotton candy!

nom nom nom

He and Brigid also got to have their faces painted by Villanova cheerleaders.  Heavens help us!

After maybe the most action-packed day of his little 4-year-old life, Liam settled into bath time that night to play with his cool new bath toy from Aunt Erin and Uncle Thomas.  It was the perfect way to wind down.

Happy 4th Birthday, buckaroo!