Happy 4th Birthday to our baby boy!

Well it is official, we have a 4 year old!!  Our sweet baby boy turned 4 on Monday and we have had a blast celebrating!  We did a kids party on Sunday at the Bettendorf Y.  Swimming and fun for all Brody's little friends.  It was a great time and Brody was so, so excited this year for his birthday and party.  He was asking for two weeks when it was going to be time to go to the Y!  Brody got lots of nice gifts from his friends and it was a very nice party, we are thankful for all who came to celebrate with us.  He is a very lucky boy!  Immediately after the party we came home and packed the car and left for the water park in Dubuque.  We got up there with about an hour and a half before the water park closed which was plenty of time.  We went again in the morning for an hour and then headed to the Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.  We had a nice lunch before heading home.  Lucky for us Dubuque got 4 inches of snow that morning.  It actually quit snowing just as we left town so we made it out in perfect time.  We came home and opened gifts at home and had cookie cake.  Brody got a new art desk, scooter and bike, along with some small toys and clothes.  He wanted a "skateboard" so bad so that is why he got the scooter.  He seems to get the hang of riding it so he should be good to go outside when we get some nice weather.  It is so hard to believe he is 4 but also so fun to watch him learn and grow each day.  Happy Birthday Brody, we love you so very much!

I took Brody for his follow up speech evaluation this morning and he has shown great improvement since we went in October.  His articulaiton is getting much better and his sentence structure is growing all the time.  He took the 4 year old preschool screening and even with just being 4 for two days he scored a 76 (48-50 is normal for his age) so he passed with flying colors.  Now begins the hunt of where to send him next year for preschool, I will be on the search for the perfect fit in a program.  He really wants to go to school and asks to go all the time so I feel he is much more ready this year than he was last.  I have a feeling this will be a huge year of growth and change for him.  I am already seeing so much change each day!  I am so proud of him and how far he has come.  He really is growing up!