Letter to Tricky - four years old

Dear Tricky,

Happy birthday, dude!! Four amazing years.

The last twelve months have been full on but fabulous, and you have thrived. Watching you become more and more confident has been remarkable.

So, um, you can read. SHUT THE DOOR. WHAAAT?! Yep, I know. You started sounding out words in some beginner reading books with me last month and you just picked it up straight away. We are all blown away. Of course I filmed you reading for the whole family to see, and they all went nuts, too.

We are pretty sure you have a photographic memory, just like your Dad. You have amazing recall and only recently you described to me, in detail, the birthday cakes I made for your second and third birthdays (you have to wait until Saturday to see this year's!). With this amazing memory you now know the names of most brands of cars you see. You'll walk along in the car park calling out the cars as we pass them. Ford, Hummer, Hyundai, Audi, Mercedes, Holden, BMW, etc. When we got a car recently the sales rep got a few of the others to come and listen to you. You were their little mascot for a while there.

You have a wicked sense of humour. Not all of your jokes make sense (and a majority involve bodily functions), but you think they're hilarious and when you erupt in to giggles the rest of us can't help but laugh along with you.

Bobbin absolutely adores you, and you are so brilliant with her most of the time. You get a bit cranky at her when she tries to eat your cars, but you are getting better and better at sharing with her every day. I love looking over my shoulder in the car to find you holding her hand, making sure she is OK.

I am so proud of how much you have grown in the past six months. You were starting to bloom at the beginning of the year, but now as we hit the half way mark you are well and truly blossoming and your confidence is growing rapidly. You have always preferred the company of adults, but now you are playing with kids, making up games and running around. Recently you went on your first play date without me, stayed at a party by yourself and even went to the IKEA play room - things you would never have done before.

You are a sensitive little dude and most definitely an old soul. Even your teachers have gone out of their way to tell me that. You've definitely been here before and sometimes I think you are teaching me far more than I could ever teach you.

You have inherited my perfectionistic traits, and you hold yourself to extremely high standards. Despite being told continuously that trying is the most important thing, you won't sing the songs at kindy until you know all the words and actions! When you know them though, you don't stop. You burst in to song any where, any time - I love it so much.

I am really enjoying being your mum. I love teaching you, doing craft and answering your questions. You ask a LOT of questions and I'm not always patient with you, but I try. I adore hearing your explanations of the world and I am stunned by how much you know.

I think the next twelve months are going to be just as amazing as the last twelve months. I'm looking forward to watching you grow, and in particular I'm so excited to see you teach Bobbin things. Hopefully not how to hoodwink me, but I understand you guys gotta stick together.

I love you to the moon and back, and then some more.

Mama xxx

P.S. Yep, another montage. You're welcome