In the cast of Life, this leading lady is now mother to a four-year-old boy. He may not look it, or fit the clothes just right, but he’ll tell you very clearly that he’s four. And that means he’s strong, and brave because that’s what “four boys” are. He turned four last Saturday, and we celebrated with a party with some of his friends from his creche in a Cork soft play centre. There was what can loosely be called a PJ Masks cake, at least one set of tears per child who turned up in the two hours and everyone seemed to have fun, so I guess we call it a success! I like the format I did for last year’s birthday post, an update all about him and his life.

So, Eliott, this is your life, at FOUR.

 

 

Singing Along To 

“Flower Gleam and Glow. Let Your Power Shine.”

Actually, any of the Tangled soundtrack. Big “Punzel” fan here.

Or the theme songs to Paw Patrol, Pokemon or any of the very growing franchises which are entering your life.

Watching

Show-wise, Paw Patrol is still high on the menu – which given that Netflix is still just home to two series (the SAME TWO SERIES) I would have assumed would have been tired, but no. He insists on particular episodes which he likely can say by heart.

The newest addition seems to be Pokemon, which is TOTALLY regressing me to the age of 9-10 when it was a MAJOR fad here at the turn of the millennium. Thankfully we aren’t at collecting cards (nor him knowing about Pokemon Go) levels just yet but he is getting properly invested. Which leads to many, many explanations about every single element of the show, all of which are potentially going to be asked about in a pop quiz at the end to make sure you’re paying attention. He’s a smart one, this kid.

We’ve been to the cinema a couple of times over the last year, most recently to a re-showing of The Lion King in Mahon Point.

89 minutes, which was BANG ON for his age and concentration. The fact that I couldn’t ask the cinema to fast forward that certain part in the middle that leads to existential questions WAS a worry. We always fast forward at home or cause a distraction after that first horrible time where he was CLEARLY freaked out. But no, this then-almost-four-year-old decided he would share his wisdom of the world with the cinema. When other kids were loudly whispering to their parents asking what happened to Simba’s Daddy, mine piped up “Simba’s Daddy Died-ed”. Just matter of fact, get on with it, that kind of attitude. There have been no follow up questions. Of which I am VERY grateful.

Playing 

There’s a lot of imaginative play. It’s all so high energy, I honestly don’t know where he manages to generate it all from. Whether it’s pretending to be Superheroes, like the PJ Masks, or playing Mammy’s and Daddy’s with his little friends and baby dolls, it’s never half measures, always indepth. That level of focus is intense!

He also loves building things – structures, houses for the rest of his toys, rockets – with the Magnatiles he got for Christmas! They’re brilliant, and they’re among the easiest toys to clean up because they all stick together!

 

He loves to dance, he likes to move it move it. This makes for some fun dance parties, the three of us and a Youtube playlist. It’s fun introducing him to new music – the other night we put on the Bob The Builder version of the Mambo No 5 ( a former No 1 chart topping single in the UK, dontcha know) and he was ENTHRALLED.

 

Reading

We have a keen bookworm here. From The Gruffalo, to his many Disney movie storybooks, to tales of dinosaurs and talking cars and moles who get their heads pooed on, he laps them all up and asks for more. With many questions. So many questions. Much as beautifully detailed illustrations are wonderful, I internally cry when I see them in his books because it takes us what feels like a year to get to the next page for all the questions, meaning bedtime takes approximately a decade. He has a thirst for knowledge and a love of storytelling and I hope this is something that continues for many years to come.

Looking Forward To

Sleepovers at his Granny’s house. Random trips to soft play areas. After-creche hot chocolate dates. Moving into his new house with his new bedroom!

Wearing

Recently he’s been all about his new yellow raincoat. We picked it up in Tesco after eyeing it up for a few weeks – at €20 it was a bargain and he is LIVING in it and loving it. Part of me wants one for me too but I’m questioning just how far I could really push this matching clothes thing.

He’s still a bit tiny – there are certain clothes brands like M&S, Dunnes, where even size 2-3 can be absolutely swimming on the waist with him. But he’s getting tall so we’re not exactly having much of a choice, so belts all the way. Which would be fine if it wasn’t for the blasted toilet training… (I am eternally jealous of his metabolism).

Eating

Speaking of metabolism…. he eats ALL THE TIME. Breakfast comes in courses. He eats what seems like all day in creche. Then a snack when he comes home, then another dinner and probably another “I’m STARVING” before bed. He’s made out of 90% Glenisk Goats Milk Yoghurts, 5% grape and probably 5% goes to everything else. I’m starting to contemplate buying shares to balance out the cost. Parents of multiple children, I salute your fundraising attempts to simply keep the fridge full because I have no idea how you keep up.

He’s a big fan of pasta. And chicken. Or meat that we tell him is chicken. And fish fingers. He also isn’t shy about telling you when something is “gusting” or “just yock”. In particular when you’ve spent an hour on the dinner he ASKED for and now won’t touch. Oh, parenting fun.

 

And the occasional cookie, of course….

Tantrums Caused By

Remember last year when I asked if the tantrums could end soon? Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Three broke me. BROKE ME. I prayed that he would wake up on his fourth birthday and become an angel child having spent a year getting all the tantrums out. I was wrong.

Mammy drinks a whole lot more coffee now because that is one thing he doesn’t throw a tantrum about.

Working On 

Still working on getting this whole toilet training thing 100% down. While we’re a million miles ahead from where we were, there are still more days that feel like we’re in the trenches of accidents than I would like at this stage. Much as those years are short, some of these days feel VERY, VERY LONG.

He’s also really coming on with reading numbers. This has become particularly noticeable when we’ve been in shops buying furniture for our new house – Eliott has been calling out the numbers (prices) and most of the time is getting them right. It’s incredible to see the learning happening in everyday situations.

 

Not Enjoying 

Bedtime. Mosquitos. Various vegetables which change by the week.

Enjoying 

Chocolate biscuits. Reading. Watching “my shows”. Reading stories. Trips to the playground. Scooting.

 

So, that’s a look at life for my little man at the moment, as he turns four and further becomes a big boy who does everything on his own terms. Happy Birthday Eliott!

*****

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