Happy Birthday, My Darling Oliver! You are Four years old today!

Oh my boy, I love you so so much. Today you are with Daddy, but I get to have a sweet birthday lunch with you. I'm so happy. This birthday is extra-special because we've been talking about it for months and months. This is the first year you really get the idea of birthday fun! You know you're turning 4. You know you'll get presents. You know you'll have a party. You know the date! March 19th you say. Then you'll be four. You've been waiting a long long time. And now it's here.

We sure had a lot of fun this past year. You took your first airplane ride to St. Louis to visit family for Easter. We had a photographer come and take photos of you and Grampa and you and me, since I'm always the one taking the pix!

We spent nearly every other weekend in Door County. You played in the sand, walking in the forest, swam in the bay. There was always a truck within reach, whether it was a front end loader or Grave Digger. We had a lot of fun!

When we were home you rode your balance bike everywhere! You loved the mud, you loved the park, you loved getting wet, you loved helping me garden. And as often as we could, we'd eat outside in our lovely back yard.

Here you are in your third year. It's awesome being your mommy and watching you grow from a little tiny toddler into a real live big boy.


April 2011

Your first airplane ride





We visited Aunt Crystal, Uncle Jim, James and Drew






You loved the sand box; you loved your baseball cap and your track suits.





The bathroom is another (dangerous) playground for you,





Finding mud and dirt is always your mission.





Just after you turned three, our friend came by and did a photo shoot with us. We were so glad Grampa could join us that morning!
















May 2011

Our first weekend in Door County ... Memorial Day weekend.





Your favorite digital book with our new iPad2




June 2011

Door County Ice Cream Factory, a treat several times a month





Celebrating Father's Day with Grampa and Dotti



Making friends wherever you go



July 2011

Gills Rock, Door County



Friends with all little boys, sharing your favorite Izze drink




Trucks, all trucks, all the time







Your favorite things: diggers, balance bike and bandaids



and mud





and dancing and being goofy





And balance bike





First pair of shades



Roseola





August 2011

A visit with Jonas, your cuz from Switzerland



Water is your very favorite



Riding with the big guns



and cruisin' down hills on the balance bike, every chance you get




Helping Mommy in the garden





September 2011

Warm fall ferry rides to Washington Island





Building and swimming in the warm September water





Eating an entire baguette





Throwing rocks in door county with carson



being a boy



lots of hikes with Mommy in Door County





Always giving Mommy flowers



Laughing often



Loving up on Grampa in Door County after a swim



Enjoying the cottage



Late evening sun sets at the beach





Hangin' with the horses



trucks tractors and farms



riding them if not playing with them



and lucky for you, our neighbor has a real one and loves to give you a ride



October 2011

Always finding a walking stick when we hike



November 2011 

being brave with your stitches (because you split your eyebrow open at the playground)





December 2011

Saying goodbye to Velvet





Making cupcakes



Christmas at Sue's



Hangin' with Jasmin, your other cuz from Switzerland, who taught you to ice skate at Millenium Park



Fun in the tub — another playground for you



Bearing the cold



January 2012

Shoveling with you daddy





February 2012

Still loving your cars and trucks



and more bubbles



March 2012

Still enjoying your personality.... and PROOF that you ate lentil soup (so don't give me a hard time anymore when I serve it!) ;)




I love you my boy! You are so fun to be with. The two of us made your third year so much fun! You make me laugh, I love you up, I get to teach you (Look Momma, that garden is so bea-uuutiff-full.) to appreciate what I appreciate, and I get to be a boy, all boy, all the time. I want you to be a kid — be free, run around, get dirty, make our house a mess, just play play play and enjoy your young little life.

Happy Birthday Baby!

x o x o

Momma


*Some photos courtesy of Kelly Fisher Photography.

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