Favorites at four

We recently celebrated Cooper’s fourth birthday. As usual, I was planning for some kind of gathering that would include all of our favorite people: grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and all the many cousins we have in our family.

As things sometimes happen, we were hard pressed to find a time that was best for us all, so we decided to celebrate in stages. We spent the weekend with our favorite paternal pals and had a small party at Grandma and Granddaddy’s. From crunching leaves and jumping on the trampoline to driving in the sand pile and playing with cousins, this seemed to be an ideal way for a little boy to spend his birthday.

The festivities continued on Monday, with monster trucks and cupcakes-mixed and baked by the birthday boy himself. There’s nothing sweeter than devouring strawberry cupcakes-licked and stirred-by a couple of helpful, little boys…even if they do turn out a girly shade of pink.

I decided since he was lucky enough to get to celebrate his day with most of his favorite people, we would take a moment to make a list for posterity of some of his other favorites at his now tender age of four. This is what I discovered.

His favorite colors are orange and red, unless it happens to be on a “Dirty Sox” uniform.

His life, it seems, completely revolves around the old standbys: Thomas the Train and Lightening McQueen. And his newest treasure is Peter Pan. His favorite toys, movies and books are all derivatives of one of these.

His favorite breakfast is still Alto-meal, simply “because it’s good!” And with a little bit of thought, he decided that water and Sprite are his favorite drinks. “Sprite’s kinda good, so you can drink it sometimes.”

His favorite songs are “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Humpty Dumpty”, and his favorite outings are going to the mountains and to the park. How lovely it is that a child can still find joy in a pair of swings and a set of monkey bars.

His favorite friends are Kelln, Hunter, and Caitlyn for the obvious fact that “I just like them.” No further explanation is needed.

His favorite things to do with his little brother, Brisco, are driving trains and crashing race cars, and his favorite mommy-time activity is playing with toys. Any old toy will do.

And if there is one activity above all others that he could choose to spend his time doing, it would be playing outside with Dad. “You know, just playing baseball, and football and bak-set-ball.”

He’s ready for school, and he’s now “so much bigger” than Brisco, yet he’s decided to delay his decision to stop sucking his thumb when he turns four. “I just don’t think I’m ready,” he said wryly.

While his favorites at four are sure to change with time, it’s clear to me that this growing boy is as easy to please as chocolate icing on a cupcake or a moment of mommy-time in the middle of the floor. And while the presents and sweets were all welcomed with wide eyes and open mouth, I do believe he would have been satisfied enjoying a weekend of fun with his family: those who he considers the best of his four-year-old-favorites.

And that’s All in a day’s work!