Four Years Old

Chaplin turned 4 on January 15, 2010 - here's a slice of life over the past year.

Has vivid imagination:

Chaplin has an imaginary brother Mantone, and a sister Peachy.

Negotiates solutions to conflicts:

Chaplin will ask me to do something and end by saying : “Yes or no, and don’t say no”

Asks a lot of questions, including ones on birth:

Driving to the grocery store on a sunny afternoon;

Chaplin “Mommy where did I come from?”

Lori: “My belly”

there was a long pause as he looked out the car window

Chaplin: “maybe I got into your belly on a beam of sunshine.”

Correctly names colours: Chaplin took an art class at ArtsUmbrella

He discovered his favorite colour is dark blue, and that he doesn’t like his hands dirty.

Chaplin: "After we paint we need to add the details. What are details?"

We really like Chaplin’s drawings, he will tell you what he has drawn and point out the details! His teacher told me that his art is full of stories.

Has mastered some basic rules of grammar

Chaplin to Adam : “Can you and I play later, after you get home from work?”

Adam: “That was very good grammar Chaplin.”

Chaplin: “What do grammar mean?”

Adam cut up an apple for Chaplin and put lemon juice on it.

Chaplin: “how crazy, this apple tastes like levons. hmmm... strange, an apple-levon”

He calls them levons.

More motor control, physically active:

Chaplin started swim lessons at AquaVentures.

Chaplin “I like to sing in the pool. And I like my teacher who tells me to blow bubbles. Do you think that’s cute?”

He invited his swim teacher over for a sleep-over! He learned that he only has sleep-overs at family and Nordby’s house.

Enjoys new adventures:

We went to the South of France for a month this summer.

At the end of a day on the beach, I was packing up;

Chaplin “Where are we going”

Lori: “Home”

Chaplin:“Our French home or our Vancouver home?” i wish...

I'm sure that in the past four years he has been on more than 50 airplane rides.

I was putting Chaplin to bed and asking him to get a story book to read;

Chaplin “Nana can come read to me.”
Lori: “no honey, she’s too far away.”

Chaplin “that’s okay she can go to the airport and we’ll pick her up.”

Because we travel often, Chaplin has eaten in many restaurants.

Chaplin : "OH look mom this lunch comes with an egg."

This was a lunch I had made for him… not from a restaurant!

Understands, mostly, the difference between fantasy and reality.

Chaplin: "I know why Santa only comes at night when we are all asleep. He’s shy."

What does our four year old want to do for his Birthday?

Chaplin: "have a DINOSAUR DISCO DANCE PARTY! all my friends and neighbours can come"

Lucky for Chaplin his Grandma Fran came down for the weekend and we entertained Chaplin in style!

• Stuffed a Dalmatian at "build a bear" and dressed it in Liverpool Football Uniform.

• Watched his first live theatre "The Snow Queen"

• Rode the Liverpool One Wheel

• Went to the movies and sat through the whole show - almost!

• Decorated his own piece of birthday cake, and ate it.

thank you: Nana and Papa for the story, Walthams for the letter and sethoscope, Grandpa and Grandma Boyd for the shirt and video camera and thank you friends for all the birthday wishes, Chaplin really enjoyed me reading them to him.. over and over!

I asked him what his favorite part was and he said "having fun with you, daddy and grandma fran"

I miss Chaplin as a baby, but when I look at him now holding a pen and writing his own name I can't imagine him being anything but who he is at this very moment. Your big hugs and kisses, the way you ask me "Do you love me to the moon and back". You are gentle and kind and care about your friends feelings, the pure happiness you have when daddy walks in the door. We love you Chaplin Adam Boyd, thank you for coming into the world and making our lives so full of laughter and enjoyment.