henry davis vaughan ... four years old.

that's right - henry turned the big f-o-u-r on january 13th.

FOUR!

to kick off the birthday weekend, henry brought a special snack to school.  i asked him on three different days what he would like to bring ... drum roll ... fruit bars.  fruit bars!  and the last time that i asked him, he said {in a sweet tone}, "i told you yesterday mommy, that i would like to bring fruit bars."  ha!

so i piped the number four on each fruit bar to be as festive as we could - with fruit bars.  his teacher took a picture of the birthday boy that day at school.  he said he had a GREAT day!  when I picked him up that day, i asked him how the fruit bars were.  he replied, "delicious!"  i laughed. 

and the next day was his actual birthday.  he was really, really excited.  he kept saying "did you know that today is my birthday?"  and "tell me about the day I was born, mommy!"

Andy Andrews, author of one of my favorite books "The Noticer," wrote a children's book.  the book is excellent - love it!  henry does too.

henry has had his eye on a batcave for quite some time ... he was thrilled with this surprise!

and owen, he just had a good time playing with the batcave too and telling henry,  "happy bfday hen-ee" - how he says henry is adorable.  hen-ee.

thanks to all for the birthday wishes!

and carrying on the notion that a gift is meant to be given, our hands always open and helping another, henry packed up a few of his cars and books and donated them to some other boys and girls.  and he did this with a smile on his face and a cheerful heart.  {sniff, sniff.  the whole day seemed like one big long moment where you think to yourself, "how incredible is this child? how thankful i am to be his mother, my cup runneth over."  side note: that's not to say that all days or moments resemble this - parenting wouldn't be parenting if that were the case, right?}

some of henry's favorite things:

crafts of all sorts

music / singing

reading / books

playing outside

animals

cars / trains

board / card games

he likes just about anything, but if i had to pick one activity he loves most, it would be reading.

some of henry's favorite foods:

pizza {he asked to eat at johnny brusco's for his birthday dinner}

most fruits

chips / pretzels / snack items

granola / fruit bars  :)

ice cream
spinach

bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon

any breakfast food

he likes a pretty wide variety of foods, but if I had to pick one meal he enjoys the most, it would be breakfast.

a couple of funny and sweet things he says:

to owen "owen, you give me so much grace."

also to owen "owen, YOU are captain destructo!"

when asked where the most comfortable place in the house is,

he says, "on daddy!" {as he is crawling on gary}

to me "i am so glad you are here, mommy.  i love you."

to us "i am strong because of all the protein i eat - it gives me big muscles."

here's to mr. h!

and one last thought ... henry was born on a sunday. 

in a book of daily prayers {Give Me Grace, by Cynthia Rylant}, sunday's prayer reads:

"sunday in a quiet time, bless this little life of mine.

in the wonder of each day, let me live a holy way."

amen.