And Four It Is

Today is Issac's birthday. Although he's a little confused on the topic since we celebrated yesterday due to conflicting events. Since the day Issac was born people have told me he looks exactly like me. It filled me with a sense of pride since the previous two kids had looked so much like "Whitings", people would mention to me that had I not just delivered these children no one would know they were mine. Along with his looks since the day he was born Issac has been more like me than all the other kids combined.
From two weeks old he started crying for what appeared to be no reason and didn't stop until this last year. Similarly my parents have told hundreds of times how I cried for no reason from birth to age two. I have hypothesized some possible reasons for all this crying after knowing myself and Issac. We both know exactly what we want, how we want it, and the time frame in which we want it done. When these things don't come together perfectly we are sooo distraught, hurt, or angry it leads to tears - although as we get older we learn to curtail them better. Issac is supremely sensitive. His feelings get hurt so often. And he responds much more to a firm talking to than a spanking. Spankings make him angry and rebellious. Verbalizing your disappointment hurts his feelings to the point where he will do anything to make it better and needs to be held post talk to reaffirm your love for him.

Issac is fiercely independent. He has always been old enough, big enough, and smart enough to do things on his own. Since two he could dress and undress himself. And just this summer he decided to teach himself to swim where he totally submerses his head and kick rapidly. He doesn't get very far but he is fearless in the attempt. He's very physically adept and has been mastering sports since he was three. Just this past Thanksgiving Day our friends were teaching him to shoot a hockey puck, they are serious ice hockey players. He consistently could get it in the top corner of the goal. He can bat right and left handed and is completely ambidextrous as diagnosed by an occupational therapist. He will cut, draw, play sports, and point using both hands equally. Last night while doing skeet ball at Chuck E' Cheese he alternated each ball from left to right.

His energy and smile are infectious. His laugh is amazing. He is the only person who thinks that being tickled relentlessly is a reward and often asks for it after doing something good. Sometimes he will want to be tickled so much but it then turns to crying all without him ever having complained once. I don't like this part, but it still doesn't seem to bother him too much as he continues to ask to be tickled. If you ask him for a kiss he will refuse you just to be a tease. Then later he will come like he is going to kiss you only to lick you. And finally when you have given up all hope and moved on to something else he will run up unexpectedly and delight you with one of the best kisses ever. He squeezes so hard when he gives hugs you can feel the intensity of emotion he is experiencing.
He is a little monkey and loves to climb, hang, and jump around. He doesn't hold still for very long. And often times if he is supposed to be sleeping you can go into his room and find him hanging upside down from the top bunk slats into his bed balancing precariously on his head. He loves the park and being outside. He thinks that alone time with mom or dad at night is about the best things ever and he adores candy and chocolate which is his ultimate motivator to do things he hates to do.

He is just perfect and I can't imagine our family without him.