Four is Fast Approaching

This blog is going to be kind of back & forth from present day happenings to past, because there is a LOT of material to cover, memories to relive, etc. I have lots of information to dole out, but the glaring reality is that my baby is going to be four on Friday. That's...two days. FOUR. FREAKIN'. YEARS. OLD. Yes. I capped all that. Why? Because it's kind of freaking me out, and it makes me sad. I mean, yeah, I LOVE that he's growing into this amazing little man, but where did my tiny boy go?

I miss the days when I could put him in his little bouncy chair & stick it someplace & he would stay put. Rob & I got robbed of our baby. Hunter was doing everything physically, earlier than we'd anticipated. We had about four months of "baby" and then he morphed from tiny baby into this tiny man. We used to call him our little Burgess Meredith (the actor who played the coach in Rocky). I have pics of him in a red onesie, blue pants and blue hat where he looks frighteningly like Mr. Meredith. He rolled over earlier than the books told us he would, he walked before he was one (a week before Christmas, to be exact). Not walking across the room, mind you, but taking enough steps to be considered officially "on two legs".

This is my first year without him home on his birthday. He started school last year, but not until a few days after he turned three. I know that when Friday arrives, and I've wiped the sleep from my eyes and am snuggled under a blanket on the couch, sitting here in the relative quiet of the house...I'll start crying. I cry over everything anyway, so why would his birthday be any different?

I have so many things lined up for him, and it's more for me, but I don't really care. With the SSI money (ie: Social Security Supplemental Income) that will be a series of posts by themselves, because that whole process has been a huge learning experience/headache/relief), I am able to buy him things we just couldn't afford before. Money is tight, as I know it is for SO many other people out there, and any "new" clothes Hunter would get before, would come from friends who would send hand me downs, or from his grandparents/aunts/etc. And we were so incredibly grateful for those clothes (and continue to be, as friends send us clothes their boys have grown out of). But it is such an amazing feeling to be able to go to Walmart or Target & not have to pass up a really adorable shirt because it's $20. Now, we've not been destitute, but you know...$20 was the same as a package of diapers, and if you're on a super strict budget, and you have to spend $40 in diapers (day time & night time; Pull Ups & night time) every week, it adds up, and after awhile, you know, a new shirt for $20 seems silly when you have to buy milk, eggs, diapers, etc.

Now, you may be thinking, "It's "only" $20" but along with autism and SPD, comes some unique challenges in the money department. So yeah, it may be "only" $20, but we had to prioritize and "new" clothes often fell short, esp when we could get them second hand. That's not to say I've gone out and gotten him a whole new wardrobe, but a couple of shirts here and there, some new pants...it's just nice to be able to buy him something if I want to. And let me tell you...for a potty training boy, there is nothing better than sweatpants for $3 at Walmart. Yes, I said sweatpants. They're warm and a lot easier for him to maneuver while at school than jeans. Garanimals, people. The. BEST.

Where was I going with this? Oh yes...his birthday. So, for his birthday, I found this really adorable robot shirt on Gymboree's website, for $15! It says "I am 4". *Swoon* I'm making cookies for his classmates, and his bus driver/attendant on his special needs bus (ie: The Short Bus). When he comes home, he'll take his nap as usual, as we don't skip naps unless absolutely necessary (dr's visits, parent/teacher conferences, etc), and I'm just praying he sleeps, because a tired Hunter is not a pleasant Hunter. I'm making him homemade chicken nuggets & fries for his dinner (that's his absolute favorite meal), and Rob is getting a small cake/cupcake for after dinner. I have a few small gifts for him to open, because he's at the age where he KNOWS birthday = presents. Or, as he says "Pwesents!!!!!"

If you didn't know this already, you can go to Disney Junior online & set up a birthday greeting for your kid. Mickey, Minnie or Jake (Neverland Pirates) will call your child & wish them a happy birthday. You can also get a personalized video greeting for them. And both are FREE!!!! My very favorite word. :) He loves Mickey & Minnie, but Jake is his boy. So that's it for his big day.

Saturday, he'll have gymnastics as usual, and then it's off to go shopping for last minute stuff for his party. We're having it at The Little Gym (where he has gymnastics) & the staff know him & love him, and he loves his teachers. It's castle/knight themed & I'm making a castle cake which I'm a bit freaked out about. I've never done a shaped cake before (using a castle shaped bundt pan), and I've never done more than smearing some frosting on a round or a flat cake before. We'll see how it goes. :) Wish me luck.

At some point, he has a bouncy castle coming from both sets of grandparents. I found a highly rated one for $260, but with a bit of research, I found it for $220, and found an online coupon for 20% off plus free shipping, and after taxes, the grandparents paid $206.

It's SO cold right now (20-30 degrees) & that's just too cold to be outside for a long period of time. Hunter LOVES bouncy houses, and he'd bounce for hours on end if we would let him. Hunter has a need to bounce, because of his SPD, and the bouncy house is going to be amazing for him. Just not in super cold weather. We don't want him getting sick.  :) So that's it...that's my weekend. I have to dig out my kleenex for Friday.