Letter to my Monkey Squirrel

Dear Samuel,

You are a most fantastic 4 year old, but the best description of you would be "monkey squirrel". Monkey because you are in constant motion, climbing, jumping. Squirrel because you always hide things away. You love putting things in boxes, in toy cars and trucks, in your laundry hamper (which drove your Dad nuts until we put it away). When you build structures, they are akin to onions with multiple layers inside. There's a saying in Spanish "Todo cabe en un jarrito sabiendolo acomodar" (everything fits in a small jar if you know how to pack it) and whoever coined it had you in mind. You can put most of the toys we have inside a pile of our living room pillows, likewise in your bedroom you can make everything fit behind the two stuffed chairs. Your art work is similar - filled with little sqirrelly swirls and miniature shapes inside other shapes.

You love arts and crafts, mostly drawing and cutting. You have remained quite musical, singing all the time especially in Hebrew.

Your imagination is fantastic! You have a couple favorites right now: Mr Greek and your cottage. Mr Greek is a fast food Greek restaurant we frequent and you've become obsessed with the fictional "Mr Greek". We've had several birthday parties for him, and for his mother too. For these parties, the cake is comprised of puzzle pieces and the colored stacking wood rings (that really should be Matthew and Renee's now). One night there was an almost crisis situation - after a particularly good squirreling away effort on your part, you couldn't find the wooden rings. When it was time to go to bed you explained, in a very animated yet serious manner, that you couldn't brush you teeth because "Mom, it's Mr. Greek's mother's birthday party and I can't finish the cake because the sprinkles are gone (wooden rings). The rabbit (we don't have a rabbit) took the sprinkles while you were changing Renee's diaper in the basement (which the kids never go to, it's basically Marc's books and storage). Mom don't laugh it's serious". Other times, I try to follow your imaginary games and conversations only to be told "No Mom, you can't shake Ding Dong's father's hand, he's not real".

On the more serious side, you almost broke your nose the other day jumping like a monkey on the bed. But all's OK and arnica cream and motrin saved the day.

You love your map and are fascinated by looking for countries.

You still love the concept of a sleep over, but the last few times you've wanted to sleep over at Regi and Tocayo's, you've called home a fe hours later asking to be picked up. We think you just want some one-on-one time with your grandparents, and really who wouldn't?

We spent two weeks at home together, on vacation, and I've got to tell you that at times you tried my patience, like when you threw popcorn all over the kitchen, but I loved being with you one-on-one taking the subway, going to the movies, watching you play with your friends, baking, drawing, playing games. Regi says that I have a different look in my eyes when I see each of my kids and for you that look is awe.

Te adoro con todo mi corazon,

Mami