"I'm four."

In the not-too-distant future, I'm sure my eldest son will become a typical, cynical teenager. For now, though, he's a sweet 4 year-old. A few days ago, he had his fourth birthday. Since we now have a newborn in the house, it's fallen to me to wake up earlier and feed and dress the eldest. It's nice seeing him in the morning when he's usually not as wired and over-tired as when I get home from work.

On the morning of his birthday, I arranged with my wife to allow my kid to open one of his birthday presents in the morning since I get home so late that you really can't let him open presents and then force him into bed 30 minutes later. So, I gave him his first of two presents from us: a toolbox with a ready-to-be-assembled crane truck. His eyes lit up with joy. "Thank you, thank you, Daddy," he kept saying.

As I got ready to leave for work, he gave me a tight hug and said, "Happy Birthday to you, Daddy. I'm four." in the most precious voice filled with adoration and joy.

I just hope I remember these sweet times ten years from now when I'm refraining from strangling him.