Hey Y’all! I have a tough time believing Boychild is turned 4 this week, not because it’s “gone so fast,” as Everyone and their Mama has told me, but because 4 seems like, I dunno, like he’s big now. In my head, 4 is the transition time from “toddler” to “little kid.” And we’ve had a helluva year. 3 years old is tough, but being 3 in a pandemic has been tough and weird, yet Boychild has risen to every occasion. He wears a mask in public spaces without complaint (which some grown-a$$ed people can’t manage). He rolled with it when we kept him home from daycare, though his poor daycare provider was a mess. I will never forget the video she posted after lockdown of her singing the little song they all sing at the start of the day, her voice breaking. I just wept and wept for her! It destroyed me to see her try to eke out a tiny bit of normalcy and joy from a situation that was neither normal or joyful. It was also wonderful to see how much she loves our kids. Boychild loves her, too, and wrote her a few notes during lockdown. He would ask me when he was going back to see her. She would drop little treats by at the house. The lockdown reinforced how good of a caregiver she is and how much Boychild loves her. We are all happy to be back in daycare.

Besides the pandemic, this year has been a year of cool changes. Boychild pees in the potty! He sleeps in a bed! He doesn’t need puppy to fall asleep! He is also super-social. Sometimes too social. One summer day, I left him on the porch for a sec while I refilled his drink. When I went back outside, he was FOLLOWING a RANDOM DUDE down the sidewalk! Just chattin’ the whole way. Walkin’ and talkin’ to this dude in a hoodie, who was, like, five feet in front of him and probably smelled like weed. No judgement. I’ve not left him out alone since. Not even for a refill.

I love how young, tough men react to my social little boy. They’ll be struttin’ along with their ya know, like, WWE shirts on and Real Tree camo pants and my child will go “Hey! Hey! What’s your name? Look at this! Did you know I won a Minion at the grabber machine?!” And the tough guys’ reactions are mixed. Most men are just visibly uncomfortable with my chatty child talking them up. Some are perplexed. Some sweat. Some run away. I think it’s the combo of being confronted with something that is not a threat in an unexpected and therefore semi-threatening way. I mean, what 25 year old goes to the store for some Four-Loko and Cheezits (is that what the kids are into these days?) thinking “I hope a preschooler engages me in conversation this afternoon.” So it’s totally unexpected. To have a conversation with a child means that you have to drop your cool façade. Many dudes don’t want to do that. They’ve got to save face, and it’s tough to present that mean mug when in the presence of an adorable, enthusiastic child.

Oh! I buried the lede! Boychild skillfully grabbed a Minion from the claw machine at the grocery store! He is one of two people I know who have managed this feat. I was incredibly impressed that my little guy (who had yet to turn 4) grabbed a toy by himself! I didn’t help him. I figured it was a waste of time. And his dad was in the bathroom, so Boychild pulled off the toy heist by himself. This might be the most proud of him I will ever be. Even when he graduates from Yale, I’ll be like, “That’s cool, son, but do you remember the time you got the Minion out of the grabber machine at Price Chopper?”

So, here we are. For his birthday, Boychild got to have another COVID test. A kid in his gym class tested positive, so we had to drive to the Walgreens and stick a Q-tip up his nose. Here’s something you may not know: if you get an antigen test, it’s not as reliable as a PCR test. When we heard BC had been exposed, we got the antigen test. It wasn’t enough that it came back negative. To go back to daycare, he needed the PCR test, which takes 3-7 days. So, Boychild got a week off. It was a heavenly week, weather-wise, and it reinforced how lucky we are to have daycare! Working from home and taking care of a 4-year old is not easy. In fact, it sucks. I think I sprouted a few new grey hairs that week. I’ve attained a full-on silver streak from this past year (plus 15 extra pounds).

Friends, it feels like the end of isolation is near. I hope you’re keeping your spirits up and getting those vaccines! I can’t wait to hang out with my friends and my mom again. Here’s to a brighter future for all of us.