Preschool

Today you started preschool. You have been home with me for most of the summer and you really missed playing with your friends at school. So you were VERY excited to start preschool and play with your friends all day. You were also very excited that you were now in the "big kids" room downstairs, which is the preschool room. We went to the store and you picked out a new backpack, a Transformers one. You had it all packed up with very important stuff for the first day. You had a great first day of preschool and you were so proud to tell me all about it when I picked you up. I can't believe how big you are getting and this is your last year before you start grade school. I hope you have a great year of preschool my big boy!

Spray Park Fun

Today you and I visited a local spray park for the first time with your friend Domenic. You were being a little fussy before we left and wasn't sure about going, but then I showed you a picture of the place and you had your bathing suit on in no time. Once we got there you were a little shy about just hung out by me until Domenic showed up. Then you were off and running and playing like your normal crazy self. You had a great time playing in the water and keeping cooled off and playing with your best friend. After awhile we went over to the small playground area and you and Domenic played there for a little bit.

On the way home you agreed you could wait to show Daddy and Ben this new fun place!

Pictures Here!

Soccer!

This is your second year playing soccer. And I have to say this year you did much better than last year. This year you tried to play and actually kicked the ball into the goal! You interacted with your team mates a lot more and you tried to listen to your instructions. I don't think that soccer is really your sport, but I am glad that you tried it and I think that you had fun doing it.

Here are some more pictures!

4 Year Check-Up

Today I took you and Ben to the doctor's for your check-ups. Were you SO much better this year than last year! Last year the nurse couldn't even look at you let alone touch you. This year, you were such a big boy and stand nice and still while they weighed you and stood up nice and tall while they got your height. You answered all the questions that the nurse asked. You even had to pee in a cup for the first time and (with the help of Daddy) did that too! I was so proud of you for being such a big boy (wished your brother would have followed, but Ben was just out of control). At the end you did have to get some shots, which you were not happy about at all. I felt so bad for you, especially with the last one when you screamed, "get me out of here!" But you got a Ring Pop candy to make up for it and that seemed to help.

Weight: 40lbs (80%)
Height: 41 3/4 inches (79%)

BIRTHDAY!

Of course you couldn't wait to open up your presents and have cake for your birthday today. You got lots of new books, mostly Dr. Suess and a new penguin book. You also got a new Transformer blanket, a Wolverine, more Bakugans and a new big Bakugan from Jacob. You also got a big Fisher Price Castle and Pirate Ship, that you just loved. You really liked your all gifts and said thank you so many times. We had your favorite cake... Bill Knapps Chocolate cake with some ice cream of course!

More pictures here!

Four Years Old

Today is your fourth birthday. First of all, I can't believe that you are four already. Seems like each year just goes faster and faster. You have really started to become more of a big boy, than a little boy. You have even lost the little bit of that baby look you had left in your face. You love going to school and you have so many friends now. Sometimes you and Ben played great together (and other times you get made just because he is following you around the house). You still adore Jacob and get SO excited when he is coming over. You both love to wrestle with each other and chase each other in circles around the house.

You can get dressed yourself and you will NOT let me pick out your clothes anymore. Most of the time when you want something you can get it yourself. Including climbing on the kitchen counters to get cups and plates! You love to play with your superhero toys, including Spiderman, Batman, Transformers, Power Rangers and also these silly transforming balls called Bakugan. You also like to play with your dinosaurs and cars and trucks. You still love penguins, they are your favorite animal and you have several stuffed ones. You usually have a favorite stuffed penguin for a few months, that will be like your best friend.

You are an amazing little (oops, big) boy. You love to talk to me and Daddy in bed at night when we lay with you and you love to pick flowers for you. You tell Daddy and I that you love us all the time and you still love to give hugs and kisses. Of course you have your bad moments too, when you too rough with Ben or have a meltdown. But your adorable cutest makes up for it and I always melt when I see those cute sad eyes saying your sorry.

Your getting big too fast... but I will always remember the little boy you are too.

"The Shorts"

Here we go again with you and clothing issues... you will only wear these shorts. You have them in two different colors, the color in the picture and a slightly lighter cream color. Currently you only have one pair of each and thank goodness I am pretty good on keeping up with the laundry and you can wear them every day. I going tomorrow to buy you more... only because not having a clean pair might be all that it takes to ruin your morning! (I can kinda blame your Daddy for you liking these short though.... he has a pair that is similar and I think that is why you like them so much, because they are just like Daddy's!)

Flowers...

You love flowers lately. You especially love picking them for me (from trees or even freshly planted ones), which I find to be so adorable and cute! I always make sure I take special care of them when you give them to me. You already know that my favorite flower is a daisy and you can point out which kind of flower is a daisy. For Mother's Day you and Daddy bought me a potted daisy and you were so proud to give it to me. Papa and Grammy have been planting some flowers around the yard and you always ask if you can help plant them. You love doing this. Tonight I got some pictures of you and Papa planting the daisy you bought me and some new rose bushes by the shed. I hope you always give me flowers no matter what kind they are!

more pictures here

Birthday with Your Friends

Since your birthday lands on Memorial weekend this year (and Daddy works every other weekend) we had your birthday party with your friends today (two weeks before your actual birthday). Which was probably a good thing, since you had been talking about your birthday since Christmas, it was nice to actually start and be able to celebrated it! You had 9 of your friends over to the house. Jake, Parker & Kaylie (from your old school) and Domenic, Matthew V, Zachery, Cameron & Grace (from your school now) and Cassidy. At first you were really shy and I think a little overwhelmed, you clung to me and didn't want to play with anyone. But within 15 minutes or so you were screaming and running all over the house with your friends. We had some pizza for lunch and these HUGE cupcakes from Costco that you picked out. You opened your presents from all your friends and at the end we had everyone swing at a piñata outside. You had a great time and were happy that your friends were able to come over and celebrate your birthday with you.

more pics here!

Jake's Birthday Party

Tonight we went to your friend Jake's birthday party. You couldn't wait to see your friends from your old daycare (Kaylie, Jake and Parker). As always you were a little shy when we first got there and stayed by me. But by the end of the night you were being one of the loudest ones there and of course I couldn't get you to leave. You had a great time playing and eating pizza and cake. And you were excited that you got to see your friends again the next day for your birthday party!

pictures here

Kaylie's Bowling Birthday Party

Today was Kaylie birthday party. She has a bowling party and even the Easter Bunny showed up! You were very excited about trying out bowling for the first time. You got Kaylie a Barbie doll and a lot of princess stuff (stickers, paper and hair ties). You had a great time bowling and loved spending time with your friends from your old daycare.

more pictures are here!

First Sleepover

When you woke up in the morning, the first thing you asked was, "is today when I spend the night at Domenic's?" You were soooo excited about your first sleepover at your best friend's house, Domenic! You have spent lots of nights at Grandpa & Grandma's (and Grammy's before we moved in there), but this was your first sleepover at a friend's house. You packed your bag the night before and wanted to bring it to school with you. But I assured you we would come home after school and get your stuff. We were barely in Domenic's driveway when saw Domenic and you wanted to jump out of the car. I had to ask you twice for a hug and kiss good-bye, which was super quick and you were off and playing. Domenic's mom said that you were great and you both even went to sleep pretty easily. In the morning Domenic's dad made chocolate chip pancakes, which you love! Of course you didn't want to go home when I got there to pick you up... and on the way home you were asking when you were going to spend the night again. I think that your first sleepover went GREAT!

Domenic's mom took some pictures too! click here

My Protector

Lately at night you want to take a toy to bed with you. But I have a rule that no toys are allowed in bed. But, "they help me not have nightmares" you told me one night. I almost gave in, because you were so sincere about it. But instead we came to an agreement that one toy could lay on the floor next to your bed and if you had a nightmare you could pick up the toy at night and hold it so the nightmare would go away. You told me "that toy will protect me from having those nightmares." And so every night you lay a toy next to your bed and thank goodness it's still there when you wake up (which means you did not have a nightmare). The other day you came home from school and had a leaf that you were very excited to give me. You gave me the leaf and said "you put this next to your bed and it will protect you from having any nightmares." It was so sweet and you really meant it. And so that leaf lays on my nightstand every night and is my protector.

A Few of My Favorite Things...

I think every so often I am going to do a little post of what your favorite things are at that time. I should have started doing this awhile ago, but I guess I will start now.

Favorite Color: GREEN

Favorite Cartoon: Transformers Animated

Favorite Toy: BumbleeBee Transformers talking Figure (from Grandma)

Favorite Food: Little Keebler Striped Cookies (you have them almost every morning before school)

Favorite Song: Pocket Full of Sunshine (because it's Mommy's favorite - you're so sweet!)

Favorite Stuffed Animal - Penguin (the one we got from the zoo over the summer)

santa came... santa came!!!

You woke this morning almost like it was a normal morning. You were excited about something, you just were not sure what. Then Daddy reminded you that it was Christmas morning and your face just lite up! You started asking, "did Santa come, did Santa come?" You helped wake your brothers up and we headed downstairs. And as soon as we got downstairs you happily exclaimed "Santa came!!! Santa came!!!!" You woke up your cousin Lily and starting looking at the the presents. I helped you find your presents and you started opening them. Almost after each present you would look at me with a look on your face, like do I have more? And I had to keep showing your that this huge pile of gifts were all yours! You got some Batman and Power Ranges figurines, Legos, books, and lots of other toys. You are really into Transformers and you opened a box that had Optimus Prime in it and got a sad look on your face. "I didn't get Bumblebee," you said. Bumblebee is your favorite Transformer and was the toy that you asked Santa for in the letter you wrote to him. I hurriedly looked through the stack of presents, looking for the right shaped package and handed what I hoped was the right one to you. You open it and couldn't be happier... it was Bumblebee!!! Your Christmas was made and you got the biggest smile on your face! It was then handed off to Daddy to "transform" and since then you Dad and I and Jacob have transformed that thing 100 times! You also got a Polar Express train from your Grandparents! You love that train and had me put it together as soon as I could. Some pictures of you playing with the train here! You were also very concerned about Santa eating the cookies you made him and to make sure that he didn't eat the ones that you made for Jacob and you. But we found his letter saying Thank You and you were happy with that. You had a great Christmas.... and you are already talking about "next Christmas."

extra pics of you shaving with your pretend shaver!

"All Alboard... it's the Polar Express!"

You got this train for Christmas from Grammy and Papa and had to have me set it up right away! You love the movie Polar Express, during the Christmas season you could watch it every day or more if we let you. It's one of the very few movies that you will watch all the way through. So when you got the Polar Express train for Christmas you will elated!

more pics here!

Breakfast with Santa

Today we went to the local Boys and Girls club and had a breakfast with Santa. We met your friends, Jake and Kaylie there also. You were so happy to see Jake and Kaylie! You rode a Christmas train with Jake. You decorated your own Christmas cookie, which had plenty of yellow frosting and green sparkles on it. And you ate all of it! You also colored some Christmas pictures and sat on Santa's lap! It was so nice for you to be able to play with your friends that you have not seen in awhile. Here are some pictures!

String Blankie

You got this blanket when you just a month old from your Great Aunt Cheryl. And for a long time it was up in the closet and never used. Until you were about one and half or two I think, then it was probably dragged out of the closet while I was re-organizing and it has stuck with you ever since. You call it your string blankie, because of all the big strings that hold it together. You love how soft the strings are and you like to hold onto them them on your face. You like to look for the cozy ones. These are the strings that have gotten un-tied and are longer than the rest of them. You have your favorite cozy ones and I even have my favorite cozy ones and you can always pick them out pretty quickly. You sleep with this blanket every night. When we are going on long car rides I know to bring this blanket with us. You love this blanket and I know it's going to be around for a long time!

Clothing Dilemmas

Lately you have been very picky about the clothes you were. I usually pick out your outfit for school the night before, to save time in the morning. And most mornings you throw a fit because you don't like the outfit. It's not cozy, it's not cute, it's not green (your favorite color), it's not soft, it's not warm. Some mornings I try and have you pick out another outfit, but that is not an easy process either most of the time. I love that you are interested in the clothes you are wearing, but sometimes it does not make the mornings easy. And I do hope you keep wanting to match clothes and looking nice when you are a teenager, because who knows what kind of styles will be around then! Maybe my shopping is just rubbing off on you. The other day we went to GAP and you were helping me pick out shirts, "that is so cute mom" and "I think you should get that color." You even insisted on picking out a new shirt for yourself and what color to get. You helped me with picking out new shirts for Ben too, "I think Ben would love good in that shirt." Oh my... I might have a shopping buddy for life! Even this morning on the way to school you said, "Mom I really need a green coat, I don't like this blue coat. Or maybe a red coat, now I would like a red coat. Mom can you look at the store for a green or red coat today." I'll get right on that sweetie... (in fact I am hunting one down online while I am typing this!)

Fall Pictures

I decided that I would yours and Ben's pictures in two sessions. We went up to the park, which Ben fell asleep in the car, which gave me the perfect opportunity to take some great pictures of you without chasing after him! You did pretty good for the most part. Sometimes you just wanted to look the other way and other times you flashed me that adorable smile of yours. I love the different faces you make. Sometimes you look so serious and other times you are just a goof! You are really starting to loose that baby look, when I compared these pictures to last year. You look so much like your brother Jacob that it just amazes me. All in all I got some awesome pictures of you (even enter a couple of them in the babyGap contest).
All the pictures are here!