The Fantastic and Frustrating Fours!

 If 30 is the new 20...and 40 is the new 30...then it stands to reason that four is the new six, right?  Actually, kindergarten is the old first grade, so I’m still trying to figure out when things reverse.  Anyway, Chase and Ella are officially four...going on six!

What makes four so fantastic?  I forgot what a joy this age is- they are little sponges, amazed by even the most trivial things, and still innocent and sweet enough to love you unconditionally.  Their ideas are so fascinating, their thoughts are becoming more complex and their problem solving more creative.  Their vocabularies are growing, along with their personalities, opinions and independence.  Their emotions are raw and sincere, and their understanding of the world is evolving.  I just feel privileged to be part of it all.

And with all those things comes a whole new level of frustration.  Frustration with not having all the privileges their older brothers have, with not physically being able to do the some of the same things, and with the realization that the world does not necessarily revolve around them.  Learning some of life’s more trying lessons- like patience- doesn’t come naturally for a four year old.

Experience has taught me that is the year to cling to...to hold tight to...the year before they are exposed to the bigger world of social influences at “real” school when I’m forced to let go in a bigger way.  Until then, I’ll take the frustrating with the fantastic!

Fantastic for Chase:  He still loves dinosaurs and trucks, and a good book.  Chase has also discovered Legos and Hero Factory (this is both fantastic and frustrating for him- but GREAT for fine motor development!).  He still loves cuddles, cuddles and more cuddles, and his newest skill of which he’s super proud- going under water!  And he hasn’t met a dog or dessert he doesn’t like.

 

 Frustrating for Chase:  Waiting...for anything (I think he’s lacking the patience gene), anything scary that his brothers might be watching on tv (actually, this may be more of my frustration, as Chase seems prone to nightmares), walking through the toy section empty handed, not being able to attach/detach small Lego pieces, and when you don’t acknowledge he’s talking the FIRST time (but isn’t that all our frustration???).


Fantastic for Ella:  The continued expression through dress up and pretend character play.  You just never know who she’s going to be, and yet, she still is very confident in exactly what she wants.  Lots of unsolicited “I love you, mom”s and very advanced problem solving- like when her brother doesn’t want to play what/how she wants to, she figured out he can be easily bribed with food.  She enjoys coloring, being independent (“I can do it”), and being mommy’s helper (in her own way).

 

Frustrating for Ella:  Being told she’s “pretty” (she’d much rather you call her “handsome”), when she’s put in a position where she’s being asked to do something she doesn’t want to (as indicated by her growling and anxious stomping), not being first/in charge (she’s VERY competitive), and not being her brothers’ brother.

Happy Birthday to my fantastic four year olds!

Happy Birthday, Garrett!

After reviewing my posts of when Garrett turned five, six and seven, here's what I've concluded about him turning eight:

1.  He loves toys, then family, then animals.  Although junk food may be tied with toys, and that's only when he's not fighting with siblings.  Or when he's not sporting a teenage attitude- then NOTHING makes him happy!  (Which, by the way, is also the reason I don't have very many decent pictures of him lately).

2.  His sense of humor is unique, evolving, and still inappropriate.  Probably more so as he is exposed to more of this crazy world.  Like, who in their right minds ever thought a show called the "Annoying Orange" would be a good idea?  Okay, it's my fault for letting him watch it, but "annoying" does not even begin to describe it.  And he LOVES it!

3.  He is still obsessed with Legos, but it's become a great outlet for his ideas and creativity.  And he's recently taken to sketching. 

4.  He loves to read.  Unless it's homework, then he'll complain about it.  But once it's bedtime, he'll stay up waaaay past his bedtime reading by the crack of light from the bathroom down the hall.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid is his current favorite- and he's picked up quite a bit of pre-teen wisdom (if you can call it that) and humor, and he can't get enough of it.

5.  He's getting even more clever when it comes to getting his way.  I suppose I could view it as his entrepreneurial spirit, but he is very quick to negotiate to get what he wants.  And he never forgets what you agree upon.  Do you think he's a talented artist?  Great!  He wants to sell you a drawing... that's what I mean by clever.

6.  Sometimes he just plain blows me away.  Like when he emptied his change jar- and TWO weeks of allowance money- for the school fund raiser for kids with cancer.  Or, when he created a new system for consequences that he thought would be more effective than our current one.  Or, when he brought home this letter he wrote at school. 

So glad to have this in writing, because sometimes I need written proof!

This is the same kid who has been sent to the principle's office the same week he was "caught" shining and earned a Character Counts Award.  Life with Garrett can be a little unpredictable, but one thing's for sure- it's never boring!

We love you, Garrett!  And we look forward to the adventures to come...

Nine Years and Counting...

We were blessed a beautiful baby boy.  He was sweet, quiet, content and pretty much perfect.  And he still is...minus the boyhood moments of sassiness and attitude.

And while I've learned a lot in my nine years of parenting, Blake is a constant reminder that I have so much more to learn and that we parents grow with our kids.  There really is no easy part of parenting.  The reward, however, is to see our sweet little babies become their own people.  Here are a few things about Blake you may not know...

He's like his dad- he NEEDS time throughout the day to wonder and think; to process his thoughts, preferably with something in his hands, and just dream.  He doesn't mind being alone and likes to be in his own space.
 

He loves games!  He got an iPod Touch for his 9th birthday and they've been inseparable ever since.  But it's not just silly games- his favorite is Boggle.  And with his iTunes gift card he's been downloading flashcards and checkers!  The games challenge his mind.
 

He loves the drums.  We suspected this when he was younger and have a drum set in the rafters to prove it.  Technology has come a long way, and an electronic set with ear phones is what I recommend for a small house and a loud instrument.  Still...he thinks with his hands.  He's constantly drumming a beat, can easily keep a beat and just loves to bang on things.
 

He loves to read.  He likes mysteries and has been reading the Harry Potter series.  When given the opportunity, it's not unusual for Blake to sit down and read quietly without "having" to.
 

He loves to build.  Anything.  And he wants to understand how things work.  But once he gets an idea in his mind, there's little hope of stopping him until his project comes to fruition.  Even in the middle of homework.  Going back to #1, we realize that it's an important part of this dreaming and thinking.  Apparently, Brian was the same way when he as a kid (and still is).
 

He's a really good teacher.  Because he loves to learn, he's happy and patient enough to share what he's learned with the twins.  He's an awesome big brother (when he's not teaching them potty words...)
 

He is very humble.  If you know him, you probably already know this, but he's a little shy and mostly humble.  He doesn't want or expect much from people, and he has a very generous heart.  I will never forget the time he gave his entire allowance saved from two weeks ($7) to the church offering.  And while we're still working on trustworthiness, he really tries to be conscientious and responsible. 
 

He will mimic everything we do.  When we are busy working, he builds himself office space and "goes to work".  When we do or go somewhere special, he recreates that at home (everything from bowling, to a haunted house, to the library, to the store).  He's always been an old soul and operates as if he's in a grown up world.  This is the same kid who has always preferred things like office supplies over toys.  And he keeps me checking my words, tone, stress and attitude, since he often reflects exactly what he's seeing around him.

Raising Blake has been and continues to be an amazing experience.  When I realize that he's halfway through his childhood, I stop wishing the hard parenting moments away and just want reach out and give him giant bear hugs...stinky boy feet and all.

Happy 9th Birthday to my very special Blakers.  We are SO proud of you!

Aloha, Three!

It's official...the twins are three! It's hard to believe that three years ago I didn't know the little girl who melts my heart with every unsolicited "I love you, mommy" and the little boy whose belly laugh and "cuuuute belly!" can bring an instant smile to my face.

How quickly we forget that here's a learning curve when it comes to birthday parties...there's the gift opening...

(and probably the last year that the twins will let their brothers "help" them open their presents), there's the blowing out the candles...

which doesn't seem like rocket science but we found it IMPOSSIBLE to get them both lit before one blew out their candle so that they were never lit at the same time. Let's just say they had plenty of opportunities for birthday wishes this year- another thing the haven't learned yet.

The decorations were a highlight for the twins...thanks to Renee, we celebrated with their birthday with a luau theme. Which is perfect for a little girl who LOVES to dress up. And little boy who LOVES to eat. Okay, so any theme probably would have worked, but there's no doubt that Renee's special touches made it extra special. There were the streamers (by request from the twins), Hawaiian flower decorations, festive Hawaiian music, a blow up ukelele and octopus, leis for everyone and a tropical bird pinata, which Ella seemed to enjoy hitting a little too much (we definitely have a future softball player on our hands).

Thanks, Renee!

Ella was happy to receive some new princess accessories and Tinker Bell (her favorite) themed jewelry and phone.

Hmmm, a tiara, a cell phone and lots of sparkly bling...at what age do we have undo all this and start discouraging it? Oh well, it's cute for now.

And what's a party without a wardrobe change? This is the very special "ballerina" outfit (with tap AND ballet shoes) that grandma got for our little dancer (well, hopefully some day). I think she likes it, what do you think?

The more bling the better, right?

But this one takes the cake...after watching the movie Reo (about a blue parrot and Carnival in Rio de Janeiro) Ella took it upon herself to wear the used pinata head and tail...and then SHAKE her tail again and again.

Once again...cute for now.

And Chase was in Heaven with his new dump truck and DVD of Twenty Trucks.

Seriously, if you know a little boy who LOVES trucks, I highly recommend this DVD with songs. They will learn all there is to know about construction vehicles and you'll be singing songs about excavators! Just give him plenty of space to dance 'cuz you'll get screamed at and knocked out of the way if not! Yes, he's obsessed...but it's cute for now.

Funny enough, we still haven't given them the scooters we bought, which are sitting in the garage. They had just enough gifts to keep them excited and occupied...maybe we'll just save them for Christmas (probably the last year we can get away with that, too!).

And I would be remiss not to mention the year we discovered the world's BEST ice cream cake, Peanutbutter Playground by Cold Stone. Not your traditional birthday cake, but soooo much better than cupcakes with way too much colored frosting that turns your mouth funny colors.

Thanks to the grandparents for coming together to celebrate #3. And now...as they transition out of toddlerdom, look out preschool, here they come!
Happy Birthday Chase & Ella!

Where Do I Begin?

Just because I haven't been updating the blog lately doesn't mean we haven't been busy. To the contrary...we've been especially busy. Here is a summary of some of the latest.

GIVE ME A 3, GIVE ME A 7

"Specil. Cool. Caring. Funny. Strange. Hot. Silly. Morvilis. Helpful. Nice. Playful." (Garrett)
"Speshl. Cool. Funny. Silly. Helpful. Nice. Lovely. Caring. Smart. Loveabel. " (Blake)
"Gentle. Brave. Kind. Huggable. Fun. Caring. Generous. Thoughtful. Compassionate. Interesting. Sincere. Beautiful. Creative. Strong. Smart."
Just 37 of the many reasons to celebrate Brian.

And what would a birthday celebration be without the treats we love but don't need? Happy 37 years to the best husband and father around!

POTTY PARTY

Did someone say "party"?

Potty training twins is no small feat. It seems that my hopes of them training themselves by watching the older kids (since they copy just about everything else they do) wasn't quite realized, so I had to take matters into my own hands. I knew what to expect from potty training...it was the challenge of keeping the older kids from capitalizing on my being distracted with the twins...for two weeks...while not leaving the house...at the beginning of summer that worried me. Somehow workbooks, reading and chores just aren't their idea of summer fun, go figure. But getting them involved seemed to do the trick (okay, that, and partaking in the gummy bear "rewards"...and a lot of extra video game time).

So, one week into the process and so far so good. Ella has been nearly 100% since day one. She's even staying dry at bed time. Girls are so smart! Sorry, couldn't resist.

Dah-da-da-DUHH...Super-Potty-Training-Girl!

Chase is catching on, but in baby steps. He's "going" but hasn't quite embraced the need to remove his underwear before hand (the washer and dryer are my current best friends). One thing at a time. And while Ella's motivation seems to be largely based on the joy of being independent, Chase's motivation is going to the movie theater to see Cars 2, since he's been tortured with constant previews airing since we have been watching a lot of tv to pass the time. And our one park outing so far has been successful (yes, that is my child using the potty in the back of the minivan, please don't stare), but it's still not a one person job (playdate anyone?). Another week or two and things should start flowing, pardon the pun. If not, it's going to be a looong summer for all of us.

ROCKIN', ROLLIN' AND RUNNIN'
Another half marathon under our belts. A new personal best time for both of us (Brian shaved 24 minutes off his last half marathon!, and I improved by about 6 minutes). And I achieved the goal I had been training for: a sub-2 hour time. The bright side of arriving and starting late is that there were plenty of people to pass to keep our motivation high. I'm just sorry I missed the flash mob. Even the crowds weren't that bad, despite the 35 thousand people. And the music was a good distraction, but it was no match for the mental focus it takes to make it through those last few miles. I have also confirmed that I have absolutely NO desire to run a full marathon...just watch the very fit, strong runners limping across the finish line and you'll know what I mean. Yeah...no thanks.

SPEAKING OF ROLLING

Both Blake and Garrett are officially riding their bikes with two less wheels (training wheels)! Congrats to both boys for putting their minds to it and not giving up until they mastered the art of balancing AND pedaling.

It was really interesting to watch them tackle this challenge...I learned a lot about their personalities. And, as a parent, I realized it's another milestone of learning to let go...and trust...and pray. And Ella wasted no time riding Garrett's old bike with training wheels. In fact, there was a period of time when I thought she might actually be the first in the family to take the wheels off.

Turns out that she forgets to steer and look up (she's too busy watching her feet pedal). And Chase is happy to ride around on the Big Wheel...he is great at steering but not as interested in pedaling (they truly couldn't be more opposite).

LE'GO MY LEGO

Because Garrett ran over 70 miles this year and Blake, over 50. Because Garrett is obsessed with Legos AND Star Wars. Because Blake had been working extra hard in school. Because Brian had been MIA for 2 1/2 months. Because the boys usually have to structure their play time around the twins. Because we promised.

The list goes on, but, the point is that the boys deserve to have some good old fashioned fun and spend some quality time with dad. Besides, who wants to take spelling tests and give oral reports when they could be at....LEGOLAND?! And they thought going to get bagels for breakfast on a school day was going to be highlight of their day...

...but the plan all along was to surprise them with a day at Legoland to check out the new Star Wars miniland (and other attractions, of course).

Enough of looking at Legos...let's build some!

The boys reenacting the Pinewood Derby Races.

After they got that out of their system, they did some laser shooting and rode the dragon roller coaster...again and again.

The aquarium next door was fun, too. It's not every day that you get to be underwater without getting wet!

OTHER MISCELLANEOUS

The twins have been enjoying things like painting with water colors. Another example of how different they are...he paints lines...

...and she paints blotches...

Meanwhile, the big boys were promoted in Cub Scouts to Bear Cub (Blake) and Wolf Cub (Garrett)- congrats to both!

Ella has a new 'do, "mommy hair"! She actually lets me twist it up into a clip (like I usually do by the end of the day) and doesn't tear it out- a first! Maybe next she'll actually wear a dress?

The boys continue to amaze me with their Lego creations.

Do you see the clown mosaic Blake built? This is one of my absolute favorite creations of his. And Blake's version of a pirate ship (below). Garrett also built a very elaborate, impressive ship but it met its demise before I could capture a picture of it.

That's when they aren't loving anything Pirate (mostly thanks to the Pirates of the Carribean movie and Lego video game). And this summer marks the introduction to Harry Potty and long chapter books.
The twins continue to discover new things. Like Chase, who figured out how to make dinosaur shadows on the ceiling with a flashlight and dinosaur- clever boy!


There have been almost weekly swim outings (Garrett conquered the high dive...18 times in one day!). Not to mention frequent visits from beloved Aunt Nee Nee and more quality time with Papa Jim and Nana Sharlene, now that they live in San Diego (like braving the fair rides and driving the bumper cars at the County Fair!). And, of course, marking the end of first and second grade.

All that in the last couple months. Fun but exhausting. Sure to come are more picnics in the park (and trips to the bathroom), beach excursions (and trips to the bathroom), bike rides at the park (and trips to the bathroom), camp outs in the backyard (at least the bathroom is close) and pretty much anything else that's free...and has a bathroom.
Happy summer!