Time Marches On

I've been a pitiful blogger - mostly due to laziness, but also the fact that I haven't gotten out my camera very much and, let's face it, blogs are just better with pictures. I need to do a catch up post on our silly boys before the little lady arrives and things really get crazy!

Ben (at 4.5 years):

• Has grown up so much the last few months and is doing really well at preschool. He can spell lots of words and constantly goes around sounding out words and telling me what they start with. He's also getting pretty good at writing all his letters and numbers and can even read a few words. Miss Angela has taught him well and I'm feeling more and more confident that he'll be ready for kindergarten this fall!
• Has been showing a more sensitive side lately. He always used to laugh when we had to get after him for something (sometimes he still does), but now he'll occasionally burst into tears and act like his feelings are really hurt over it.
• Still making us laugh with some of his words... compluter (computer), I sink (I think), handsitizer (hand sanitizer), and others I can 't think of right now. He's also started using some funny hand gestures when he talks.
• Has become quite the back seat driver. He loves to tell me what the different lights and signs mean and wants to know the names of all the streets as we pass by.
• The other day I was taking some baby stuff into my room and he got a really serious look on his face and asked me if the baby was coming out of my tummy right now. If only it were that easy!
• Has started saying "I love you" and "I like you" a lot. If you don't immediately respond, he'll tell you, "Say I like you too!" He'll also tell you to "say what" if he calls your name and you don't answer right away.  (Hahaha... this kind of sounds like we ignore the poor kid, but I swear we don't...he's just really impatient!)
• Loves to play the "sword game" on Wii Resort and is starting to like Mario Kart as well. REALLY hates to lose though... major fits, but we've been working on it!
• Still fascinated by how everything works. He loves to take things apart, put them together in new ways, and "build" stuff.  A future engineer for sure!

Matt Mo (at almost 3 years):

• My sweet cuddle bug. Almost always willing to snuggle with me on the couch, especially after he wakes up or is about to go to bed. I love when he says "sit by me, mom!" because I know he wants to cuddle.
• Loves to follow Ben around and do/say things like his big brother... sometimes much to his mother's dismay since Ben is really into potty words lately.
• Will randomly burst out singing "happy birthday to ________" (some favorites are "baby Stella" - his newest cousin, "foot", and "stinky diaper"...like I said, random.)
• Still very attached to his "diapeys" (a cloth diaper and a small lovey blanket) and his binky. Hoping to rid him of the binky before baby sister arrives, but we'll see. Also has suddenly become attached to a little neck pillow that looks like a caterpillar. We have to take these things everywhere with us!
• Working on transitioning to a big boy bed (bunk bed in Ben's room). Would have been a simple change if Ben would leave the kid alone. Mom just doesn't have the patience to listen to them bug each other for 2 hours every night so we haven't made much progress yet.
• Had a serious iPhone addiction for a while there. We had to cut him off because he was asking to play games on daddy's phone from the second he woke up or as soon as dad came home from work. He gets to play occasionally now and still surprises us at how good he is at the games and navigating his way around the phone!
• He's getting excited to start preschool in the fall. He always wants to go to school with Ben and loves hanging out with the other "big kids" in the car when it's our turn to drive the carpool.
• Still not the most coordinated kid and often looks drunk when he's running. Despite this, he loves to dance and has a very distinct tippy-toe walk when he gets excited.
• He's the opposite of Ben in many ways... more sensitive and affectionate, very verbal, and not as coordinated. He's similar to Ben though in that he's very curious, stubborn, and just a wild and crazy BOY!

As far as an update on the little lady goes...

• Only 10 more weeks to go (hopefully a little sooner though)!
• Still nameless... we can't seem to agree on very many choices.
• Giving me heart burn lately... hopefully this means she'll have lots of hair!
• Getting very active in there and is measuring right on schedule so far.
• Has a growing wardrobe and shoe collection (much to her father's dismay) thanks to all those clearance racks her mommy can't resist!