Four

There is something amazing about turning 4.  It seems and feels so different than 3.  It feel BIG.  Maybe it's because the kids are not babies anymore and they can do so much, have so many thoughts, and share so many ideas.  Whatever it is, I LOVE this age.  They are so fun to be around. They care so much about us and each other.  They try to get their points across any way that they can.  They communicate so clearly and can engage in amazing imaginative play.  They are my buddies.  They love being around me and I love being around them.  There is no more fierce independence that reared its head at age three.  Now there is just a mutual understanding and a feeling of teamwork.  This age is FUN!

Naps stopped right around their birthday and I can't say that I am sad.  We had a great run.  We had years where they were able to stay up long enough to see Chris and still get their much needed 12-13 hours.  As sleeping in the afternoon became an increasing struggle, I started to embrace the earlier bed times, the longer evening hours for which to squeeze in some work (or extra sleep) and the uninterrupted day hours where we are able to do whatever we want.  I tried to build in some structured quite time in the afternoons for the boys but after many annoying attempts, I decided it was more work for me than it was worth.  I am happy we made it to four with naps intack.  Now I am happy that we have quality daytime hours to spend together and bedtime routines that are much much simpler.

For their actual birthdays we kept it relatively simple this year.  Brody wanted chocolate and Brady wanted vanilla cake so I made marble Stormtrooper cupcakes that tasted pretty mediocre (sorry boys).  We had a fantastic afternoon at a jump place with our best buddies.  I took the boys out for a special adventure every day of their birthday week, many of which involved cupcakes and fun at the park.  We upgraded the boys to peddle bikes and they had fun taking the bikes for a spin around the block before school.

Since their birthday fell on a school day, we were invited in to read to the boys' class.  Each boy picked a story for us to read and the book gets donated to the classroom's library with a sticker in their honor.  Brady picked a scary story from the Frog and Toad collection called  Shivers  .  Brody picked The Book with No Pictures.  Chris had a ball reading this book to the class.  They roared with laughter at the end of every line and made it sound like he was telling the funniest story in the whole world.  It was so much fun to be able to celebrate the boys in a such a fun way!

Interviews!

1. What is your name? Brody McLean

2. What is your favorite color? Dark Blue and golden

3. What is your favorite toy? Star Wars Ray Gun

4. What is your favorite fruit? pine apple, all the fruits i like

5. What is your favorite TV show? PawPatrol

6. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Sandwich

7. What is your favorite outfit? Star Wars shirt

8. What is your favorite game? Duck game

9. What is your favorite snack? Mommy, are you writing this down?

10. What is your favorite animal? zebra and lion

11. What is your favorite book? Star Wars

12. Who is your best friend? Brady

13. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play in our treehouse

14. What is your favorite holiday?  Christmas

15. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Ellie

16. What do you want to be when you grow up? A daddy

17. Where do you want to go on vacation? Michigan and Ohio and Disneyland

18. Who do you want to come over for a play date? CiCi, Nico and Athan

19. Who do you love? Daddy, Mommy, Brady

20. What’s your favorite drink? Smoothie

1. What is your name? Bradyn McLean and Brady

2. What is your favorite color? Dark blue and golden Michigan

3. What is your favorite toy? Batman

4. What is your favorite fruit? blueberries and grapes

5. What is your favorite TV show? I don’t know, Justin Kitty Olive

6. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? pancakes

7. What is your favorite outfit? Star Wars shirt

8. What is your favorite game? Checkers and dominos. Mom, how do we play dominos

9. What is your favorite snack? Sticky bar

10. What is your favorite animal? Zebra and cows

11. What is your favorite book? Witch and the Broom and Star Wars

12. Who is your best friend? Brody

13. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play a monster game

14. What is your favorite holiday? I like all holidays that have presents

15. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Baby dougie

16. What do you want to be when you grow up? Marble man 

17. Where do you want to go on vacation? Snowy place and Disneyland

18. Who do you want to come over for a play date? Brody, Carolina and Anna

19. Who do you love? Mommy, Brody

20. What’s your favorite drink? Milk

Happy FOUR Brady and Brody.  We love you so very much.