4.5 Years

I go back to read and reminisce with old blog entries all the time.  The ones I read the most though are the updates on what a certain age looked like, and I'm always surprised at how much I have forgotten because the kids don't do or say or like that particular thing anymore.  Claudia will ask me questions like, "did Kate or Luke eat X at this age?" or "when did you start doing X?" and I won't have any idea until I research the blog archives.  As much as I enjoy looking back, I also hope that someday Kate and Luke will want to look back and read through these old entries and have a glimpse into their childhood too.  Future Kate, if you're reading this, I hope you have realized how much we love you and how much fun we have together.  You are the most precious, delightful, sweet little girl and being your Mama is the biggest honor and blessing of my life.  Happy half birthday!  Let's look back on July 12th of years past...

2013 to 2016

Today you are four and a half.  Slow down!  This age is too wonderful to be going by so fast.  I love all the questions you constantly ask, I love being able to have real conversations with you, I love when you understand a joke, I love when you tell a joke, I love when you sing, I especially love when you make up your own songs to sing, I love watching you dance, I love the way you look out for your brother.

Lately there has been a superhero theme going on around here.  The daycare had a superhero day, and then Kate attended the week long VBS at our church where the theme all week was God's Superheroes.

 Kate loved Vacation Bible School, even though it was a bit of a stretch staying up until almost 9:00 each night that week, she hung in there fine and was giddy with excitement over all of it.  Most nights bedtime is around 7:00 or 7:30, even though Kate stays awake often playing quietly in her room past that.  Since Luke goes down around 7:00, Kate usually wants her pajamas and stories at the same time and then prefers to stay in her room.  She is really good at independent play, and I love to spy on her when she lines up and bosses around her stuffed animals or tucks them all in over and over again. Speaking of independence, Kate's new frustration has become Luke in her room or personal space.  Screams of  "I don't want Luke in my room!!!!" are a daily occurrence.  On the flipped side, both of them also refuse to go to bed until they have given each other multiple hugs and kisses.  It might be a stall tactic, but I fall for it every night because it makes my heart melt hearing them shout, "One more Luke kiss! I need to kiss my baby brother!"

Favorites at 4 and a half: Getting wet (pool, sprinkler, shower, bath, splash pad, etc.), watching Paw Patrol or Bubble Guppies, carrot sticks, sour cream, carrot sticks dipped in sour cream, showing up at our bedside way too early, soccer, dance, singing lullabies to Luke, and continuing her quest for knowledge by asking all the questions that pop in her curious head

This masterpiece is hanging on my bulletin board at work: Kate and Mommy on the beach enjoying the sunshine

We are working on breaking her thumb sucking habit.  Kate is getting better at riding her bike with training wheels and also practicing her floating that she learned at swimming lessons.  Sometimes she gets frustrated when things don't immediately click for her or go her way, and we still have pouting, whining, and tantrums mainly associated with her not being in control of something.

Kate Code (things she believes): ice packs or bandaids fix any type of injury, people in heaven watch over us, we can't see her if her eyes are closed, if Daddy is lying on the floor it must be an invitation to climb on him

Baby Kate was adorable and awesome, but little girl Kate is way cooler.  She snuggles in your lap and tells you about her day, she hugs tightly while whispering that she loves you, she is full of energy and joy and I can't wait to see where her creative mind and kind spirit take her in life.