Growing up...

In a couple of days Ethan will be attending preschool twice a week! He is super excited and tells everyone that he is going to go to school like "big kids". I on the other hand needed a little bit more convincing to let him go but I know he is sooo ready for it and will absolutely love it. Plus, it will prepare him for elementary pre-k next year and that happens to be everyday. I just hope I am ready by then too. He has grown so much this year and it shows. Anytime, he listens really well or solves a problem by himself he replies with, "It is because I am growing up Mom!". I have to agree with him, he can still act like a three year old but now he knows the art of reason. Just the other day we were in the checkout line at the store and Ethan asked for some candy. I said "NO" and he said, "But I ate all of my dinner and I have been a really good boy in the store." I started to laugh that he knew to point out his good points in order to get what he wanted. He was able to get his candy. He still rocks as an older brother and Gracie is lucky because some of things she has done to him that he has let her get away with is crazy. I remember being a young sister and hitting after being hit. Ethan just says, "We don't hit Gracie" and walks away. That is some constraint! A couple of nights ago, I had dinner cooking in the oven and Gracie kept walking by touching the oven door. Ethan scolded her right away, "Don't touch that, it is very dangerous and HOT!". After he said that, I didn't think twice about what Gracie was doing, I was surprised my kid used a 4 syllable word and he was not repeating after me!

Now, little miss Gracie is her own person and is either hot or cold. You got to love her tenacity and stubbornness though. She loves to play with other girls her own age but the boys already know not to come too close because she will give them a tongue lashing. When we are at playgroup, I will say "Oh man, where is Gracie?" and the other mom's all say "oh she is fine, just playing, no one will hurt her. I laugh and say, "Yeah I know she is fine but I am worried about your kids!" She is in the whole baby doll phase and likes to put her babies to sleep and feed them. She loves singing songs and her favorite is "Ring around the rosey". She loves playgrounds and running with the big kids. If Ethan is playing with his friends that are his own age, than that is where she will be. She will be the pesky sibling that follows the older one around. She has a major shoe fetish and loves trying on everyone shoes. She hates to brush her teeth but loves taking baths. Recently, she has insisted on walking around the house shirtless and just thinks it is the coolest thing. It is a game that Ethan plays with her. He will take off his shirt and say "Look at me Gracie" and she will come running up to me upset because she is still wearing hers. Her and I are learning the fine art of time out. It would be okay normally but when you have two people who are too alike pitted against each other it can be quite hard. I have a feeling over the next 17 years, Gracie and I will have many more moments like that. It will be interesting but I guess that is why there is that saying - Daddy's Girl-.

Gracie loving dinner

Ethan riding on train

Duck Pond

They were acting like they were talking to each other

Chasing the duck

Gracie kept eating the bread instead of throwing it.

Jeremiah and Ethan

Three's a Charm!

I don't know if there is any truth to that but we will see in about 5 months. Our little family of four will be welcoming it's newest member. That's right, we are having another baby! We are excited and were a little surprised by how quick we got pregnant. We weren't planning on actually trying till June but it seems that once your husband comes back from deployment, you lose track of everything. I am due January 31st, which cracks us up because we will be celebrating a birthday every two weeks in our house but if my life isn't busy, it wouldn't be my life. Of course, Ethan is excited and that was to be expected seeing how he has been requesting a new sibling for some time now. I asked him "How does the baby come out of my stomach?" and he replied with "Mom, they will cut you with some scissors but don't worry because they will put your blood back in and use glue and tape". Ethan also thinks we are having a baby boy and I have to agree with him. I am having the same pregnancy and cravings I had with Ethan, but we will have to wait and see.

However, since becoming pregnant, people have been so kind to ask us what we were thinking since we already have a boy and a girl. "Why on earth would you have more?"..... Ugh, in our house everyone is treated equally and if one gender came out potty trained you can bet your house that would be the gender I would be rooting for but since that doesn't happen, boy or girl we are blessed to have more. People may think we are weird but the one thing that Eric and I know is that we are not normal. I don't know if this will be our last, I am secretly waiting for my internal baby switch to turn but we really don't know. Of course, if it was up to Eric I could be pushing our 10th child out and he would be right there asking if I was ready for 11! I always thought it was the other way around, where guys were the ones you had to pressure into having more kids. Not my husband, he seems to love me barefoot and pregnant!

If you give a mouse a cookie...

Today we went to the Magik Theater to watch the play "If you give a mouse a cookie". Ethan loved it and was laughing at all of the mouses crazy antics. Gracie was throwing the biggest fit beforehand but as soon as the play started she was glued. She sat there patiently eating her popcorn like she was at the movies. It was such a cute play and the actors did a great job getting the kids involved. I know we will be going back again!

Ethan watching the show

The Actors

Us right before the show

All of our friends

Annalise and Gracie

The kids getting ready for the show

Before the show