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