J is 3 and 1/2 today

1 year and 2 days apart, of course means 2 days since C is 4.5 J is now officially 3 and a half years old. My precious baby boy is becoming more of a big boy and so much less toddler these days. He's definitely in the midst of the threes (I've mentioned before but terrible 2s is a lie, 3 is the challenging year) but he's also showing how smart and sweet he is, and his funny protective big brother personality more and more each day as well. So far he's shown a lot of interest in math and science though he still loves to be read too and do Monkey See Monkey do in following whatever Nanna (his nickname for C still) is up to. He still says he's a big brother and a little brother and a big boy and a little boy but I see more and more big with each passing day. I treasure the moments when he refuses to let Daddy or I leave until he can give us a hug and a kiss, and when he snuggles up next to me and falls asleep on the couch. He's definitely still got the Mama's boy streak while thinking no one is bigger or stronger than Daddy but I'm already seeing hints of so much more of the incredible child and someday man he will become.

And here's his survey :)

1. How old are you? 3 (pronounced more like freee at times)

2. What is something that makes you happy? Cleaning up and going outside and playing

3. What is your favorite thing to do? Play with toys with Nanna and Eva

4. What is something you're really good at? Counting and cleaning up

5. What is your favorite thing to eat? Cookies

6. What is your least favorite thing to eat? Onions, well I like the little ones and the sweet ones but not the big ones

7. What is your favorite movie? Fireman Sam and Toy Story sometimes

8. Who is your best friend? Nanna [C]

9. Who is your favorite person? K

10. What is your favorite color? Green

11. What is your favorite song? Rise and Shine and the song about the Prince that Nanna sings [that she made up]

12. What is your favorite toy? My Fire truck or my robot

13. What is your favorite animal? A zebra

14. What do you pray for? To thank God and ask him to take care of all of us

15. What is something silly that's happened recently? When Nanna's being funny and ticklin' Eva

16. What is the most important rule? To be nice to my sisters

17. What's something you like to do with Mommy? Help her and for me to get Eva and K's diaper and wipes

18. What's something you like to do with Daddy? When we pick stuff up together that's fallen down and we do it really fast

19. What is your favorite book/story? Brown Bear Brown Bear

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Superman, a hero and a fireman too

21. Who are you going to marry? You Mommy [after some discussion.....] What about another girl who isn't my sister who likes me and looks at me and we marry each other, someday I would

22. What do you think you are going to name your children? Fireman Sam and Toot and Flute

23. What is the best thing about grandparents? They can make food really fast that we can eat, it's the best thing I like them to do

24. If you could ask for one thing, what would you ask for right now? If Nanna would share her toys with me

25. Is there anything you want to tell yourself when you become a grown up someday? Ya, it can be a hard day but I'll be very big and maybe there will come another little Jojo to make him happy too

26. [Added by J's request] What do you like to share? my robot, and my fireman Sam truck, and my curious George and everything with Nanna and Eva

C, my princess is 4 1/2!!!!

I am in awe my princess is 4 and 1/2 (we are now closer to 5 than 4 eek!) and she's still constantly amazing us. My mini-mommy is still so caring, smart, sweet, and exciting. She definitely has her 4 going on 14 moments still but I love my beautiful sweet big girl so much. She loves to sing, dance, read, draw, and of course snuggle and protect all of her little siblings. She goes on and on about how sweet and tiny K is especially and how she has to set a good example for J and E.

And for this half birthday I'm going to try something new. I combined and configured my own questionnaire for the kids (J will do his in 2 days as well). I think the kids can tell me and themselves more looking back this way than I can do on my own. So here goes :) And will add pics later

1. How old are you? 4....and a half maybe....maybe, I'm halfway to my birthday. Mommy you know all I want for my birthday is the greatest birthday of mine of all, the greatest birthday yet.

2. What is something that makes you happy? That I love my brother

3. What is your favorite thing to do? Go outside and find flowers

4. What is something you're really good at? Cleaning up and playing afterwards and then putting the toys away again after that.

5. What is your favorite thing to eat? Pineapples on Ice Cream

6. What is your least favorite thing to eat? Dirty food that's on the floor

7. What is your favorite movie? Rapunzel [Tangled]

8. Who is your best friend? Joseph

9. Who is your favorite person? Eva

10. What is your favorite color? Red and Blue and White

11. What is your favorite song? Ami sang Yes Jesus Loves Me and I really like that song this is how it goes.....[commence singing]

12. What is your favorite toy? The doll that Santa Claus brought me it has pink and blue hair and butterfly wings

13. What is your favorite animal? A horsey, it's almost like a horse I just like to say it horsey

14. What do you pray for? For my family

15. What is something silly that's happened recently? Jojo and Eva were playing hide and go seek and kept disappearin'

16. What is the most important rule? Help my brother and sisters and be nice to them and make sure they aren't doing bad things

17. What's something you like to do with Mommy? Help each other and go outside together and do school together

18. What's something you like to do with Daddy? Play ball with him

19. What is your favorite book/story? Rudolph and Cinderella

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A princess that is waiting for her prince to come

21. Who are you going to marry? I don't know who he is until I grow up but if I don't find a prince right away, when he comes to me I'll know. I'll wait till my prince comes. I don't want to marry a toad.

22. What do you think you are going to name your children? Like if I'm the Mommy? I'll see what I want to name them, when I see them I'll know. Right now I'm not sure.

23. What is the best thing about grandparents? If they have pirate things to pretend I'm a pirate. Ami said she's going to buy things so we can play pirates soon.

24. If you could ask for one thing, what would you ask for right now? To send a card to Ami on my birthday, if it's okay for me to go out on the road with you so we can put it in the mailbox together that is. Is that okay? I want you to go out with me, just make sure to keep me safe and that there's no cars before we go to send Ami her card okay.

25. Is there anything you want to tell yourself when you become a grown up someday? That I remember when I was a kid and I want to still dance. And Jump!

[And she jumps and dances off through the house]