Half Birthday Girl

To Lucie, our wonderful-in-every-way girl, you can now declare with pride that you're "Four AND a half!" When asked what you wanted to do on your half birthday, you said you'd like to go to Hallmark and maybe, just maybe, get a new stuffed animal, preferably a kitty. You charmed me and the sales lady, and came home with your first Hello Kitty friend. I'm sure it is one of many to come, if you're anything like me or Aunt Rach as little girls.

Here are a few glimpses of you at this fun-loving age...

Reading together is one of your favorite things to do. You could spend an entire morning sitting on my lap and reading from a pile of hand picked books. Some recent favorites include The Magic School Bus, poetry by Shel Silverstein, and we just finished our first chapter book, Gooney Bird Greene. You are a patient and quiet listener, and always find humor in the little details, from words to pictures.

With all this reading, you are constantly picking up new vocabulary words and incorporating them into your speech. When playing a game recently, you called out happily, "This is brilliant fun! Brilliant fun!" We had just read a book about a dog in London so I knew exactly where you got that phrase. It's fun to see you try out new things with language, and show your facility with words.

You are a creative thinker, and an active problem solver. We had been having trouble with our morning routine, and were looking for solutions to help you and your brother get dressed more quickly (and with a more helpful attitude). You proposed a special code word and a hiding place for green blankie and Bunny, so you would know exactly when it was time to get dressed and would not be distracted by loved ones. The plan has worked great, and has made getting ready for preschool much more fun -- with plenty of time for breakfast!

We all count on you for fashion advice. You often compliment me on my shoes, clothes, and jewelry and love it when we all wear our "party clothes" together. When I came downstairs for a night out last week, you said to me, "Mommy, I like your boots, but why are you wearing your jeans with the rip in the knee?" As always, you're right -- though the rip was not intentional, it's definitely more of a daytime look.

You are eating and growing like crazy. Lately, you've been known to have 4 bowls of cereal for breakfast, 2 sandwiches for lunch, and 6 pancakes on breakfast-for-dinner night. You love any sort of bread product, and your most favorite snack is butter on wheat bread. All this eating has shown on the height charts as you've shot up lately. Dresses that used to fit perfectly last fall, now fit like shirts on you. Sadly, that means your two favorite dresses, crown dress and cake dress, must soon be retired unless you change your mind and decide to like wearing pants under them.

You love back rubs and leg rubs, fairies, making up games and shows, coloring, crackers and peanut butter snacks, making families from your stuffed animal "loved ones", pretending that Ryan is your baby brother, and quiet time with green blankie.

You're our sweet, amazing and bright girl, Lucie, and we love you like crazy!

Half Birthday Boy

To Ryan, our incredibly lovable boy -- when people ask how old you are, you can now declare with pride, "Four AND a half!"

As a twin, I'm sure it's tough sometimes to share a birthday, so we like to celebrate your half birthday as well. Maybe not as good as a day all to yourself, but at least you get two celebrations a year, one with half a cake. Here are some glimpses of you, Mr. Ryan, as you round the corner towards five-years-old (did I just remind myself of that?) ...

You love being in the yard planting seeds, checking on the garden, spraying the hose or just peering behind trees or under rocks. You've named yourself our "super weeder" and can pull the plethora of green and unwanted visitors out of our yard with incredible speed, and a much more cheerful attitude than I've ever seen in a weeder.

You've picked up all sorts of funny phrases and jingles. When being rounded up for a bath, you'll belt out "Missed me! Missed me! Now you gotta kiss me!" (not that I ever have a problem with that) And, you love to copy all your Dad's favorite silly phrases like, "Let's get it on, Donkey Kong", "Never shower, never cower!" and "Ain't nothin' to it but to do it!"

Speaking of your Dad, you adore him. I know you love me, but truly, Daddy is number one in your book. Mondays are your least favorite day of the week because it means Daddy has to go back to work after two full days with him. Most every art project you make is for Daddy, with thoughtful notes attached to say, "Daddy, I hope you had a great day. How was work? From, Ryan"

We count on you to relay all the latest preschool news. You always remember sharing day, what we signed up to bring for an event, and when the book order is due. You also fill us in on any new kids in class, who left preschool early for a doctor's appointment, what everyone brings for lunch and your teacher's favorite green foods (in case you were wondering, it's pickles). You keep us in the loop, with versions of events far more interesting than anything reported in the preschool newsletter, and keep our dinner conversations lively.

It looks like you may have inherited my tendency towards indecision. When given a choice in a store or at the library, you'll deliberate. "Well, let's see...", you'll start, and then go back and forth between choices, giving each your full attention. It's just like your sweet and caring nature to see the good in all things.

You love dinosaurs, making families out of your stuffed animal "loved ones", family sports day at the park, measuring things, playing baseball in the tub, dribbling a basketball, making science experiments out of the whatever you can find in the pantry, pretending to be your sister's puppy, and of course, dear old Bunny.

Thanks for making each and every day so bright -- we love you Rye-guy!

Little Leprechauns

Chris and I joke about how the kids' preschool seems to be a series of parties, one after another after another. There's always something to celebrate -- and hey, why not? Four is an age that definitely appreciates a good fete, especially if it involves rainbows, a mischief making fairy, and green cupcakes.

When it came to dressing in green, Lucie and Ryan went for a more subtle approach, with little tidbits on skirts, shirts, and underwear, and of course polka-dot shamrock and Leprechaun socks (thanks Grandma and Grandpa).

Onward and Upward

Quite suddenly (at least in my mind), Lucie and Ryan are turning into kids, leaving the toddler and baby days farther and farther behind.

Little things remind me of this, like the beginnings of successful card games, and time spent in deep concentration creating tiny Lego structures. Gone are the Candy Land games that lasted mere minutes before cards were bent, chewed and scattered about. Gone also are the alphabet blocks and chunky Duplo blocks. These two are ready for new challenges.

With grandparents visiting this past weekend, Lucie, Ryan and Grandma played a rousing game of Old Maid for the better part of an afternoon. While Lucie munched on pretzels dipped in hummus and intently studied her cards, Ryan repeatedly tried to offload the Old Maid card on Grandma, giggling hysterically in the process.

And later in the week, Lucie and Ryan got a special treat in the mail from Gigi and Papa -- their first box of real Lego blocks. Many hours have been spent since creating firetrucks (Ryan), helicopters (Ryan), and houses with steering wheels and slides off the roof going into swimming pools (Lucie). Ryan was so proud of one of his trucks that he brought it into preschool for the letter "T" sharing day.

On a side note, Lucie was thrilled to get this Tinkerbell dress as a hand-me-down from cousin Maggie. It was originally an Aunt Betsy creation, and has quickly become Lucie's favorite dress. Any time it's clean she'll wear it, even though it means having to wear an undershirt, which she usually protests. But for Tinkerbell (and cousin Maggie), anything is possible.

A Boy and his Sis

Lucie, Ryan and I were reading a book recently about a duck feeling a little "homesick". I asked the kids if they knew what this meant and they both looked at me blankly, shaking their heads.

Since I was once a little girl quite prone to homesickness (even up to the college years), I think I gave a pretty good description of the word, simplified for the four-year-old audience. The kids looked at me knowingly, hugged their bunny and Ella, and we finished the story.

This word seems to have struck a cord with Ryan, a boy we all know loves his home, bed, and most of all, his bunny. At the end of a long morning at the park last week, Ryan gave a big sigh and said, "Mommy, I'm homesick". Every time he uses this word, I want to scoop him up with a big hug and kiss -- he's just so sweet and genuine.

Ryan found a new use for "homesick" this weekend. Exhausted from constant coughing and nose blowing, we found Lucie asleep on her bed late Sunday afternoon. Having already recovered from the same cold, Ryan enjoyed the house to himself for some time, tossing his baseball into his mitt and imagining sliding into base through the kitchen hallway.

After he wore himself out with all the sliding, tossing and catching, I found him trying to sneak into his room and wake his sister.

"Uh, Mr. Ryan, what do you think you're doing?", I asked.

"I'm Lucie-sick", he said.

"What does that mean?", I wondered.

"It means I miss my Lucie", he replied.

Fortunately, the cure to his illness was right on the other side of the bedroom door. Lucie was waking up, feeling much better and ready to play.