Double Digits: Ryan

Our wonderful boy enters the double digits today. In honor of Ryan's 10th birthday, here are his answers to ten burning questions, capturing him at this incredibly active (and sweaty), fun and utterly lovable age.  (Why can't I freeze time?)

1. Tell me five great things about you - even though we know there are more than five!
(1) I'm good at lots of sports. (2) I once slept in until 8:18 am. (3) I play with my brother a lot and make up games. (4) My friends love my niceness and sense of humor. (5) My sister and brother love my jokes, like the "tooting Penguin". My sister especially loves my jokes in the grocery store, like the "infamous backscratcher", which was actually a toilet scrubber. 

2. What do you know how to do that you can teach to others?
I can teach them how to use a Chromebook, play pretty much any sports game, and read the box scores in the newspaper and understand the "magic number" in baseball. The magic number today is 8!

3. What do you think will be a new privilege that comes with being 10 years old?
Being able to walk to school by myself! Also, now that I'm double digits, I'm three years away from being a teenager, five years from being able to drive, and eight years from being able to vote. 

4. How would you like to celebrate your 10th birthday?
I would like to go to game 7 of the World Series, Dodgers vs. Blue Jays. I hope this happens.

5. What are your favorite words?
"Boss", "beast" and "spontaneous combustion". 

6. How would you spend your perfect Saturday afternoon?
I would play Clash of Clans on the couch with my dad while watching a Dodgers game. 

7. What would you love to eat daily for every meal?
Breakfast: scrambled eggs and bacon, Lunch: grilled cheese sandwich, Snack: blueberries, honey and yogurt, Dinner: ribs and mashed potatoes

8. On the subject of food, do you like salty or sweet things?
Sweet! I like a lot of candy like gummy bears and Swedish fish.

9. What are you most looking forward to about our upcoming trip to London and Florence?
I can't wait to see my cousins and grandparents. I'm looking forward to buying things and playing around at the house. I want to go on the tube in London. 

10. How do you like fourth grade?
I like it because you get more recess time (5 more minutes). My teacher is really nice and I like use the Chromebooks. 

You make every day sweeter, Ryan. Have the best 10th birthday!

Double Digits: Lucie

Our incredible girls clicks over to double digits today. In honor of Lucie's tenth birthday, here are her answers to 10 burning questions, perfectly capturing her at this silly, inquisitive, break-your-heart amazing age. (Time, why can't you just slow down?)

1. Tell me five great things about you - even though we know there are more than five!
(1) I'm really creative. (2) I know how to share an inside joke. (3) I can do lots of funny accents and I know lots of funny phrases. (4) I really like doing my own thing. I like to do things my own way and not use someone else's ideas. (5) Ask my mom! (I say: her warm and calming spirit, loyalty towards friends and family, and dazzling intelligence)

2. What do you know how to do that you can teach to others?
Knit! I can make a pillow out of duct tape! And, I know lots of good slinky tricks.

3. What do you think will be a new privilege that comes with being 10 years old?
Doing more things by ourselves, for example walking to school or staying home by ourselves. 

4. How would you like to celebrate your 10th birthday?
I would like to celebrate it with a gigantic cake and all my friends and family.

5. What are some of your favorite words?
Compulsory and Shish Kabob

6. How would you spend your perfect Saturday afternoon?
Probably depends on the weather. If it was raining, I would stomp around in puddles in my rain boots. If it was sunny, I would do some cartwheels outside while listening to music. Then I would dance! And, then I'd go inside and read a mysterious fantasy book. 

7. What would you love to eat daily for every meal?
Breakfast: chocolate pancakes, Lunch: turkey, cheese and lettuce sandwich on french bread, grapes and a Chips Ahoy, Snack: hot chocolate and popcorn, Dinner: Turkey a la King

8. On the subject of food, do you like salty or sweet things?
Salty! I love pickles!

9. What are you most looking forward to about our upcoming trip to London and Florence?
I'm looking forward to seeing what the fashion is in London. It will be fun to see all the sites in London and Florence - definitely Leaning Tower of Pisa! All the food in Italy will be really good too. I'm looking forward to Book Club with Gigi in the Italian countryside and playing with my cousins on the really big treehouse. 

10. How do you like fourth grade?
I really like my teacher. I like how she does things. When one kid in class stuck a piece of paper on his nose, instead of telling the kid that he was being distracting, she told him that was a good idea and told everyone to stick a piece of paper on their nose. The kid was very surprised by that!

We are so proud of the girl you've become, Lucie. Have a wonderful 10th birthday!

Four Years Old: Jake

Sweet, goofy, fun-seeking, lovable, and so very loyal to his friends and family — our Jake turns four years old today. While it's hard to believe that it's already been four years since that foggy, early morning of his birth, it also feels like he's always been with us. Jake made our family complete when he entered the world, the beloved "caboose" to our family train. 

The biggest change in Jake's life these past six months has been starting preschool. Jake LOVES preschool. He adores his teacher, a kind and patient man who gives Jake "homework" so he'll feel just like his big sister and brother. And Jake has a best friend in class, Liam, his first real friendship with a buddy his age.

Along with preschool, Jake has also started his first sports class. After years of following everyone else around to sporting events, at last he has his own soccer class, which of course, he loves. While other kids need to be coaxed away from their parents in class, Jake sprints out on to the field.

Our family is top heavy with nine year olds, which means that our little preschooler soaks in a lot of elementary school behavior. He picks up phrases Ryan and Lucie say, like "Swweeeet!" when something goes well, or "You're toast!" when fighting bad guys. 

Like his sister, Jake enjoys imaginative play and can often be found making up stories with his Paw Patrol cars, trash trucks and pirate ships. He's recently become interested in super heroes, and just got a new pack of Justice League underwear that he had to put on immediately in the store. A four year old boy in nothing but Superman underwear is one of the cutest sights ever. 

While other four year olds may be watching "Frozen", Jake joins his siblings for "Back to the Future" on family movie night. Jake likes to "read" chapter books, has his own bank account and fills out his chore chart daily. He even decided that he needed a tooth fairy pillow, not quite understanding that he may not get a visit for years to come. But, when that first tooth does fall out, he'll be ready (unlike his older siblings' tooth fairy pillow that had to be rushed by overnight mail).

I think we'd all agree that Jake is a little crazy about his clothing. He finds one or two things he loves (grey sweat pants with pockets, his "Shark" shorts (hand-me-downs from Caleb), t-shirts that relate to baseball) and wants to wear them every. single. day.

Jake loves his little stuffed tiger nicknamed "Tiger Tiger". He decided that Tiger Tiger needed a mother for Christmas, and was so excited when Santa ended the little tiger's orphan status. Jake was so happy last week when it was finally letter "T" week (it's been a long wait through the alphabet) and he could bring Tiger Tiger in for show-and-tell in preschool. He did cheat once and bring Tiger Tiger for "G" week, declaring that it stood for "Grrr..."

Oh Jakey, Jake-a-boo, JB (as Papa calls you), Boo — what would we ever do without your joyful spirit in our family? We love you to pieces, and can't wait to celebrate your big 4th birthday with you. It's going to be another incredible year!