Imagination growing in Franklin, too

 This morning while Theo was playing zebra, Franklin crouched down behind the ottoman and started roaring! He must  have been pretending to be lion! He has been pretending to chomp pretend food, emulating his brother, for weeks, and now has started playing cooking at the play kitchen and bringing us foods he's prepared.

Theo the creative 4-year old

Theo continues to shine in the realm of creativity and imagination. A couple of excellent gifts were received for this birthday to showcase these talents; a make-your-own doll kit, and a mask-making kit. Both captivated him for hours, including the making of the dolls and masks and the subsequent play. Theo also impresses me with his two-toned drawings lately; he will color in a strawberry in a coloring book, and its not just red, but multiple shades. Here he is this morning in a pretend school outfit - complete with hat, pjs, lunch bag, and backpack.

More big boy bed

Just in time for Theo's birthday party, the awesome bedding set came from Grandma Janet and Pop Gene. As you can see, Theo loves it - planes and trains and trucks oh my! Another big hit.  

In case any of the grandparents missed my update to the other big boy bed blog entry, our sincere thanks to Grandpa Steve, Grandma Betsy, Pop Gene and Grandma Janet for helping us get Theo his big boy bed and bedding for his birthday. It has been a wonderful big-boy source of pride for Theo and a wonderful help to his parents.

Big Boy Franklin

These pictures were taken on Theo's birthday, when Franklin got to eat his first chocolate chip cookie. No surprise, he loved it. Franklin is 17 months old now and really hitting his stride as a toddler boy. He RUNS confidently around the house now and happily climbs the stairs whenever granted the opportunity. He likes to make vroom car sounds, roaring dinosaur sounds, and moo cow sounds. He can communicate what he wants fairly well, though all too often he wants whatever he can't have! He strung together two words for the first time recently (other than good morning and thank you which I think he thinks are one word). He said "more o's" asking for more cereal. It was so funny the way he said it, he kind of sounded like a wookie or like he was on slow motion. He surprised me the other day knowing the word "hammer", and his vocabulary continues to grow quickly. He understands A LOT and likes to speak in gibberish and point at things while looking at books, practicing, practicing speech. He is a sweet snuggly boy and loves physical play. He continues to show an aptitude for fine motor skills; for weeks he's been able to work the jack-in-the-box by himself by turning the crank, and can bang all the balls down the Melissa and Doug hammer the balls down wooden toy Pop and Grandma got Theo when he was this age. 

4th birthday party!

 I'm 4!

 Here comes the platter full of birthday doughnuts!

 YES!

Really happy with his platter full of birthday doughnuts.

 Blowing out the candles....

 Everybody got a hat but only Theo wore his to eat.

 Happy kids. We gave them ice cream too!

 Note the flying piece of apple in the scene here.

 Was there even a question if Franklin would like doughnuts?

 Franklin and Madeline

Burning off all that sugar with a wrestle party with one of the dads

Presents before breakfast, cheese pizza and chocolate chip cookies for dinner

Sitting with his loot including a remote control Thomas that goes on the track!

The beginning of the grand opening...

The big pack of books about all different vehicles was a big hit. Theo said "COOL!" about everything he opened.

I had to assemble this Playmobile sailboat before breakfast! At least I had had some coffee. It comes with dolphins and people (scientists, we decided) who can go swimming with them. A nearly perfect gift for a boy who plays diving with dolphins nearly every day. Theo played with it ALL DAY.

Theo wanted to help make chocolate chip cookies for his birthday, so mama came home early and we all made them together. They were extra good because we sprinkled love in there. Grandpa Steve and Grandma Linda joined us for dinner; we had cheese pizza, with salad for the grown ups and birthday blueberries for Theo. He loved the blueberries so much we think he swallowed one whole. Whoops!

Initial enthusiasm leads too...sugar space out!

Big gift from the whole family: a new bed

Proud big boy. Pleased as he can be with his "big boy bed'. The first morning after he slept in it, he said, "Mommy, I tried to roll out of my new big boy bed and I went kerflump! right onto the floor!" Fortunately, its just a few inches higher than the ol' racecar bed.

Big, big thanks to Grandpa Steve, Grandma Betsy, and Pop Gene and Grandma Janet for helping us get Theo his big boy bed!

WOW Theo turns 4!

 Wow. I am humbled and I am blown away. It seems like forever and the blink of an eye all at once. From that little bump in my tummy to that cuddly baby to the determined toddler to the caring brother to the big BOY. My first born is four years old! While his attitude at times lately has made it feel more like  he's going on fourteen rather than four, he is at the same time still such a little guy. So big and so little. He is creative, imaginative, stubborn, attention hungry, dynamic, acrobatic, talented, sweet, argumentative, self-assured and very silly. He plays rough with the big boys at school and likes to sit quietly and color or look at books. And he likes to emote and run and jump a lot. He is his own person and he is growing up.

 

Found the belly button!