Four is my FAVORITE!!!

This little beauty turned four almost two weeks ago.  Yes, I'm horribly behind.  No, I don't really have a fabulous excuse.  I have tons of them, but I would definitely not call them fabulous.  Life truly is busy right now, but I should have made the time.  I'm making it now because I don't ever want Molly Kate to think I wasn't thankful for the sheer joy she brings to our life. 

I can't believe Molly Kate is already four and then again even just over the past two weeks, she's growing more and more into a preschooler.  She's ready.  Her thoughts are becoming more complex and she's getting much better at finding the right words (and sometimes words that surprise me) to articulate her thoughts.  All of them.  All day.  Every day.  From the moment she wakes until she falls asleep at night.  Talking.  Usually loudly.  I have really noticed that she doesn't have to take a long pause, avert her eyes to the sky, and try to find the word any more.  I was always sorry that she was struggling, but it was kind of cute all the same.

Molly Kate is, most often, joy embodied.  She has a true zest for life and her enthusiasm cannot be contained in her little body.  Joy and excitement bubble over and spill right out to light up the room.  She is engaging and charismatic and insanely easy to love.  With each new opportunity, she flings her arms over her head, widens her eyes in delight, jumps up and down and screams "Dat is my PAYIT!!!!!  (favorite)"  It doesn't matter if I just told her we're having chicken for supper (which, incidentally is far from her "payit") or that we will soon see a friend.  It's always her "payit".  She's not being insincere - and she does not use the phrase indiscriminately - she is just truly that joyous about almost every aspect of her life.  It is truly amazing to watch her every day. 

When she is not joy embodied, she is broken hearted.  She is the easiest of our children to discipline (only by a hare, though - she and Carter share their very tender hearts) and usually a word or a glance are enough to send her into a tearful apology.  She is truly saddened if she thinks she's disappointed us or hurt someone.  While the "sarcastic sorry" is no stranger in this house, I've never heard it come from her. 

She's independent enough that my heart leaps into my throat as she matter of factly attacks another obstacle.  I know that this will serve her well in her life - at least physically, things are always going to be a challenge for her in an average height word.  Molly Kate meets those challenges head on.  She's not afraid to ask for help if she needs it, but she's most certainly going to try to do it herself, first.  She has a deep fear of lack of opportunity.  It's curious to watch it play out.  She wants to know if she can have some cheese.  She doesn't even LIKE cheese.  I tell her this.  She insists that she would like some cheese (if someone else is having some or I'm shredding it for supper), but when it is offered, she politely declines.  It isn't a control thing as much as it is that she does not want to be slighted.  I think that, too, will serve her well if she can get a handle on being ready to fight for the things that matter and let the other stuff go (like cheese).

I truly cannot wait to see what this next year brings as she starts school in the fall and continues to grow from a preschooler toward a little girl.  I'm a little melancholy seeing my last baby growing up, but I know there's no holding her back, so I'm going to try my best to enjoy the ride.

SEVEN!!!!

Yesterday (well, it was yesterday when I started this post), this guy turned seven.  Wow.  Seven.  He's ready.  It shows.  He looks seven.  He acts...well...sometimes seven, sometimes not so much.  He's reading and writing and doing math.  I'm pretty amazed by that because I'm almost sure that it was just last year that we missed his first birthday, but were getting ready to go to Taiwan and bring him home.  It was just last year, right?  No?  Well then where did all that time go?

This past year has been another challenging one for us, if I'm being honest.  I don't say that to call my boy out in a public forum, but because I know that some day, years from now, he's going to read this.  I want him to know that some of our years weren't blissful because I'm so certain that we're going to work our way through this that I know that there will come a day when the tough times are a distant memory.  Maybe he'll be struggling with a child of his own.  I pray not, but if he is, I hope he can look back and realize that he was a challenge and turned out just fine in the end. 

I'm excited for seven.  I think seven is a big change year.  He'll finish his first year of all day school and I think he'll finish out his time as "little boy".  His face is already changing as more and more of his adult teeth come in.  His thoughts are becoming more complex and his questions more thoughtful.  His imagination and his art are still fanciful (he's drawn every single Minion that ever could have existed, I think), and I love that about him.  His jokes are still....usually lacking...but that makes them funny all the same.

Colby is still my lovable, sensitive, tickle-tastic, funny, artistic little imp and I love him and his many dimpled smile more than words could ever say. 

Give me a BREAK!

Today the kids went back to school after Christmas break.  I was actually sad to see them go.  I don't know if it was that Steve was home for all of break this year or just a Christmas miracle, but we had the BEST family time. 

We had quite a few "vacation" disappointments last year.  Mumps scares, septic backup, lice (thankfully not in our home)....we stayed home or came home early more times than we had a successful getaway.  We needed some time to get away or at least be out of our day to day routine.  I needed it.  Bad.  I did get away, all by myself, to my mom's house for several days at the beginning of December.  It was lovely, it was relaxing, and it gave me some time to recoup and refresh, but this was different. 

We lived it up.  Carter, Kailin, and I saw "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" on stage.  We were surrounded by family on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  All the kids and I trooped on over to Madison to sled with cousins and shopped Toys 'R Us in their JAMMIES one day and saw Disney's "Frozen" the next (Steve was under the weather those days).  We traveled to a nearby town to see their gingerbread contest (Carter's class had an entry!) and all enjoyed picking our favorites. 

We sipped hot chocolate while playing family board games.  The Rainbow Loom was churning out bracelets and the Legos were getting good use.  There were fires in the fireplace.  The kids had an electronics extravaganza with their new Kindles and PopTarts for breakfast more days than were probably advisable.  The adults enjoyed lazy mornings sipping coffee.  Most days MOST of the mugs in our house were dirty and I loved it because it meant we were home together snuggled up and cozy.  Yes, there were fights, reminders to share and be kind, and overtired kids and cranky adults - but overwhelmingly there was love and there was joy.  It was a break from the "real world" that our family so sorely needed and although I wish it could have lasted forever (or at least one more week), I am SO thankful for the nearly two weeks we had together.