Such a great age!

I was telling a friend the other day that I just love the ages that my kids are now:

18-24mos is so fun- they are so sweet, want to please you, are learning so much, talking... Benjamin says something new everyday and if I can't understand what he is saying, Ashlyn can translate. He copies EVERYTHING he hears. The newest phrase that we hear repeatedly is "I had it first!" If he doesn't know what else to say, that is his go-to response. He's not the only one saying it either. Looks like I am going to have to start reading a new book now.

4 years is also so fun. They understand the rules, are increasingly independent, can be very helpful, are so energetic, extremely inquisitive, and absorb information like a sponge...

During bathtime Ashlyn has been memorizing the names of the bones in the human skeletal system. She fell and skinned her knee the other day and told me immediately that she had hurt her "patella"- knee cap. At her Dr's visit today she impressed the pediatrician with her medical knowledge.

Cherishing these moments while they are these sweet ages!

4 years old!

My baby is 4!!!! Ashlyn's birthday was on Sunday, and we had her party at the Children's Museum on Saturday. It was a lot of fun except that I was unaware of a boyscout parade going on downtown that morning which severely affected the parking situation. (When I booked the date of the party my choices were between last Saturday and the day of the 3M marathon... I chose the 7th to avoid parking headaches- ha!)

One thing in particular that I'm very thankful for since we have moved are all the little girl friends that Ashlyn has. In San Antonio ALL her close friends were boys, which is perfectly fine at the age she is at, but kids do grow up.... I think Ashlyn really enjoyed her party although we still do have some parenting work to do about how to be nice to friends AND family at the same event- she was a little preoccupied with all those pals to be nice to anyone else. She is extremely extroverted/social and thrives on the relationships that she has with other people- even at the age of 4!

Later, after the party, the cousins hung around long enough to go to the Arboretum and feed the ducks with us. Apparently the weather was pretty enough out that lots of other people had the same idea, so all the ducks and geese were well fed and not too interested in us. That didn't deter the older ones from chasing them all around the "lake" trying to force feed them slices of bread.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLYN! LOVE YOU!