Jonah is 4 years old!

Jonah is FOUR today - Also...Happy First Day of Spring

Brand new squish :)

Wow! Happy Birthday, Jonah!! We're four years into this adventure that is parenthood. Our little boy, who was round-faced and pot-bellied as a toddler, is now a skinny tangle of long arms and legs. He is still wild and full of energy. He RUNS everywhere, often tripping and falling face first on to the ground.  He picks on his middle sister and dotes on his baby sister. He loves to tell loud stories with exaggerated hand gestures or sit quietly and listen to audiobooks. He bounces. His temper flares easily, and he can melt down into a screaming fit when something doesn't go the way he expected. Sometimes he's sweet and awkwardly snuggle-y -- he likes to sit on my lap sideways and fold himself into me, all crumpled up at weird angles, and tell me that he loves me. He whines about the food just about every time we sit down to eat....but usually ends up eating (and liking!) whatever we're having. He has one volume: LOUD!!

One year old

Jonah can read! I would love to take credit for this and claim it as evidence of my great parenting....but he seems to have picked this up all on his own (with a little encouragement and guidance, in the form of flash card drills, from Brandon). Jonah has always loved books, and also has a crazy attention-span when it comes to sitting and being read to. Even as a baby, he would bring me book after book after book to read to him. And he just sort of picked up the ability to read - first he learned the letter names, then the sounds they make, then started sounding out small words, then put it all together. We got to watch the process unfold. And now we get to watch him discover new worlds and interesting facts on his own.

Newly minted two-year-old

Jonah and Cora. Jonah has a built-in buddy with Cora. They have really started playing together. Sometimes they drive each other crazy, but often they come up with elaborate scenarios of pretend play. Jonah seems to want to be a rule follower (in certain to contexts), but I have noticed recently that he is easily swayed into wrongdoing at Cora's suggestion, haha! It's fun to watch their relationship develop, and I hope they continue to be buddies. He enjoys his role as a big brother, and tells me frequently that he wants to "protect my sisters" :)

Three and loving the beach

Random facts: Jonah loves broccoli, spinach, cabbage, avocado, yogurt and cheese. He will eat most any kind of meat, especially the fat! But he turns up his nose at most fruit. When he naps, which is not every day, he naps hard. Often, I have to wake him, and it takes effort. His favorite color is blue. He still loves the zoo and swimming and watching videos. He has gotten into superheroes, generally, but doesn't really know about specific ones. He will battle anyone in a sword fight, and talks frequently of "bringing bad guys to justice" (because we don't like to talk about killing people). It is a joy to be his mother.

Daddy's 4-year-old clone

Happy 4th Anniversary of the day you became a dad, Brandon!!