On their own

We haven't gotten out the playdough in awhile, but this time around it was worth the effort to set it up on a cool and rainy day. The boys loved it!

Liam is playing with a dumptruck on the deck after lunch

Aiden watching his brothers outside

Aiden loves to steal the croutons off our salads while I am preparing dinner

We have finally reached another big milestone with Luke and Liam. At around 3.5 years of age, they started playing on their own without my direction and constant supervision. Most recently, however, they have even ventured outside to play on their own! Yes, AMEN! What activity is better to burn off the energy of two four year old boys than to send them outside (in the backyard) to play?! Many days after we finish lunch, I let Luke and Liam play in the backyard while I am cleaning up, changing Aiden's diaper, etc. It is often one of the most "peaceful" times of the afternoon because everyone plays independently and typically with different toys. I can see the boys from the kitchen window and they play on either the swingset, sandbox, or on our deck. We are very fortunate to have a big wide open grassy area in our backyard that gives them plenty of space to run and play. Aiden stays inside with me and plays on his own as well.

Are they really only FOUR?

Aiden just being Aiden

This puzzle is a big hit right now with the boys working on their letters. It was a birthday gift from Grandpa Morse.

Our summer/spring weather has continued this week although there has been quite a bit of rain. It really kind of feels like we just skipped from fall to summer again since our winter was so mild and our spring is so warm. Nonetheless, we love playing outdoors again!

All three boys had some spring teacher conferences last week. They are all doing very well and learning a lot. We have been very pleased with the Montessori school where they attend and love their teachers. Aiden is beginning to be more comfortable at school and is interacting more. Its hard for me to believe Aiden would be shy in a social setting, but apparently he is different when all of us are not around. He has been working on his colors at school and enjoys reading, playing outside, and likes to play with a little girl named Abby.

Luke and Liam are also doing very well. Liam has shown an interest in geography and enjoys many of the hands on tasks. Luke loves to help his teachers and enjoys many of the kitchen/food preparation duties. Both boys are learning their upper and lowercase letters and know their numbers very well. They are also doing some problem solving exercises and sequencing exercises which they really enjoy.

I titled this post, "Are they really only FOUR" because it seems early to have these discussions with a four year old, but we had a few things we needed to address. So, we had a discussion this week about making good decisions, picking good friends to play with, listening to your parents and teachers, working hard at school, etc... We also offered some incentive for their efforts in this area (as well as consequences for not listening and working hard). Liam was rewarded this week for some good behavior by getting to go to the store with Mommy by himself one night. He got the privilege of picking out special treats, helping with the groceries, picking a movie in the car, etc...When you have two brothers, it is a BIG deal to do things with Mom and Dad by yourself and this got Luke's attention so the behavior charts have been quite beneficial so far.

Hello Summer!

Liam is taking his beloved puppy on a walk outside. We even took the puppies outside this week when it got so warm. Everyone loved the fresh air!
AJ and his puppy

Enjoying a walk with all the puppies

And by the end of this week, it was warm enough for shorts, short sleeves, and barefeet!

Aj and the Digger

Wow, it seems that only three weeks ago I was writing about our big snow storm, right? Well, things changed quickly. We reached a new record high of 80 degrees today! Yes, it took us until around June to reach 80 degrees last year. The priority of summer clothing for the boys moved up to #1 this week when we tried on clothing from last year and confirmed the fact that the boys grew a lot over the winter. Liam's clothes from last summer will be handed down to Aiden. Liam has grown a lot taller, but not much bigger so he is still a tough one to find clothing for. He is so small and lean. Luke, however, grew in all areas and is going to need several new items. We had our first lunch outdoors this week and played at the park three different times. The boys are already asking when we can get the pool out and start swimming or playing in the water hose.

Luke and Liam said a couple of funny things this week that reminded us how much they are listening to us. Luke turned to me one night after doing something with his trucks and other toys and said, "hey Mom, how 'bout those apples?!" John uses that phrase all the time and it was hilarious to hear Luke say it. Liam's phrase of the week was also another one that John uses all the time when he said, "hey Dad, how slick is that?" On our first warm day of the year, we were in the car driving to do something and Liam said to me, "Mom, I feel the warm" as the sun was shining in on his face. It was so precious.

From Snow to Spring and Movie Date

Playing outside in the muddy yard, but enjoying the spring weather!
Just a little muddy

They found the puddles to jump in

Movie Time!!

A fun Day at the Movies

One of their favorite parts was riding together to the movie. We drove a little extra afterwards just because they liked it so much. We discussed in advance where we would sit, what movie we would watch in the car, etc...The boys had it all planned out.

We went from snow to spring in a week. I am not sure how long this will last in March, but it is sure nice to have warm spring weather. We spent a lot of time outdoors this weekend while the temperatures were warm. The snow is quickly melting and the puddles are deep. The boys seem to have a radar for the nearest puddle to jump in, sit in, or run through.

The boys enjoyed a special trip to see a movie at the theater with their best twin friends, Jack and Charlie. Since all four of their birthdays are only about a month apart and very shortly after Christmas, we decided to celebrate with a special event rather than exchanging gifts. We went to see the new Dr. Seuss movie, "The Lorax." The boys were all so excited about the idea and thought it was so cool to go somewhere without any little brothers-just the "big boys." The dads helped out by babysitting the younger boys at home. We had a fabulous time and the boys were all so good. We have come a long way in four years. We sat quietly and watched the movie, laughed at the jokes, and ate our snacks with no issues whatsoever. What a fun day!