Mispronounced Asherisms

The boys' speech has really improved over this past year.  It's so great that they're able to communicate so much better than before.  Although their words are getting clearer by the day, there are still some things that they don't say quite right.  I find it adorable and I will be sad when the day comes that they don't mispronounce certain words anymore.

Here are some of their cute mispronunciations:

Guacamole: Wok-uh-mol-ee
Green Baby (Ollie's lovey): Grand baby
Yogurt: Whoa-gurt

Dessert: Gizzert
Vanilla: Nanilla
Caterpillar: Calapitter

Last Day of Preschool

The boys recently had their last day of preschool, and honestly, this mama was pretty emotional about it all.  They could be going off to Kindergarten in a little over a year.  How is this possible???

It was hard to say goodbye to each of their teachers.  Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the love, appreciation, and gratitude I feel towards these three ladies.  They have done so much for our boys and I feel forever indebted to them.  The good news is, they will all three have the same teachers when they return in the fall!

Some pictures of their last day...

Feeling Emotional

They say the days are long but the years are short.  And wow, this couldn't be more true.  I've found myself just watching the boys lately and noticing how grown up they are.  The bottles, cribs, and diapers are now long gone.  Our living room that was once full of baby swings, exersaucers, and jumperoos is now scattered with Hot Wheels and magnetic letters.  They're not babies anymore. They are little humans.

And while everyone says age three is the most challenging age, I am absolutely loving this stage of life that we are in.  Don't get me wrong, I could do without the fighting, the whining, and the over-dramatic reactions to EVERYTHING.  But I love how their personalities have really come out.  I love seeing who they are.  I love that we can have conversations about our favorite things and what they want to be when we grow up.

I love seeing how smart they are and watching their love for learning just grow and grow everyday.  I love that I see so much of James and myself in them.  We always joke about how nerdy they are, but we both know they got it from us.  And I truly I couldn't be more proud of them.  I feel like my heart is going to burst every time I watch them read a book for the first time or look into the pantry and ask me what "beef broth" is because they can now read the labels.

They have been going to school this year and their social development has grown tremendously.  All I ever wanted was for them to be able to make a friend and all three of them come home everyday talking about their classmates and how much fun they had with them.  I think about where they all were not even a year ago.  Lucas would run the perimeter at the park the whole time instead of engaging with other kids.  Now, he will walk right up to another kid and say "Hi! I'm Lucas!  What's your name?"  Every time I hear it, it almost brings me to tears.

We are officially in the fourth quarter of the school year and I just don't understand how their first year of preschool can almost be over.  What makes me even more emotional is the thought that they might be going to Kindergarten in just over a year.  It just doesn't seem possible.

I don't think I've ever been this emotional about them growing up.  Their first birthday was truly a celebration that we survived that first year.  Every other milestone we've reached, I feel has had a tinge of sadness behind it, but for the most part I've always welcomed the new stage.  Now, I just want to press pause.  I look at them and I feel like I can see glimpses of them in elementary school, middle school, and even high school.  And honestly, I don't really like it.  I just want them to stay little!

It's crazy to think that one day, I will look back on pictures of them when they were three and think "They were so little!"  Because now all I can think when I look at them is how much they've grown up in such a short period of time.  How they're such big boys.  I hope over the years, they don't lose who they are.  I hope Ollie continues to have that deep desire to stimulate himself intellectually.  I hope he never stops loving books.  I hope Nolan continues to feel so deeply. I hope he can use his emotional sensitivity in a constructive way to help others.  I hope Lucas continues to surprise us.  There was a time I was so worried about this little guy.  I hope he keeps smiling and laughing.

Mostly, I just hope they're all happy. 

When I grow up...

The boys' language is improving everyday and we are at the point now, where I can ask them fun questions, like..."What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Every time I have ever asked this, Ollie's answer is the same: "I be a computer guy!"  Every time. Even when we ask him if he thinks it'd be cool to be a race car driver or something equally exhilarating, it's always the same.  Computer guy.  He knows what he wants.  And I could absolutely see it happen.  The kid is brilliant and loves everything technology.  Whenever we go to James' work, he loves to "help Daddy".  It's rather adorable.

Nolan's answers have changed quite a bit.  He also has expressed interest in being a "computer guy", but has also mentioned doctor, nurse, mail carrier, astronaut, baseball player, and "robot builder", which is his most recent ambition.  He once told me when he grows up, he wants to talk with people about feelings.  Future therapist perhaps?  He's got some time to figure it all out.

Lucas typically just repeats whatever Nolan or Ollie says.  So, he is often also interested in being a "computer guy" as well as other things.  One time he said he wanted to be a mailbox, so there's that. The most recent one tends to be an astronaut.  As if Mommy would ever let him that far out of her sight...

Quiz Your Toddler - Then and Now

A little over 5 months ago, I asked the boys these questions.  The first answer (in orange) was their answer at that time. I asked them again today.  I added their answers (in green).  I can't believe how far their language has come!

What's your name?
"Ollie" 
"I Ollie!"

How old are you?
"I two!" 
"Uh...3!"

When is your birthday? 
"Cow?" 
"July 5th"

How old is daddy?
"Daddy? I two!" 
"40"

How old is mommy?
"Mommy? I two!" 
"Mommy?  Mommy's 20!" (aww...thanks, buddy!)

What's your favorite color? 
"White" 
"Uh...gray!"

What's your favorite food? 
"Oranges, popcorn" 
"Uh...smoothie.  I like smoothies."

Who's your best friend? 
"Sarah! Auntie Lisa! Baby Halle!" 
"Mama!" (heart melting!)

What's your favorite show?
"ABC Show" (Preschool Prep), "123 Crew" (Numbers Parade) 
"Paw Patrol" (doubtful...he rarely watches it)

What's your favorite movie?
"Minions!" 
"Uh...Angry Birds." (pretty sure he just said this because it was on when I asked him)

What's your favorite song? 
"Music? Christmas Lights!" 
"Uh...hmm...Twinkle Twinkle"

What's your favorite animal? 
"Chicken! Cow!" 
"Lion...my favorite is lion"

What are you scared of? 
"Scared?" 
"I scared of skunk!" (me too, kid!)

What makes you happy? 
"Happy! 
"Mama!" (I seriously love this kid)

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What's your name? 
"Nolan!" 
"Nolan"

How old are you? 
"Nolan" (he knows this) 
"I'm 3!"

When is your birthday? 
"Nolan happy" 
"July 5th"

How old is daddy? 
"One Daddy" 
"I think Daddy 40" (must be all those gray hairs...)

How old is mommy? 
"Two Mommy" 
"35" (I liked Ollie's answer better)


What's your favorite color? 
"Red" 
"Color? Black."

What's your favorite food? 
"Popcorns" 
"Peach and pie...and cherries.  And I eat broccoli and strawberries and watermelon and yogurt and pineapple." (I believe him on the pie, broccoli, watermelon, and yogurt...the other things, not so much)

Who's your best friend? 
"Auntie Lisa" 
"Um...Alex K" (sorry, Auntie...you've been replaced)

What's your favorite show? 
"ABC Show" (Preschool Prep) 
"ABC Show" (some things never change)

What's your favorite movie? 
"Movie?" 
"Toy Story movie"

What's your favorite song? 
"This song" 
"ABC song"

What's your favorite animal? 
"Animal?Cat!" 
"Camel" (this really is his favorite)

What are you scared of? 
"Sad" 
"I scared of monster"

What makes you happy? 
"Happy Nolan!" 
"Smiling"

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What's your name? 
"Lucas" 
"Um, I Ollie" After telling him "You're not Ollie..." "Um, I Lucas."

How old are you? 
"Lucas" 
"Um...3!"

When is your birthday? 
"Lucas" 
"Um...July 5th"

How old is daddy? 
"Daddy" 
"One!"

How old is mommy? 
"Mama, Lucas" 
"One!"

What's your favorite color? 
"Green" 
"Um...red"

What's your favorite food? 
"Eat! Food!" 
"Um...let's try watermelon.  I like watermelon."

Who's your best friend? 
"Mama" 
"Um um um...let's try...um...Alex K or Alex E" (both of these kids are in Nolan's class, not Lucas')

What's your favorite show? 
"1-2-3 Crew" (Numbers World) 
"Um, I like...let's try, um...choo-choos.  I like choo choos." (Thomas the Train)

What's your favorite movie? 
"1-2-3 Crew" 
"Um...dragon movie" ("How to Train Your Dragon)

What's your favorite song? 
"1-2-3 Crew" 
"Um...Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!"

What's your favorite animal? 
"Green? Lucas!" 
"Um, let's try camel." 

What are you scared of? 
*makes sad face* 
"Um...sad."

What makes you happy? 
"Happy!" 
"Um...laughing."

Fall Fun: Louisburg Cider Mill & Pumpkin Patch

We had such a fun weekend!  Grammy and Papa came to see us and we packed our weekend with a whole lot of fall fun!

On Friday, we went out to the Louisburg Cider Mill.  We got donuts, toured the cider mill, rode tractors, looked at the farm animals, rode the hayride down to the giant slide, took pictures next to the "Mater Truck", went to the pumpkin patch, and played in a super cool tunnel!  Auntie Jen and Dakota joined us too!  I got so many great pictures of the boys and Dakota!  Here are some highlights:

Nice Boys

At the end of days like today, I can't help but think James and I must being doing something right with these boys. I got several compliments on the boys today. I'm used to the "Oh, they're so cute!" comments, but today I had several people compliment them on their behavior.

The first two were random strangers at Walmart. We just needed to make a quick trip to look for tights for their Halloween costumes. Walmart doesn't have double or triple carts (only one of the many reasons I don't typically shop there), so we decided to go at it on foot. I told them ahead of time that I expected them to all hold hands and that if they were well-behaved, we could pick out some stickers (I love that we're at the age where bribery...err, I mean positive reinforcement, works). I have to hand it to them, they behaved beautifully. We got what we needed. They stayed together and we were able to get in and out of there without any issues. While checking out, I had a lady comment on how good they were. Then as we were walking through the parking lot, an older man rolled down the window of his truck and yelled out "You look like you're rich! You've got the kind of wealth money can't buy. Enjoy those precious gifts." It definitely made me smile.

Then this evening as I was picking up the boys from the kids zone at the Y, the ladies working the child care just kept going on and on about how cute they were and how they're such nice boys and that they're always so well-behaved when they're there. These are the kinds of things you want to hear about your kids.