Addison Mae - 4 years, 3 months

This precious girl of mine is so grown up, yet still my baby. She has been such a helper as I get more and more pregnant and can't do a lot of things myself or for her brother. She's also been an excellent helper with the new house, including stripping wallpaper and painting!

She is absolutely loving being a Butterfly at Warm World and adores her teacher (we all do!) I think it's been a little more challenging this year in terms of making new friends and some of the social/emotional aspects, but all in all has been a great experience for her. She is so incredibly smart and loves that they have science once a week and continue to have music and chapel. She loves to memorize the Bible verses and obsesses about which letter they are focusing on each week. (Reminds me of no one I know!!) On any given day she can tell you who will be taking the Bear Bag home and who will be the Handy Helper for the day. She is so like me that it's frightening! Her teacher is constantly telling me what a kind helper Addie is to all her friends. Sometimes that means all her "nice" is gone when she gets home from school, and she's definitely always exhausted on school days. But I get it - they work so hard at school. I loved going to Mom's Day, but I was totally worn out by the end of the morning, too!

Addie was a total soccer star this fall, scoring goals in nearly every one of her games. She's also gotten incredible at playing defense, stopping several potential goals just as they were about to go in the net. Future goalie? She was also pretty helpful at assisting her teammates score goals (although there were usually tears after the game that she didn't score the goal herself!) She has really figured out the game and her skill amazes me. She's also done really well at gymnastics, although I think the "big" gym intimidates her a bit. Several coaches have praised her abilities, and her listening skills and hard work to me. I love that she's learning some good foundation exercise skills.

Addie also loves her music class, especially now that she gets to go in by herself. She loves to sing and make up songs, and of course be the teacher's helper. She also goes to brother's class with us, and she's a big helper to all the little ones.

She's excited about having another baby, and I know she'll be such a big help. We're excited to be the only two girls in the family, and I hope that means we'll have lots of fun dates and time to ourselves as she gets older. I know she won't always want to hang with her mom, so I'm going to try to take advantage of the fact that she still likes me!

Weight: 33 pounds
Length: 40 inches

 New things:

• Recognizing all her letters and many numbers, especially since her class works on the calendar every day. She can count to 100 and is starting to be able to recognize more and more multi-digit numbers.
• Writing anything she wants to when she asks us how to spell something.
• Recognizing a lot of words on signs or that we write. Also working on some simple sight words at school.
• Conquering the high bar at gymnastics and getting more confident on the big balance beam. Also getting better at her handstands and cartwheels. 
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Likes:

• Being the Handy Helper at school. Also getting to bring home the Bear Bag, be the special helper in chapel or getting to recite the verse
• Getting to bring home and decorate the letter of the week. And preparing her word every Sunday for the letter of the week
• Showing me all her papers from school immediately upon getting in the car and noting which ones are "very important" for me to read
• Being in charge of Hutch. When he agrees to it.
• Snuggling. I hope she'll always want to snuggle with me.
• Crafting. Cutting. Drawing. Writing. Glueing. 
• Watching any Disney princess movie
• Watching OSU on TV and asking lots of questions about football
• Stripping wallpaper! Who knew??
• Going to restaurants
• Having her toes and fingers painted. She was thrilled when I took her for her first "real" mani pedi recently. She also loved going to her first tea room and having a fancy lunch
• Helping me cook or bake
• Watching Fixer Upper with mama on Tuesday nights
• Sleeping in our bed. She's a stealthy little ninja and still sneaks into our bed a few nights a week. 
• Halloween. And a lllllllll the candy that came with it. She was a darling Elsa, complete with ALL the required accessories. She also really loved helping her daddy carve the pumpkin and was totally in charge of pulling all the gooey stuff out of the pumpkin - I am HAPPY to relinquish that role! They trick-or-treated at every single house in our neighborhood.
• Helping decorate for the holidays.
• Talking about what she wants for Christmas, particularly from Santa, and asking when we're going to see him and his elves at his workshop ;)

Dislikes:

• Brother messing up her stuff.
• Not being the star or center of attention.
• Being patient.
• Sleeping alone.

Hutch Marshall - 23 months

Let's pretend I'm not so negligent of this blog that it's been three months since I've updated it. We've had a LOT going around here! From buying, gutting and remodeling a house, to putting our house on the market, not to mention this other person I'm growing who, like his big brother, seems determined to make his entrance early.

Speaking of being a big brother, Hutch seems to be warming up to the idea. He likes to talk about the baby and call him by his name "Wesson" (Weston :)). My baby boy is becoming more and more of a big boy in preparation for this new tiny baby. He's hit some major milestones that both make me proud and a little teary. 

His vocabulary continues to amaze us. He can and will say anything and definitely speaks in full sentences and paragraphs. He's pretty easy to understand, and it makes this mama heart swell with pride when I hear others compliment his talking. I know - he's pretty amazing! He also loves to sing (and request) songs and has some mad ABC skills. 

He is a climber and into everything. He wants to do everything EVERYTHING sister does. And say everything she does. And pretty much be her. I hope his adoration for her continues always. 

Weight:  25 pounds
Length: 26.5 inches

New things:

• No more paci!!!!! This was big excitement for all of us, albeit a little sad. He threw them in the trash himself, and while we had a few rough nights, overall has done so well. He was no longer asking for it at school (reminiscent of sister) so we decided to try no paci at home. He continued to ask for it for weeks after and then would say "fro it in the trash"
• Graduating to a big boy bed. Also a little sad for his momma, but we gotta have someplace to put this other baby! This was also a pretty easy transition after a night or two of a lot of tears and asking for "me other bed." He very surprisingly has not tried to get out of the big boy bed ... I have got to remember with Weston to transition before he realizes he can climb out!
• Lots more time out in his life. His ornery little self is constantly getting into trouble. Sister is always quick to point out when he needs some time by himself.
• So very many words. He loves to talk about school, his teachers and what he does there (read books and play trucks). He is constantly asking where Daddy is (when I say work, he says "workin new house?" and if I say no, at his real work, he says "wif potties and bafrooms?"), asking where Grammie and Pawpaw are (pawpaw at work?) and Mimi and GDaddy. He loves to talk about food - particularly cake, cookies and candy. (Oh Halloween - you have ruined my boy who already had a crazy sweet tooth like mama)
• Singing Jesus Loves Me, Row Row Row Your Boat, Twinkle and You Are My Sunshine. And his ABCs.
• Much greater interest in baking (read: eating the dough) and crafting. Perhaps because that's what sister is doing.
• Smiling for pictures when asked. Briefly.
• Some very brief interest in the potty. He's asked to sit on it a few times, but it scares him, even on the toddler seat, and he's been unable to perform. He has several times immediately peed on the floor when getting off. Whatever, man. I don't care if this one's potty trained till age 14.
• Saying that he's 1.

Likes: 

• Being Olaf for Halloween. As long as he didn't have to wear the hat. And all other Frozen characters. He was a little miffed that he didn't also get to be Elsa, but he did wear several (rejected by sister) Elsa jewels and that seemed to satisfy.
• Speaking of Halloween, he LOVED the Fall Festival at church and trick-or-treating. He had all the words down but got a little confused ... Hutch, what do you say at the door? "Knock knock?" 
• Climbing in the car and his carseat by himself. "Do it self, mama"
• Bandaids, although he doesn't really want them on himself
• Balloons. Unless they get caught in ceiling fans and pop ... then we have to discuss it ad nauseam for weeks after.
• He still loves music class, although I think the highlight may be that after his class we go "drive" (we sit in the car and pretend to drive and eat snacks) while sister's in her class
• Gymnastics -FINALLy warming up to it and much more willing to participate in all the stations. He's definitely getting braver and has been willing to do the trapeze, giant slide, zip line and big swing.
• Going to the new house to see the cows, play on the playground and go up the stairs. He will be so confused when we actually live there someday.
• Going to sister's soccer games. Although he'd prefer to be on the field.
• Pushing all the buttons on the remotes, cable box, etc. ALL OF THEM.
• Licking the beaters or bowl when making cookies.
• Hummus.
• Reading books. He's so obsessed with books, which makes me happy (and a little relieved since I self-admitedly did not read to this one as much as the first one as a baby). Favorite is Little Blue Truck. 
• Watching movies. For about 12 minutes.
• Talking about his upcoming birthday. "Caaaaaake" he says and grins and laughs. 
• Dropping sister off at school, mostly so he can play with all the cool toys there and then throw a screaming fit when I have to drag him away. Occasionally he does take my hand and leave calmly - never know what I'm going to get.
• Going to Target and Sam's. A la sister.
• Getting into ALL sister's things and making a big mess in her room.
• Holding mama's hand :)
• His new Olaf umbrella

Dislikes:

• Going to bed, and then not having the exact story he wants and 47 songs, of his choosing, sung in the correct order.
• Time out.
• Going to school some days. He still cries for mama rarely at drop off