Isaac: 4 Years Old

Dear Isaac,

You are at my very favorite age right now. Every stinking thing you say and do is adorable. I love your squeaky little voice, the freckles sprinkled across your nose and cheeks, and how you follow me around everywhere and want to do everything with me. Your presence can be a little suffocating at times but I seriously adore you. I'm going to miss you so much when you're not around all the time, just like I miss your older brothers while they're at school. It's a fun stage with just you and Moses home.

Your love of art is still strong. You still ask me to print you coloring pages, but over the past few months, you've been drawing on your own more. You sit at the kitchen table and color, draw, and paint. You love to make art for both me and daddy. You frequently ask me to tape it up on my bedroom walls and ask daddy to take it to display in his office at work. We have a plethora of art from you and I cherish every bit of it. It's so precious.

Your bedtime routine is looooong and I'm the only one you'll let put you to bed. Never daddy. You giggle and dawdle while getting in your pajamas, brushing your teeth, going to the bathroom, and reading a book or two. You love to snuggle and like to position my body just how you want it in perfect "snuggle position." I lay on your bed and let my body go limp while you move my limbs how you want them. Your current favorite is what you call "moon shape" and you like me to tickle your back while we snuggle in this position, but only with one hand. And I have to do it really, really softly. After we snuggle, we pray. You've gotten to the point where you say it all on your own most nights. I love listening to your little voice talk to God and I love hearing what you have to say to Him. Then I have to stand at the doorway and wait while you're taking a drink of water. Then I ask you if you're ready. If you say yes, I say:

"Goodnight, sleep tight,
Don't let the bed bugs bite.
Sweet dreams."

Then I blow you a kiss and you blow one back. We both say, "Caught it."

Then I say,
"Goodnight, love you. See you tomorrow." And you repeat it back to me.

It's completely adorable and frustrating at the same time. Most nights, I have a hard time putting up with the many specific demands and how long it all takes. By that point in the night, I'm DONE and I want to go take a minute for myself. It's a good thing you're so cute because otherwise, I wouldn't be able to handle it!

Right now you are working on being more patient and taking "no" for an answer. You're very demanding. Let's say you ask me for a drink of apple juice, for example. You'll say, "Mommy, get me apple juice." I make you re-phrase the question in a nicer way. Once you do, I'll walk over to the cupboard to get a cup, open the fridge for the juice and start pouring it. In the time it takes me to do this, you'll have usually yelled for juice half a dozen times. It's crazy! I'm working on it, bud! Give me a second to get it done!!! Also, instead of whining and begging every time I say no, you're working on saying, "Okay, mommy." Let's just say it's a work in progress. ;)

You're a good sleeper and usually fall asleep quickly once you decide to finally stop coming out of your room. You're usually the last one awake in the morning. You're also a good eater. You're more willing to try things than any of your brothers. I've been so busy with my new photography business and taking care of fussy Moses this past little while that I've let eating healthy foods slide. Most days it's chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, Little Caesars pizza, and cereal. I'm trying to not be too hard on myself about it. This is not my season of life to be making healthy, extravagant meals.

One of my favorite things about you is how silly you are. You love to say words wrong on purpose to get a laugh. You're always trying to make people laugh. You are my little buddy and are more attached to me than any of my other kids have ever been. Sometimes you won't play at other people's houses because you don't want to leave me. It's sweet.

I can't wait to continue watching you grow, learn, and mature. Good things are going to come to your life, I just know it. You are a special little boy and I feel overwhelmingly blessed to be your mom.

Loads of love,
Mama

4 Year Stats:
Height: 41 inches (70th percentile)
Weight: 39 lbs 6 oz (75th percentile)

Moses: 14 Months Old

Dear Moses,

You are so much fun, but you're getting so hard! I always forget how hard one-year-olds are. Every time I have a baby that reaches this age, I'm like, "Oh yeah!" You're busy, busy, busy! Always on the move, always getting into trouble. You go through the contents of cupboards and drawers constantly, tossing everything onto the floor and spreading the contents through the house. I truly can't try to load the dishwasher while you're around because you toss everything out faster than I can load.

You're fussy a lot because you're frustrated that you're not able to do more than you are. You still aren't walking but are walking around furniture a lot. You have also stood on your own for a few seconds at a time but every time you realize you're doing it, you quickly sit down. It's like you do it by accident. You've stared throwing the funniest little tantrums when you don't get your way. You throw your body around dramatically and hit your head on the floor while rolling around. It's hilarious to watch!

I'm getting a little concerned because you've had diarrhea on and off for a few weeks now. It started when we were in St. George visiting Ama and Pop Pop. We took you boating at the lake and it was 110 degrees out. It took longer than I thought it would to get the boat into the water so you were sitting out in the heat for a long time. When we got home that afternoon, you started having diarrhea, and it ended up lasting for days. It went away for a few days and came back again. We can't seem to get it under control. Your poor little bum has had the worst diaper rash and it breaks my heart. Every time I have to wipe you, your little legs quake and you cry because it stings so bad. We can't figure out if the diarrhea is related to this unrelenting heat we've been having, something you're eating, or something else.

You haven't been talking much these days but are making these loud yelps when you want something that make you sound like a monkey. The clearest word you say is "Dada." It's your favorite word and when daddy is in the room, you point to him and say it nonstop. It melts his heart. Every morning when he's trying to get out the door for work, you repeat "Dada!" in the sweetest little voice and he can't leave! All he wants is to stay home and be with you!

You'll still take two naps a day as long as I put you down at the right times. I've found that if I put you down exactly two hours after you wake up in the morning and again three hours after you wake up from your first nap, you'll always go to sleep. It's not always possible for me to be this precise and if I miss these windows, you struggle to fall asleep and will then only end up taking one nap.

You've started getting a little more adventurous when it comes to rough-housing. You laughed instead of crying for the first time when daddy threw you up in the air recently. You're also getting more interested in throwing yourself into the pile of brothers when they're all on the floor wrestling.

Road trips are a nightmare with you at this age. Our trip to St. George recently was a total disaster. You screamed for 90% of the car ride, even when I was sitting in the back seat between Eli and Oliver, handing you toys, singing you songs, and playing peek-a-boo with you. You refuse to sleep in the car and want nothing more than to get out. You're not cool with being strapped down and you're not afraid to let us know it! We have another road trip coming up when we go to Sun Valley next week and I'm nervous about it!

You're getting good at climbing stairs and want to spend most of the day making your way up. The problem is that you don't know how to get down yet, so I end up carrying you down over and over. You still love outlets and love unplugging things that should stay plugged in. You love to crawl under the computer while I'm working and turn it off. You're getting more and more personality every day and as hard as you are right now, I'm completely obsessed with you. You're a dollface! Keep up the good work growing, developing, and becoming a great boy!

I'll love you forever,
Mama

14 Month Stats:
Height: 31 inches (62nd percentile)
Weight: 24.4 lbs (86th percentile)