19 months old, oh and 44 months old too!

Since both the kids were born on the 4th (jan 4th and feb 4th), i always feel compelled to include them both on their 4th of the month "birthdays".

i'm a snish (one month) late for johnathan's year and a half birthday update, but then again.....i've been kinda late on a bunch of blogs lately, huh?

julia (44 months, aka 3 years 8 months old): let me just say that she is hilarious! she says the funniest things ever and is really clever coming up with her own stuff. but the cutest things are when she mixes her adjectives up when she's describing something.

- she was trying to explain something to me the other day and when i couldn't understand what she was talking about, she got completely upset and told me i wasn't being lady like!

- she told us the other day at lunch that she didn't want to eat because she didn't have time to eat. why? do you have to be some where or something? no, i just don't have the time.

- i've taught her to say libRARY the correct way. that libERRY is a fruit and libRARY is the place where books live.

- she loves to draw and right her name (backwards, i should point out, but nonetheless!). she also colors inside the lines (almost, all the time)

- she for sure likes to pick out her own outfits. ((but moms, i actually do the picking out)). i put 7 outfits all together on sunday nights (shirt, shorts/skirts, bow and shoes). so that on monday she has 7 different ones to choose from herself. it works like a charm and there's no arguing that we're not wearing pink tights with shorts today! try it out, moms. it will empower your little one and make you feel like you're still in charge all at the same time.

- SHE walks the dogs. this is also great. we are always telling her that we know best, that children obey their parents and that we're the boss. well, we walked the dogs a few weeks back and she took the lease and we taught her how to give brady commands. we told her that he has to obey her. she absolutely loved that! what a great way for a 3 1/2 year to feel a sense of control.

Can you believe she was ever this little?

- she loves dancing and gymnastics. we've enrolled her in gymnastics (which she picked up really well) and she dances any time there is music on the tv. she also dribbled the ball the other day (like basketball) and was running and dribbling the ball with her feet too (like soccer). she also has lots and lots of battle scars from falling on the concrete in our cul-de-sac.....who knows what she'll end up doing recreation-wise.

- she hugs and kisses us all of the time and says she loves us.

- she said i looked like cinderella the other day and that i was beautiful with my freckles!! then i paid her the twenty dollars later for saying it!

- she tells daddy he's handsome and johnathan's handsome too.

- she tells me to smile when i'm thinking about something or slightly frustrated, which is a constant reminder to be kind. i love how the lord uses our children to remind us the basics.

- she asks johnathan where's his nose, ear, toes, hair, etc. are and then praises him after by saying, "good job, bubba!"

- she sings constantly. i especially love when she sings or talks about the lord. the other morning she came in and asked, "god lives in our heart, right?"

- and she tells me when i'm not obeying god. especially if i tell her not to do something she wants to do. ha!

she's our encouraging, loving, very passionate about life in all areas, independent, god-teaching almost 4 year old going on 30 sweet cheeks of a girl. she'll be a doctor or a nurse or a teacher or a nanny or a soccer player one day for sure.

johnathan (19 months, aka 1 year 7 months old): he is sooooo outgoing and such a flirt. he is funny in his own way and surprises us daily with his new discoveries.

- he says momma, dadda, johnathan, sissy, snack, box (bock), duck, gigi, juju, boppy (bopba), bmom (bah-mama), pop, backpack, go, no, yes (jess) back (to the dogs mostly), please, milk (muk), milk cup (muk cuck), dog, ball (of course!), and shhhh (with his finger over his mouth)!

- he loves loves loves to be naked (but i hear this is a boy thing....weird, but cute!) Even though he's not naked in this picture, he couldn't wait to get in the bath forgetting he was FULLY clothed!

- he is NOT afraid to swim. he'd gone under the water this summer several times and doesn't get afraid at all.

- he adores his boppy! when i had her car this week he would try to get in it and kept saying, "bopba, bopba" over and over again. so sweet!

- he does somersaults, hangs off of any and everything, stands on any and everything, jumps on any and everything, kicks, throws and bounces balls.
- he blows his own nose (well, i hold the kleenex)

- he eats with a fork and spoon (still a little messy for my type-a self, but i'm getting over it)



he is our full of life, smile once and gets his way, football player solid chunk of all boy, a little on the momma clingy side (love this!), sweetheart of a treasure from heaven. we can't wait to see all the lord has in store for him.

happy 4th birthdays this month, little chillins. you keep me on my toes, on my knees, my blood pressure high, but my heart soft. i love you very much!