Four Years Old Today!!

The change that takes place between the age of three and four is remarkable. Henry has turned into a little boy, almost overnight. If you thought he was enthusiastic before, you should see him now. He is filled with ideas and energy. His creativity is blossoming...he loves to create!
Our Henry is 35 1/2 pounds, which puts him in the 50th percentile for weight, and is 41 1/2 inches tall, which puts him in the 75th percentile for height.
Some of the fun things Henry says and does:
He tells me when we are "running low" on groceries and to put them on the list!
"It's not my day off" when he is losing a game.
"This is my favorite" for just about everything.
"that's too funny" or "i LOVE this"
He wanted to wrap up his plastic cups and give them to Jesus for Christmas because he didn't think Jesus has any like them.
When he sees a repeat show he says, "I haven't seen this in YEARS"
He likes Charlie Brown...makes Linus' 'aargh' sound
"What is the heck"
Instead of a simple "yes" he says "it is, alright"

Henry had a birthday party on campus. He invited 15 of his close friends...and Santa!
It was a great day!

47 Months

We've started planning the big FOUR party!! It's going to be fun! Henry has been saying that he wants to invite Santa and Jesus along with all his friends.
Henry still loves to dance. He'll call my name whenever a song comes on that is his "favorite" and he asks (tells!) me to dance. Go Go Thomas is #1 right now.
He is very independent...wants to do things on his own. The other night he waited until Mark and I were done eating because he wanted to eat by himself...and he did.
Right now he is in his room looking at books practicing his hard "k" sound...love it!

Halloween and Mom's birthday

Henry was very enthusiastic about Halloween this year. When I asked him what he wanted to be, he told me that he wanted to be a passenger train engine. He told me exactly what it should look like: black with rainbow wheels and gold sparkles! We had our local pot luck and trick or treat here on campus on the 30th followed by another trick or treat outing on the 31st with his friends, Nate and Evan. Two nights of Halloween was a bit much for dear Henry. He had a meltdown the night we got home. While getting into bed he kept saying that he wanted to have a special day...a special party of his own...right NOW! We put him to bed, and he continued to cry and talk about the party. About fifteen minutes into his tantrum he yelled," Mom...cancel the party!" and then fell asleep a few seconds later. He did think that we should go trick or treating the next day, too.







Henry had his friend, Joey, over to play the morning of my birthday. They had a great time!


Just before dinner time, while we were waiting for Mark to come home from work, Henry and I started to get ready for my party. He was full of enthusiasm and ideas. He said that if we were going to have a party we needed to have decorations. I pulled out the wrapping paper and we made a table cloth. He took ribbon an strung them over the counters and tables around the kitchen and dining room. Then he said that we needed crowns...so, I got the paper and we created crowns for the three of us. Finally, Mark came home. We ate pizza, opened presents, and then ate cake! Henry had game ideas. The first one was a princess race (I tried to tell him that I was the queen, dad was king and he was a prince, but he thought we should all be princesses in our crowns). So we had a race around the fireplace. The next game was called "scratch". I purchased each of us a lottery ticket just in case 11/11/11 was a lucky birthday. Nobody won that game, so we played one more...this was a cowboy horse princess race...we ran around the fireplace 10 times! It was a close one...
It was a blast...such a fun night...one that we will all remember with smiles!

3 years 10 months

fell when running on the track

"Mom, I'm going surfing!"(he really said that)


I wish I could stop time for just a little while...Henry is growing up SO quickly. He is evolving into a little boy each day. He's not my little toddler anymore!
When Henry sees a car he likes or a car that is for sale he tells me that he wants me to have it. Lately these cars are a gold color...golden and sparkly, he says. Henry appreciates things that are beautiful and will easily comment when he sees something bright and sparkly.
He loves going to school...and staying for lunch and extra playtime.
The other day on the way he said,"Pee is just like water coming out of a fire hose."
Everyday we sing "Santa Clause is coming to town" (better watch out, better don't cry, better don't pout...)and he keeps asking if it is going to be Christmas tomorrow.
Henry loves to watch train shows, Thomas and Friends in particular, as well as play with trains every chance he gets. He also spends a good chunk of time playing in his construction site (the end of my garden). He's completely mastered riding a bike with training wheels and is now ready to move on to the scooter...do we dare?
The other day I asked Henry,"Do you know how much I love you?" He said,"A lot a times...but I love apple pie."
Henry likes to count. He keeps asking me what is next as we go up toward the 60s. I asked Henry to count to ten, and he was silent. Then said to me that he was counting in his head..."sometimes it is good to talk in your head and sometimes with your mouth."
I was reading the three bears story...he watched me and held it in as long as he could...then he let out a load roar followed by a major giggle.
He's playing a lot with his magnetic letters on the refrigerator. He puts together silly words and asks me what they say. He put the EW together, and when I told him the sound, he laughed and spent a good chunk of time repeating "EW...EW..."
Certain sounds and words really crack him up: rotten pumpkin, bash or flash, bop.
Henry still loves eating noodles, spinach and chive ones in particular...with butter only. He mostly drinks milk or OJ...he likes skim milk only. Favorite candy bar: Kit Kat. And he loves chocolate chip cookies that are cold (we keep them in the freezer).
It sure is fun being with this little guy! The days fly by, and we are enjoying every moment!

four...

Henry started speech class today. He meets with a group of 6-8 kids, all 3 or 4 years old, and two teachers. He was counting something after dinner tonight and he said "FFFFourrrr. Impressive...
He asked me to make new faces for two of his trains...Diesel 10 and Spencer, because they look mad and frustrated. He wanted them to smile instead.

In 3 months I'll be fourf!

Henry is really working on his numbers; he loves to count. Four is still fourf...which makes sense since the next number in the sequence starts with the "f" sound.
Henry started taking lunch to school...his new school. He was very clear about wanting a Cars lunchbox and thermos. The other day the teacher asked him if he had a lunch box today...Henry paused...answered yes...paused...said it's at home. Honest answer to her question...

"Mommy, my bed is broken!" (The comforter wasn't tucked in at the foot of the bed.) I explained the situation and showed him that all I had to do was tuck it in...
"Thanks, I can't go to sleep if it's not tucked in"

Yes, indeed! or Yep, Indeed!

"how did the floor get full of noodles?"..."it was just raining them"

Henry cannot get enough of his train! He talks about his trains constantly!

Henry says that we should cycle (recycle) and reuse things if someone doesn't want it.

"May I please have some Green Bay Packer noodles?"

"Don't put sugar in my milk!" (I never have)

When Henry rides his bike he will stop just inches before running into something or someone...his teachers are surprised by how well he can ride.

"I want something" ...Henry says this multiple times each day.

Henry brings me hearts whenever he finds them...heart shaped rocks, game pieces, hearts we make from Playdoh.

Henry says "from" instead of "of"

When I say, "you are amazing!" Henry says, "yes I am"

Yes you are, Sir Henry!