I'd Forgotten

about four year olds.  Some families have the terrible twos, some have threenagers, our family has fit-throwing four year olds.  Granted, Nicholas isn't four yet, but apparently he's close enough.  I'm sure if we looked in 2009 and 2012 we could find posts with me whining about Thomas and Julia being four.  They were my most challenging four year olds.  Sam was four before the blog and Philip wasn't that bad at four although we could probably find whining posts about him too (2014).  But I have better things to do while Nicholas is sleeping!

Anyway, I'd forgotten about four year olds and was wondering what was wrong with my normally sweet and affectionate Nicky when I remembered.  Only a four year old can be mad about "having" to dress up as Bob to go trick or treating with his class.  (In his defense, he had possibly forgotten what trick or treating was).

Now he's happy.

Also four year olds say things like, "Mommy, my cold.  My arm is freezing."
M:  Then perhaps you should put on a long sleeve shirt
N:  No, that won't help
M:  Natural consequences then, kid

Notice he's not even wearing short sleeves!

The redeeming quality of four year olds is the funny stuff they say.
M:  Nicholas you may come down from rest when the long hand reaches the 11.
N: Coming down from rest five minutes later, Mommy, the long hand is a slow poke!

After rest he went running by me and announced:  I'm a fast poke!

Here's to four...

Harvest Time

Samuel had a football game or he'd probably have been in the lineup too.

Fall Portraits

Which reminds me, I should get it together for Christmas card pictures.....

Various Things

Last garden haul of the year.

I've got two bags of green cherry tomatoes ripening...and attracting those annoying fruit flies.  It's worth it for more dried cherry tomatoes!

 A bunny and a snake fell down the window well.  I did not participate in the rescue.  Jeremy got them out with only a little screaming.  (Julia's not his.)

 I'm helping with a kids' reading group at school.  We read James and the Giant Peach this month.  My copy got put in the recycling afterwards.  :(  Is it just me, or is the book just not as good when you're over 30?!

 I forget where I got this can of cherries.  They are the kind Joyce put in black cherry jello back in my college days.  Adam and Fr. Lee came over for dinner and haircuts last week so when Nicholas requested Jello for dinner that day I used these up knowing the two of them would appreciate the cherries.  Turns out I didn't know or forgot Adam doesn't touch them.  Oh well, Father, Jeremy and I enjoyed the nostalgia.

Anne and I had a night out at the local flower shop last week.  They had a craft night and I made this cute pumpkin while enjoying some spiked cider and catching up with Anne.

Game Day

Julia went to cheer leading camp and got to cheer at a football game last week.  They also performed at half time.

 Turns out the boys who went to football camp got to go out on the field during half time too.  Good thing Thomas happened to wear his camp shirt!

Grandmas

Both the grandmas were able to come to Grandparents day at school last month.  Julia's teacher sent me this cute picture.

Cheetah Eyes

Nicholas slipped and hit the bridge of his nose on some dewy steps at the park.  He now has "cheetah eyes" as he dubbed them.

 And in other news the firefighters visited preschool today, super cool!

Solved.

The boys were wrestling upstairs while I was making dinner when I heard Philip start to cry.  It wasn't really a "I'm hurt" cry but more of an "I'm mad I can't win against my big brothers" type cry.  I yelled up, "Are you okay, Philip?"  and Sam yelled down some long explanation of how he knocked Philip over.  Before I could go up to check I heard Thomas say, "Do you want to do this the old fashioned way or the new fashioned way?"  "Old," sniffled Philip.  "Okay, POOP."  Philip immediately stopped crying, giggled and the wrestling recommenced.
I wonder what the new fashioned way would have been?

*Update:  Turns out I misheard.  Thomas did not say the word "poop" and magically heal Philip.  He says he actually pretended to spit in his hand and then rub it on where Philip was hurt.  Almost as good, but not quite.  The new fashioned way was to go get some ointment for him.

Melt My Heart

This was the first time I've ever seen Philip read to Nicholas.

I'm not sure he was reading the actual words, but close enough!

Junior High Football

Samuel is number 65.  I believe they are 1-2 with a couple of games left to play.  He plays offense and defense because they don't have enough kids to play just one side of the ball.  The seventh and eighth graders practice together but they play separate.  It's just the way Junior High football works.

He loves it.  He may be the Junior high kid who has spent the most time with the play book.  There is an elaborate practice field set up with cones and sticks and bricks in the front yard where he practices almost every day.  I should take a picture of it.

 Someone took a selfie at the game.  Can you tell who?

I think it's Julia.

School Pictures

Mediocre as usual. 

Samuel looks very teenager-y and Philip is wearing the shirt Samuel wore in first grade.   At least Julia's hair and bow aren't awful this year!

What Philip Has Been Up To

Philip has been adjusting to being a first grader.  There's a lot more sitting still at school and Mom can tell when he gets home.

The class celebrated St. Francis of Assisi's feast day last week by bringing stuffed animals to Mass.  After some debate about which animal best fit the realistic, not small but unique qualifications (and would not be missed while it spent a few days at school), Philip decided to bring the green snake.

They also made a town in their classroom after studying communities.  Philip chose to make a Police Station.

Can you see his favorite part?  There's a prisoner escaping out the back!

How very Philip-y!