New Lego Builder Among Us!

Daniel, along with Aunt Meredith and Terry, built this cool starship today:

Four Years Old!

Daniel turned 4 on December 13th. Walter made (from scratch) a chocolate cake with chocolate icing! We really enjoyed it! On the 15th, we took the boys to Build a Bear and Daniel made a fisherman polar bear named Caillou! He loves him!! Daniel is a delightful boy. He tells a lot of people he meets that he loves them - even at the doctor's office! We have definitely been blessed with this child, as we have with all of our boys!

Three Years and Eleven Months Old

Daniel and Benjamin are at different stages of development but often find that they like to play with the same toys. I love to see them work it out. I don't mind breaking up their battles when they can't work it out!

Genetics Are Interesting

This child could not be more like me unless he was a girl.

Halloween

Daniel was a chicken for halloween. He wasn't chicken though! He was pretty scary and ran off a few kids by growling at them!

Three Years and Nine Months and Three Years and Ten Months Old

Daniel is settled into his school routine. He has begun to obey the rules at preschool and uses the potty on his own all day long. He is getting along with both of his teachers now, too! Daniel loves Lego's! He and Ethan can spend hours just putting stuff together - very creative boys! Daniel loves our neighborhood, our yard, our big house. He and Ethan built a fort out of cardboard boxes on the back deck today and played in it and the back yard for several hours.

Three Years and Eight Months Old

Daniel is growing up. He started preschool this month and was almost immediately interested in potty training. He is making great strides at it and loves being rewarded with chocolate. He is a natural favorite of one of his teachers and he loves her too, but says he does not like the other teacher. i have not quite gotten to the bottom of that yet, but suspect that she might be more strict!

Three Years and Seven Months Old

Daniel is wild with the move coming up. He's trying to be good, but it's really difficult! He really wants an orange bigwheel when we get to Louisville, and we have promised him one, but he has to try to be good...:-)

Every time we get in the car he says, "I want to go to Lewible!"

Three Years and Six Months

How DO you stop a three year old from spitting?

Broken Heart

The other day, Daniel and I were sitting at the dining room table finishing up lunch - all the other kids were down to nap - and Daniel said, "Mom, can the doctor fix my heart?"

I was somewhat taken aback by the question and his seriousness but replied, "I think so, Daniel, why?"

He quietly said, "Isabella broke it."

I held in my laughter and asked, "How did she break it?" I thought he'd say she didn't love him anymore of some other three year old silliness but he said, "She squeezed my back too hard and it broke."

I laughed, he laughed, we went on about our day. I'll never forget his first broken heart!

Three Years and Five Months Old

Daniel is a holy terror! I mean that in the best way!! He's three and he's invincible, and he's wilder than ever!

Three Years and Four Months Old

Daniel on the day he was born.

When a child is born, in most cases, you cannot know what their future will hold. You can imagine what they will be like and how they will grow, and you can hope and dream for their future, but you can't know. Recently some of our friends lost their first grandbaby when she was just one day short of a month old. Their children ( the parents of the baby) were so strong through the family night and the funeral, and the family dinner afterward. The maternal grandmother said that her daughter told her she cried herself to sleep so many nights during her pregnancy and after the baby was born too, and that God was keeping her strong.

Well, I have come home to my children after attending some of these services with a new appreciation. I am thankful to have happy, healthy, wonderful children.

I know I have said it before, but I am so blessed.
Thank you, God.

Daniel's Mirror

A few years ago we purchased a mirror from our neighbors, at a yardsale, with the intention of revamping it for our dining room wall. Well, it got stowed behind a chair and we never did anything with it until I pulled it out to go to the shed last year. I cleaned it and put it against the wall in the hall outside the kitchen. Within hours, Daniel had discovered it and had begun really checking himself out in it. He watched himself move in many different ways, looked closely at his face and his feet, looked in his mouth while chewing food, etc. He could often be found quietly playing with his reflection. So, the mirror is still in the hall leaning against a wall...Here's how I found the boys the other day:

Three Years and Three Months Old

Daniel is a wild and crazy boy - a real whirlwind. Everything he does is done to the maximum! Sometimes the safest time to adore him is when he's sleeping!! He's getting so tall and has become a real big boy, though he still completely and determinedly refuses to potty train.

Three Years and Two Months

Daniel is learning to apologize when he does something inappropriate. It's really hard to be upset with a child that says, "I'm sorry Mommy." (and he means it!)

He is loving having Ben around. He wants to love him all the time and hold him too.

Three Years and One Month Old

Daniel is a very active three year old. He refuses to potty train. He is very independent and strong willed. He has a very active imagination. At night he talks about ghosts. He wants to see the sunshine - and when there is none, he wants to know where it has gone. He loves apples and sandwiches. He loves his brothers and his daddy. He loves me! He is so loved in return.