Three and a half

Tuesday marked Addison & Mackenzie's half-birthday.  My babies are now closer to four years old than to three.  FOUR!

"Stand in front of the pretty flowers and smile for me"...and this is what I get.

My girls at three and a half are so absolutely hilarious.  It is such a joy to watch them develop their own sense of humor.  They have learned what makes us laugh and are quickly developing the ability to do it just when they're on the brink of getting into trouble.  Addison often cracks herself up and giggles like a maniac at her own jokes.  Such beautiful sounds!

Both girls love books right now, a love that I hope will only continue to grow.  As their interest and listening skills improve, we are able to read longer books, which is a lot of fun for me.  Gone are the days of the five-word-per-page board books, thank goodness!  I can imagine a day in the not-so-distant future when we might begin to delve into short chapter books.  I can't wait to read things like Ramona Quimby and The Boxcar Children with my girls.

Mackenzie

Addison & Mackenzie have both mastered the tricycle and can speed around the driveway with ease.  Addison seems to enjoy riding a little more, and is picking up on the bicycle (with training wheels) pretty quickly.  I am fairly certain there will be plenty of bicycle races by next summer.

I think we may be easing into the "question" stage.  The girls ask questions about all kinds of topics, and once they get started, the conversation can continue for hours.  I am amazed at the depth of their thoughts, and I struggle to find a good way to answer some of their most difficult questions.  I am definitely getting what I deserve in this department, at least according to my family who graciously put up with my constant chatter and answered my never-ending questions.  Though I can get frustrated trying to explain difficult concepts, I love the new depth to our conversations.

Addison

Three and a half definitely has its share of challenges, particularly in the attitude department (oh, the attitudes!), but for the most part, it's a blast.  Somehow, this parenting thing just seems to keep getting better.