Jude & Sloane | 4 Years

The longer I go between updates on Jude & Sloane, the more anxious I get.  There's so much to share!  What if I leave something out?  Is it even possible to capture their personalities in a blog post? (Absolutely not.)  Regardless, I know one day I'll want to sit back and remember what this age was like and I imagine they might find it entertaining as well.  So kiddos, I apologize now for not being able to capture the true spirit that is you.

Jude
Height: 42 in (85%)
Weight: 39 lbs 4 oz (78%)
Clothes: 5T
Shoe: 10.5

Sloane
Height: 42.5 in (95%)
Weight: 36 lbs 8 oz  (64%)
Clothes: 4T tops and 5T pants
Shoe: 9.5

Jude Sullivan

Jude has the energy of the sun in a 4-year-old body.  He doesn't walk, he runs.  He doesn't jump, he leaps.  His kisses are powerful and his hugs make you lose your breath.  He feels with every fiber of his being.  Those who truly know Jude adore him.  He is crazy and all over the place, yet he remains one of the sweetest humans I know.

Jude had a rough start to school this year.  He's not a fan of change and as we walked past last year's classroom he let me know he was not interested in new teachers or a new environment.  No matter how much I encouraged him, he would have none of it.  He had a rough few weeks before finally settling in with the new schedule and now he's absolutely thriving.  His teachers have a funny story about him every time I pick him up and they recognize the amazing boy hiding under the cloak of crazy.  :)

Jude's speech continues to improve and while he's still difficult to understand at times, he will repeat his need/story/joke as many times as it takes for you to understand.  His heart belongs to Sloane and his adoration for her is so apparent.  It's incredibly sweet but I sometimes worry he will grow comfortable in her shadow.

He's still a picky eater and can be downright lazy at times.  He has zero interest in getting dressed on his own - he'd far rather me do it for him.  Now that a baby is on the way, I'm cracking down and not helping him as much.

Jude is very stubborn and has no problem throwing a loud fit if he's not happy with the situation.  He does not enjoy time-out so the simple threat of "Do you need to go to time-out?" is typically enough to calm him down.

This kid loves to dance.  His favorite show right now is Mickey's Monster Musical and he has the entire Monster Boogie memorized.  It's so fun to watch and I hope he's always that carefree.

His blonde hair has darkened a bit but it's still fairly light.  His bright blue eyes have little sunbursts and he has two freckles on the side of his neck that I adore.  He has his dad's lips and my eyes.  Those who knew me as a child think he looks like me but everyone else thinks he's all Michael.

While I know he doesn't grasp the magnitude of this new baby, he talks about it all the time and has become far more gentle around me.  If he kisses the baby too hard, I let him know and he tries again until he gets it right.

Jude is a total daddy's boy.  When Michael is around Jude wants nothing to do with me.  He loves to hold Michael's hand when we're running errands and sit in his lap if we're in the living room together.  It's hard not to feel a little jealous at times but I'm also so grateful for their sweet bond.

He loves his new fast race track and fire truck but he would watch television all day if we let him.  He loves the weather ("Mama, a storm is coming!") and the moon.  He's still scared of dogs (thanks neighbor) but loves pretending to be a cat.

I cannot imagine life without my precious son.  His laughter is still the best medicine ("Mama, I'm lappin!") and his love is something fierce.  What an amazing four years it has been!

Sloane Elisabeth

Every time I tell a story about Sloane I'm laughing and shaking my head. She is the funniest, sneakiest kid I know.

Michael and I don't really think she has a photographic memory but it's pretty darn close.  The other day I read her a 20-page book that she'd never seen before.  When we finished she turned to the first page and told me she wanted to read the story to me.  "I'd love that, Sloane."  She started "reading" and it was word for word what I'd read ten minutes prior.  Pretty amazing.

Sloane is a storyteller.  She has a vivid imagination and is so curious about her surroundings.  When she asks "why" she's not just trying to pass time, she genuinely wants to know why.  Be as specific as you can (and be careful) with your answer because she's holding onto every word.

She is so dramatic.  When she gets upset about something she crosses her arms and furrows her brow.  Lately she's added a distraught, "Hurumph!"  It's adorable and infuriating all mixed up into one.

She loves to help in the kitchen.  Whether it's mixing pancake batter or baking pumpkin muffins, as soon as she sees I'm up to something she grabs her stool and stands right beside me.

Sloane is very tall and lanky (with a belly!), has blue eyes that are bordering on green, and the world's slowest growing hair.  It's a bit of a mess at the moment but she loves how "long" it is getting and is still convinced she's the next Rapunzel.

She enjoys her toys but has far more fun making up her own stories and playing pretend.  She's easily entertained and manages to get her brother to play right along with her.

Sloane is quite the athlete and tends to pick up skills fairly quickly.  She is quick and agile but still a bit of a klutz (no clue where she gets that, ahem).  She loves soccer because it's daddy's favorite sport.  She always asks, "Which color are we rooting for, dad?"

As I said before, she is sneaky.  Those who are around her think she's incredibly sweet.  And she is, but it's not always genuine.  She knows exactly what she wants and will say whatever necessary to get it.  It's troubling to us because neither Michael nor I are like that and we're not exactly sure how it came to be.  Nature is a powerful force, I suppose.  We've both agreed to do everything we can to harness her power for good and not evil - ha!

She is SO EXCITED about becoming a big sister.  I'm not sure how she'll handle it once the child actually arrives (there is nothing Sloane loves more than being the center of attention), but for now she is its biggest fan.  She sings to it, reads to it, and talks about how cute it's going to be.  "It's going to have the cutest little feet!"

When I'm having a rough day, she's the first to pick up on it and is at my side comforting me until I tell her all is well.  That part of her is genuine to the core.  Her heart is big and bold.  When God created her he gave her far too many gifts and I pray she never takes any of them for granted.

I know when she's a teenager I'll have to keep this part a secret but she is the best friend I could ask for and my prayer is our bond will deepen and strengthen as the years go by.