Michael

Mikey has been growing up pretty quickly lately, just not physically though.  It is fun to experience completely new stages that we never got to with James.  And he is talking just as much as ever.  Maybe more if it is possible.

Mikey loves to play with Billy.  When James started school he wasn't quite sure what to so with himself.  He seemed a little lonely, but he soon fixed that and discovered that Billy can be just as fun, if not more fun, as James.  Because Billy interacts back and he is smaller so Mikey can boss him around better, and there is nothing Mikey loves more than being the boss!  This video is Mikey trying to teach Billy how to play Ring Around the Rosie:

Michael is pretty much excited about everything in life.  It doesn't matter what it is he gets really enthusiastic about it.  I can't even think of a good example because basically if you name it he thinks it is the absolute greatest thing in the world.  

Every time a make a new towel (which is a ton
lately since everyone in the ward is having babies)
Mikey has to try them on and have a picture.
He always wants to use them too.

Since Mikey didn't get into preschool this year we have been working on stuff at home.  He loves it and never fights me when I tell him it is time to do school.  I think he wishes I was a little better at being consistent with it.  I love watching his little face when he is working.  He gets such a look of concentration it is fun!

Mikey doing "school work"

Mikey is learning a lot of new things lately.  He is becoming very independent and I often hear him say "I will do it all by myself!"  This means we have to plan on extra time to do everything and he wears some awesome outfits in public.  We are trying very hard to break the thumb sucking habit.  He does great, as long as we remember to "paint his nail" and never even tries to suck his thumb even during the night.  But if we forget and it wears off then he is like a drug addict and you will never see the thumb out of his mouth.  So it is funny because we know he doesn't need to, but if he can there is no stopping him!  He is also working VERY hard at potty training.  I think it is a lot harder for him because he has James as his example so something that isn't really scar y (pooping on the toilet) becomes scary because James thinks it is.  But in the past week we have made a ton of progress.  He hasn't worn a diaper in a long time, even asking to wear underwear at night.  And he has pooped in the toilet several times.  It is funny because we let the kids pick a reward for pooping in the toilet, and for some reason Mikey always chooses James' row boat, even though I know he would prefer something else.

Mikey and Billy in the row boat

He is super excited for the "baby in Mommy's belly"  although he is a little bitter that it isn't going to be a sister.  He is always asking me questions about the baby and pointing at my belly and telling me how the baby has to get bigger and then come out.  The other day I was buying a blanket sleeper for her and Mikey kept going on and on about how it was going to be too big for Brooke so he was going to have to wear it because it was big and Brooke is "way little".  When we got home James was trying to put it on and he said "No Jamesie, that's Brookie's!"
Michael says the funniest things.  I think about every day I want to post something funny he as said on facebook, but I don't want people to get annoyed with me posting too much stuff about my kids.  So now I have forgotten most of it.

He LOVES his Daddy Daddy!  He gets so excited for him to come home from work and always wants to stand on the sidewalk and wave good-bye when he is leaving. 

Yesterday he was making me put on his shoes so I asked "Are you being Cinderella?" He replied "No, I am being awesome!"