Children, aren't they funny, trying, and wonderful?

Payton is growing up so fast! Now that she is 4 she is acting more like an almost Kindergartner than a Preschooler. She has always been helpful, but to be honest she is like me :) she thinks clean means picking up things she thinks are important and leaving the rest. But not wanting to be the one to clean up her leftovers I try to reason with her but so far no dice.
The other night when Brian was tucking her in she looked at him and said, "Dad if I make REALLY good choices could we go to the airport and get another baby?" Poor Payton. The loss of Alexa hit her the worst out of all of the kids. She is our mini mom and has nurtured everyone that comes into our home. She is also really excited about this pregnancy. When I came home from my last appointment she was angry because, "They didn't get the baby out!" So this morning we were in my office, she was reading and I was checking email. I was still in my computer chair but stretched my legs out and folded my hands and put them on my stomach(a nice rest since it sticks out there so far) and she screamed, "Mom you're gonna squish the baby!" I laughed and showed her where in my belly the baby was, she didn't look convinced so I put my hands on the armrests of the chair so she'd get off my back :)

Parker LOVES singing these days. He is always singing the popular phrase from different songs, he sings the EIEIO, up above the world so high, b-i-n-g-o, and others. He laughs so hard when we use fingerplays like illustrating Wheels On The Bus, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I know before I show him I'm A Little Teapot I need to get out the camcorder :)
He also is SO boy in loving balls! He sees a ball and thinks it belongs to him :) BALL, BALL, BAAAAAALLLLLLL! And if someone is holding it and he wants it, even if it isn't his he will say, "yet go! yet goooooooo!" He has also discovered OUTSIDE! Our new patio in the back is half covered so we can go out even in the rain to get some fresh air. He loves being out there and throws a fit when it is time to come in. I would let him stay out there but he doesn't stay on the patio when he follows his sisters or wants to see the dog-that he is obsessed with right now-and wanders out into the yard that is muddy and uneven and unfinished from last summers demolition of the yard. He has also discovered his stuffed dog's voice! He has had this dog from birth but just recently started carrying it around and shaking it, saying, "uff, uff, uff" CUTE!

Sofia is more stubborn than EVER! She had an entire afternoon of potty training before she was begging for her diaper. She doesn't want to be a big girl, and honestly doesn't have to be because when she cries her sisters give in, so do I sometimes, that girl can SCREAM! So last week I implemented my Mean Mom voice and told her that when she screams and doesn't use her words she will go to the corner. Today all I've had to do is give her the evil eye and she stops panting and asks. I know it will take time, but she is almost 3 for goodness sake! I do admit to coddling her early on, and with her new found site she is pushing buttons that before she could see, were not a problem, IE- climbing on the back of the couch, getting on the table, and wanting snacks and things from the pantry that are not for everyday consumption. On the other hand she is our funniest! She has Brian's sense of humor when she is not screaming :) She makes fun of other people's laughs, and uses words that she doesn't understand to our amusement, if she knows it makes us laugh she does it over and over :)

Halle is having a hard time being a kid right now. She wants to be grown up so bad! She is always asking to do things like have friends over, wear make up, paint her fingernails, redecorate her room(she thinks this needs to be done at least twice a year) and stay up later. They don't seem like bad demands but when she doesn't get what she wants she shows her true age and throws a spectacular fit! At the slightest, "in a minute, not right now, or maybe later" she either throws herself down and screams, blows her nose everywhere, knocks things off counters or upturning toy baskets. I try and talk to her about her frustration but she shuts down. Being so open with her feelings is my fault, I taught her to express herself from a young age, I know never to do that again :)
On the other hand she is our cleanest most compliant child. She always keeps her room neat, cleans up after her sister without being asked, and helps with most things.

It is an eye opener to have 4 different children with 4 different personalities at 4 different stages in life. What worked for 1 doesn't always work for another and so on. I am grateful for all of my pre-child training but some days I wish I knew more! It is definitely an experience that never gets boring, old yes, but never boring :)