Interview With a Four Year Old

A couple of years ago I read a blog (I can't remember which one anymore) on which the mom interviewed her child on each birthday.  I thought it was a really neat idea, but figured I needed to wait until Nate turned four to be able to get his attention long enough to be successful.  And now lately, I've been seeing examples on pinterest, so I had some good ideas for questions.  I plan to do this each year, so we can see how his answers change.  I think it will be really funny some day to read back through each year.  My intent was to complete the interview on his actual birthday, but it took a few days.  Once he figured out what I was doing each time, he completely clammed up.  We finally got it, and now, here's my interview with my big boy, in exactly his own words.

How old are you?

Three (said with a sly smile).  Ok, I’m four.

What’s the best thing about being four?

Nothing

What’s the worst thing about being four?

I don’t like to change how old I am because I like to stay at just the number I am.

What makes you happy?

I don’t know.  I don’t want to answer that question.

What is your favorite color?

I can’t believe you don’t know this Mommy!  It’s orange!

(This question actually hurt his feelings)

What is your favorite thing to do?

Play racecar games!  Let’s talk about my favorite sport.

Ok, what's your favorite sport?

Soccer!

What’s your favorite animal?

Doggy

What’s your favorite holiday?

Halloween!

What do you like about Halloween?

I like to dress up in costumes!

What’s your favorite food?

Fish sticks! (pause) and yogurt and chocolate milk.

What’s your favorite tv show?

Turbo Dogs.  Mommy?  What do you think the Turbo Dogs are doing right now?

What’s your favorite movie?

Cars 1.  I do not like Cars 2.

What’s your favorite song?

The one with smoke and a hospital. 

(He’s referring to “Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors” by the Editors)

What’s your favorite book?

Racecar books

Who is your best friend?

Jiho

What do your want to be when you grow up?

I want to be four things.  I want to be a skier and a sledder.  I want to help people and I want to be a parent.

Half Birthday

Our sweet Lukas turned six months old today.  Unfortunately he spent the day not feeling well.  I'm pretty sure he's working on some teeth.  Poor boy was so cranky, which is completely out of character for him.  He is usually the happiest boy in the world.  Not so much today.

At six months, Lukas:

 - is in the 25th-50th percentile for height and weight at 26 inches and 16 1/2 pounds.

 - is sleeping through the night!  Yay!

 - can roll over from his back to his tummy.  He just figured this out last week.  He still hasn't tried getting from his tummy to his back, but he loves rolling from side to side.

 - loves oatmeal, especially oatmeal with bananas.

 - is working so hard to sit up on his own.  He can actually sit unsupported for about ten seconds at a time.

 - loves to be naked.  When he is able to get his own clothes and diaper off, I predict he will be naked most of time.

 - has the sweetest relationship with his brother.  My two boys just LOVE each other.  It makes my heart swell to see the two of them together.

Party On!

Nate has very specific opinions on just about everything.  It came as no surprise that he knew exactly how he wanted to celebrate his birthday.  He wanted a Lighting McQueen party at home with streamers and balloons, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fish sticks, and he wanted to help set everything up.  So, that's what we did.  Mostly.  I nixed the fish sticks.  Nate was a good little host.  He greeted everyone at the door with either a "Happy January!" or "Welcome to my Lightning McQueen Party!"  So much excitement.

This was the first party where we invited kids from Nate's class.  To be prepared for the 15 or so preschoolers that would be running around my home, I prepared some games in advance.  I devised a Pin the Car on the Racetrack game, set up a Hot Wheels race station, a Lightning McQueen coloring station and was prepared for a rousing version of Red Light/Green Light.  By the time the second or third kid arrived, Nate was quickly ushering all of the kids upstairs to the play room and away from the party.  None of the games got played, which was ok.  Nate had a great time and that's what mattered.

Nate standing by one of the games we didn't play

playing in the playroom

getting all that frosting is very serious business

Victory!!!

The other thing that Nate was very specific about was his cake, well cupcakes.  They had to be chocolate on the outside and every color on the inside.  Thank goodness for the internet.  Here's what I came up with.  Not bad if I do say so myself.

Happy Birthday Nate!

Nate has been so excited for his birthday!  That combined with the fact that he is starting to have an understanding of months and the passage of time and we have been eagerly awaiting his birthday for several months now.  First he knew he had to wait for January, but then he was trying to figure out how to wait for 31 whole days.  To make it easier, we made a birthday chain on New Year's Day and he happily removed a link every day.

And now, his birthday is upon us!  Tell me how, exactly, my baby just turned four!

We celebrated tonight with a hearty meal of Nate's choosing - fish sticks, ketchup, yogurt, and strawberry milk.  Our dinner conversation included a discussion about how poop is made.  You can't beat a meal like that!  He also took donut holes to school.  His big celebration was a party last Saturday.  I'll post pictures of that later.  But first, here are the only birthday pictures Nate would let me take of him today.  They are blurry because it's just too hard to stay still, but I do believe they capture the birthday boy perfectly.

At four, Nate is curious about everything.  He loves learning and loves teaching us the things he has learned.  He is smart and sensitive.  He loves to laugh and joke and loves to run and have fun.  He is an amazing big brother.  He is learning to write letters.  He can write his name and has started asking how to spell certain words.  He asks us to write words out so he can copy them.  Nate has brought so much joy to our lives.  He challenges us every day and I can't imagine my life without him.  I am so blessed to be his mom!

The Shark Reef

When we were in Las Vegas after Christmas we spent one morning at the Shark Reef Aquarium at the Mandalay Bay.  Nate was really excited to see the sharks and the aquarium didn't disappoint.  It wasn't the biggest or the best aquarium we've been to, but it was just about perfect for Nate's attention span.

Here's the group at the entrance.  This was a green screen photo, but it turned out pretty good.

Nate was mesmerized by the sharks.  He loved that you could get right up next to the glass.

Nate is showing Aunt Sandy his favorite animal at the aquarium - the green tree lizards (they are on the top of that log).  Apparently, he missed the fact that we were at an aquarium.  He liked them because they were laying right next to each other and he said they were protecting each other.

This was actually his favorite thing at the aquarium.  He could have spent all day watching the divers

Our funny family photo - Nate's not looking at the camera, you can't see Lukas because he's asleep in the baby bjorn and some random girl jumped in at the very last minute.  Oh well, I'll take what I can get.

Shark Man!

Heard Around the Homestead

Let's face it.  Nate is a pretty funny kid.  He also has a lot to say.  Put those two things together and he cracks us up on a daily basis.  For example, the following are just a few of the conversations we've had at our house over the last few days.

Nate:  Mama, do alligators live in swamps?
Me:  Yes
Nate:  What else live in swamps?
Me: umm, snakes?
Nate:  Yoda, the Jedi master, lives there he does.
(keep in mind, too, that Nate has never seen Star Wars)
***

Nate:  Mama, are you still private?
Me (wondering what the heck he's talking about): Sure, I guess so.
Nate:  Does that mean I still can't have a piggy back ride?
Me: Huh?
Nate:  When you were private with Lukas, you couldn't give me piggy back rides.
Me: Do you mean pregnant?
Nate:  Oh, right, pregnant.
***

Nate to Jason:  Daddy, when I grow up I'm going to be just like Mommy except that I'm going to score lots of goals, I'm still going to LOVE milk and I'm going to play on your soccer team.
***

Nate to Me: Boy, Mommy.  I sure do wish our house was made of chocolate!

Let It Snow

One afternoon while we were visiting my parents, we left Lukas with grandma and grandpa and headed to the snow.  Mount Charleston is about 35 miles northwest of Las Vegas and I spent my entire childhood not going there.  I had no idea how much fun there was to be had!

My apologies in advance.  This is a very photo heavy post.  I just couldn't help myself.  We had so much fun and ended up with so many good photos!

At the very beginning Nate wasn't so sure snow was for him.

Aunt Sandy got stuck and she's the one with the most snow experience since she lives in Colorado.

Jason giving Nate a boost at the top of his first solo run.

Nate at the end of his first solo run.  This is currently my favorite photo of him.

Sisters in the snow.

Aunt Sandy giving Nate a boost.

 

It's a family affair.

Nate with Aunt Brittany

A rare photo of Jason and I together

Nate's least favorite snow activity was snowball fighting, but you wouldn't know it from this photo.