Birthday cake

Yes, there was cake at the birthday party. Dad had been asking me about it for the past several weeks and my answer never changed: Chocolate and vanilla cake with chocolate and vanilla frosting.

4 years & 1 year, 9 months

We're one day late on our posting because Dad forgot to ask me the monthly questions before I went to bed last night. We had a bunch of friends over yesterday and things were a bit busy, so we'll cut him some slack.

Our monthly pictures were taken while party guests were arriving so we were too distracted to get more than these three:

Monthly update:

Happy birthday to me! I woke up yesterday morning feeling older and taller. 

After a breakfast of my choice, we went to our last gymnastics class for this session. We'll definitely be doing the same classes again, but we'll take a break for several weeks to do swim lessons instead. Both John and I love gymnastics. Johnny had the whole class cracking up yesterday morning because he got so dizzy rolling on the large mat that he couldn't stand. He tried to get up 4 or 5 times and had everyone cracking up. 

John's climbing, jumping and running get more impressive every day. Luckily, he's going through a shy stage and huddles close to Mom or Dad when there are strangers around. He's good at making a run for it if it's just the family, though! 

His vocabulary is growing, but Dad is really the only one that understands him at this point. Truck, bus, ball, thank you, and please have been popular words the last couple weeks. 

As in past months, John's appetite shows no sign of stopping. He gets very upset if there is food on the table and he's not in his seat. Favorite food recently have been pineapple, oranges and a variety of mustards.

My tastes have been slowly changing over the last month. I've always enjoyed apples, bananas and oranges, but I'm becoming a bit more adventurous as school. I'm not eating a ton of fruit, but I've made a good attempt at mango, peaches and strawberries recently.

I've had two favorite activities at school the past few weeks: Maps and writing. I'm getting pretty good at writing my name and the numbers 1 through 10 are coming along, as well. 

One big kid activity from October: We started to watch the original Star Wars! We usually get through about 20 minutes at a time and are almost at the end. I've read enough Star Wars books from the library to know all the characters and it's been fun to see them on the screen. 

Monthly questions from Dad: 

1. What is your favorite country or continent? Europe!

2. If you got to take an airplane somewhere with just you and John, where would you go? Europe!

3. Who is your best friend? Johnny

4. Who is John's best friend? Keillor

5. Who is your favorite character in Star Wars? Darth Vader

6. What was your favorite thing to do at gymnastics class? Foam pit

7. What is your favorite food lately? Macaroni and cheese

8. What was John's favorite food this past month? I don't know (with a shoulder shrug)

9. What is your favorite book? Star Wars

Ryder Cup

Last weekend was our first try at golf! The course near our house (Willis Case Golf Course) offers a free 5-hole kid course and it was a perfect sunny fall day. The golf shop guys even let us borrow a few kid-size clubs.

Decorations

One kid putting up Halloween decorations. The other trying for an escape.

Pancakes

Dad asked, "What size do you want your pancakes? Small, medium, large, or as big as your head?"

Buddies

 

Snacks

There was a Harvest Festival at church over the weekend so we stopped for a bit after gymnastics. The highlight was the popcorn with various toppings like marshmallows, chocolate chips and cheesy goldfish.

Too busy to really focus on the camera.

Snow pants

John is pumped to get outside in his new snow pants.

Evening routine

As a regular reader, you're probably aware that we head over to the Regis University campus nearly every evening to walk the dog and have adventures. Today's pictures are two of our favorite activities while over there.

The first two shots are us sitting politely while watching women's basketball practice. The steps we're on are right near the team's water bottles so it's extra exciting when the coach calls for a break and all the players come over to say hi.

On the way back home from the gym, we often get to stop for some rock climbing! John starts to hop up and down in the stroller when he realizes that's where we're heading.

We need to write these things down

Another installment of recent random conversations:

While stopped at a traffic light on the way to the zoo -
Tess: "That sign over there says Do Not Enter."

Dad: "Did you learn that at school?"

Tess: "I sure did!"

_______

We were downtown at the art museum a couple weekends ago and Dad pulled into an intersection to make a left turn while the light was green. Well, we had to wait for so much oncoming traffic that the light turned red before he was able to sneak through. I took notice.

Tess: "Dad! That light was red and you didn't stop!"

A few minutes later while pulling up to a 4-way stop:
Tess: "Are you going to stop at that stop sign?"

The next day on the way to school:
Tess: "Dad, are you going to stop at the red lights today?"

That's when Dad taught me the definition of backseat driver.
_______

After waking up first from a nap, I was standing outside John's door and Dad was around the corner. I asked if I should open his door.
Dad: "Well, is John up?"
Tess: "Yes, I hear his snoring."

And then I proceeded to open his door and wake him up before Dad could explain the situation.
_______

Dad had started us on supper and he was back in the kitchen filling up our milk glasses, so it was just the two kids at the table for a short moment.

Tess: "He said it! He said it!"

[Dad walks back into the dining room]

Dad: "What did he say?"
Tess: "John said vagina."
Dad: "Oh. Where did he learn that from?"
Tess: "Umm...maybe because of me?"

Truck spotting

On Saturdays and Sundays it's usually just the guys that head out on a morning walk with Keillor.

John has a favorite destination.

Sports bar

Helping Dad watch the Badger game and Ryder Cup at the same time.

Library

We made a quick trip down to the big central library after gymnastics on Saturday. We only had about a half hour and there was way to much to do! Return trip planned for Saturday. 

Tractors

Found these on campus last week!

Stamped

John was rewarded with a bath later in the evening after stamping his face one too many times.