Matthew and Kayla are 4.5 Years Old

I don't typically do a half-year entry for Matthew and Kayla, but there are some things about them that I don't want to forget.  They are growing up quickly and before I know it they are going to be heading to Kindergarten.  *tear *tear

Kayla:
- Never forgets anything
"I'm almost forgetting that Grandma bought me princesses for Christmas," she said a week after she helped my mom choose her Christmas gift.

When we were driving through Golden Ears last month I was explaining how we had camped there before with Nicole and Colin.  Kayla pipes up, "No, they didn't come because it was raining."  Right...two years ago we had gone, and then last year they didn't end up coming.

- LOVES princesses.  Her favourites are Rapunzel and Aurora
"Mom, can we go to Disneyland some time?  I think we can only go one time because it pays (costs) a lot."
"Sure, we'll probably go when Olivia is old enough."
"Okay.  I think maybe when we're five we'll go."

- Gets confused between using next year vs. tomorrow
"Mom, next year can I choose my clothes?"
"Next year when you're five?"
"I mean tomorrow..."

- Likes to do things correctly the first time, and always do her best.  On the way to swimming lessons I was warning her to do her best, and she replied, "Mom, I'm not going to do my best, I'm going to do gooder than my best!"

- Likes to whisper to tell secrets to me.
- Squints when she smiles for a picture.
- Dresses and undresses and goes to the bathroom independently.
- Loves Kraft Dinner and Mr. Noodles.
- Loves helping my Dad with whatever chores he's doing outside.  Last month she was pulling onions and carrots out of the garden for him.
- Loves colouring.  She does try to rush through large colouring sheets so she goes out of the lines, but she is able to stay in the lines if she tries.

Matthew:
As we were crossing over the Golden Ears bridge you could see really low clouds.  We had just passed by the train tracks along 96th Avenue, so when Matthew saw the clouds he said, "The train must be close because I can see the steam."

- Is a pain at meal time, complaining that he can't do it himself.  If he's not in a booster seat (ie. at my parents' house) then he's half hanging/laying on the chair.  It's not uncommon for him to take one hour to eat.  Our rule still is that everyone eats everything on their plate, so Matthew is often left at the table by himself while everyone else plays etc.
- Is a very messy eater.  There are always crumbs under his chair and stains on his shirt.
- Loves mashed potatoes or a classic dutch meal of boiled potatoes with a vegetable that can be mixed with gravy into a "prucky".  He eats so fast when I make them.
- Is Super dramatic.  He makes the biggest deal out of the smallest things.  For example, if you ask him to help clean up and then notice he isn't helping so you tell him everyone else will get a treat, he freaks out...but still doesn't help clean up...and then freaks out even more when everyone else gets a treat.
- Is very affectionate.  He likes to run his fingers through my hair or sit with me just after I've gotten mad at him.
- Is still very obsessed with trains, especially Thomas.
- Loves it when he finds something or notices something no one else has: "I have good eyes, Mom!"
- Is very aware that Kayla is bigger than him, but he is completely okay with it because he knows that "boys get bigger than girls when they are older."
- Has a love-hate relationship with Nathan.  They can be the best of friends and the worst of enemies.