Lukey turns 4!!

It's super hard to believe that Luke, my little baby, is 4! I still very clearly recall the night before he was born as well as all the events of the day he was born.

Stats:

Height: 3'8" (~44")

Weight: 40.5 lbs

Size: 4-5 depending on brand

Shoe size: 11
*He's pretty much been the exact same height as Dylan was every year! However, he's weighed more. He's definitely a stockier build than Dylan is.

Interview with Luke, age 4:

Favorite book: Thomas- A Crack in the Track

Favorite TV show: PAW Patrol

Favorite song: Can't Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake

Favorite toy: Legos

Favorite Movie: Zootopia

Favorite color: Blue

Best Friend: Eli

Favorite animal: Hippopotamus

Favorite sport: Soccer and Flag Football

Favorite food: Lettuce wraps

Favorite activity: Playing outside

What he wants to be when he grows up: Paleontologist

If he could have any pet it would be: a cat

Favorite Holiday: Easter

Favorite candy: sour gummy worms

Cupcakes to take to daycare

He's a total sweetheart. He still loves to come up to me while I'm on the computer and ask if he can snuggle for a little bit on my lap. He wakes up every morning and gives me a huge hug. He's a total mama's boy, which is great about 90% of the time, except when I want Joe to help me with bedtime and give him a bath or read him a book and he insists that I do it instead.

Picking flowers for me camping

He's stubborn and strong-willed, which can drive me up the wall. He will insist to do something on his own, then gets mad when he can't, and pissed when I try to help. It's really frustrating at times, especially when we are trying to get ready to go somewhere. Or in typical preschooler fashion, he wants a certain kind of food or clothing item that we don't have or isn't clean and he melts down because he can't have it and just won't accept being told that there's no way to give him what he wants. He insists on dressing himself which results in some pretty interesting clothing choices. But I'm open to him learning on his own and will just let it go when he's wearing pants that he's grown out of and are way too short or two different mismatched socks. Not a battle I want to fight most days. He has gotten better with his temper tantrums. We were able to put his closet doors back on his closet in his room (that's a long story) and put the hardcover books back on the book shelf where he can reach them (due to him getting so mad during time outs in his room, would chuck them at the door and wall, causing dents) so that's an improvement.

He's wild about learning lately. He loves to practice writing his letters, shapes and numbers either on paper or his magna-doodle. He holds his own at daycare/preschool with the pre-K kids doing their workbooks and worksheets. He brought home this paper this week where he filled in and wrote all the letters entirely on his own! I was so shocked and impressed I had to confirm with his teacher that he indeed did it solo! I've started teaching him some sight words from the books we read at night and having him point them out when he sees them in his stories. I was worried that since he was the little brother, he wouldn't be as focused at learning as Dylan was. But it seems, and I hope it continues, that he will be a successful student like Dylan.

Activities he loves:

-Legos. He's all about the Legos. Every since Dylan got a lot of Lego sets two Christmases ago, Luke has been enamored with all of them and tries to sneak into his room and play with them when Dylan isn't home. So this past Christmas, he asked for his own sets. At age 3, we were super hesitant to let him have Legos due to the past history with Dylan (see this post), and he had received tons of Duplos the previous Christmas. But it turns out he is a Lego master and is capable of putting together sets almost all on his own. I was amazed watching him put together this set that he got for Valentine's day that is intended for aged 6-12. He put one of the train designs together then promptly took it apart wanting to build a different one.

-iPad: He's obsessed with my iPad. What is it with YouTube that kids love? He could possibly sit and watch stupid kid videos off of Kids YouTube all day long if I let him. He calls it "his" iPad, and I have to remind him that it is in fact MINE and I'm nice enough to let him use it. Though now that almost all of the apps on it are his games, learning apps, etc. there's really no point in me using it!

-Cars: We have approximately 1 billion matchbox, Hot Wheels, Cars movie cars, and trains. Which is fine as long as they get cleaned up. Which they usually don't. I love that they can keep him busy for such a long time, as he makes up stories and activities for them to do and makes imaginary cities for them to drive around in.

-Playdoh: It's funny because Dylan was never really into Playdoh. But Luke loves it. He loves to make things for me with it by cutting out shapes with cookie cutters and playing with his Playdoh trucks that have all kind of functions to make things with.

-Helping Mom: Now that I'm home, he is all about helping me do things. Clean, make stuff, chores, and he's even taken a fancy to helping me make my Etsy banners. He asks me on the daily if "we" are going downstairs to work. He's made quite a few banners for me and his babysitter.