i don't want to miss a thing

sam: he is dying to lose a tooth. he told grandma jane tonight that he has a loose tooth. she asked if he knew what was going to come if he lost a tooth. (she was referring to the tooth fairy). he just as matter-of-factly replied "another tooth." this kid is so practical like his mother that it frightens me.

you told us you want to be an artist when you grow up. you want to be the kind of artist that makes movies. you have been working on illustrating the movie Toy Story 10 (your idea). i love when i find you in bed drawing and writing. you are writing lots of "words", too, some of which you can spell out. i am so proud of you for your love of learning and creativity.

you love your brother! and we are so glad! when we were picking out beach toys you tried so kindly and desperately to get will to choose a floatie instead of a football. you were very concerned that he would be sad without a floatie. after much resistance from will you finally said "that's ok, will, you can have one of my floaties."

sam at his preschool graduation.

the two of you think it's so funny to put on maggie's pants. it is a little funny; it looks just like biker shorts! :)

will: i love how whenever we tell you that you are not supposed to be doing things you will continue doing it most of the time but will say "I KNOW!!". your tone is what's killer.

you have broken completely through potty training. you have peed on the potty for a little while, but you just pooped for the 1st time this week. you normally ask for a diaper, and i know you just need to poop. i encouraged you to try it on the potty. with much anxiety you did it. and you were SO proud! you said "i have to show my dad and my sam!". after excitedly looking sam sighed a big "YES!". he was so proud of you. i think he finally sees you as his very best peer and not just your older brother. you finally get it and cry if you have to wear a diaper.

you are such a clown, and you love being subtle about it. every time i help you put your shorts or underwear on you put one foot in the right hole and then you always try to sneak the other foot in the same hole. you act like you don't know you're doing anything wrong until i look at you. then you bust up laughing. you definitely have a sense of humor.

you have a basketball blanket from grandma vanderlinden that you love; you always have to sleep with it. you always call it your soccer ball blanket; we don't even try to correct you anymore. it's kind of cute.

this is a pic of you posing; you will pose over and over until the pic suits you. you approved this one, and i can see why-pretty cute. :)

maggie: you love sleeping in your bed. you prefer to just be laid down to sleep. if you don't get naps in your bed you are grouchy i.e. crying a lot. if you don't get to sleep in your bed your preferred way to go to sleep you like for me to hold you and bounce you to sleep.

you are smiling so much lately. we love saying that whoever she smiles at then she is their baby. the boys love this and can always be found excitedly exclaiming that she is their baby.

you have never sucked on a pacifier, but you have recently started sucking on your hand. you suck on your pointer finger knuckle on your right hand, and it is so cute.

your eyes are getting so big and blue, and your cheeks are getting so chubby. you seem to be the missing link with your looks. sometimes you look just like sam and sometimes just like will