Today we went to the doctor for Joe's four year old visit.
Growth Stats
Weight - 37 lbs 3 oz (61st Percentile)
Height - 41.25" (71st Percentile)
Growth Stats
Weight - 37 lbs 3 oz (61st Percentile)
Height - 41.25" (71st Percentile)
Hmmm...how do I go about describing four year old Joe?? One thing that comes to mind is
how funny he is. He makes me laugh daily with one of his comments, faces he makes,
hand gestures or demands. He is so inquisitive, creative and expressive all while at the
same time being defiant and downright demanding at times. He is very independent and
wants to do everything on his own. "Let me do it!" is a phrase we hear often. One of the
few exceptions is when I'm trying to get them out the door for school at which point it's like
torture trying to get him to put his own socks, shoes and coat on. It's infuriating! He finds
every other thing to do in the room instead of getting ready.
Even though he is not always the best listener, he has such a sweet side to him. I can
hardly resist when he says, "mom, sleep in my bed fo foo (for few) minutes" every night
when we put him to sleep. I know there will be a day when it's all I can do to get a hug from
him, so I tend to want to take my snuggles when I can get them. The funniest thing though,
is when I do lay in bed with him, he turns his back to me and faces the other way. It's not
that he wants to snuggle when he asks me in bed, he just wants to know I'm there. It's a
stark contrast from Owen who snuggles right up and lays practically nose to nose with me
when I lay in his bed. Snuggling or not, it makes him really happy to have me there so
I tend to give in every now and then. Anything to keep him in bed.
Joe is exhausted by lunch time, so he still takes an afternoon nap. It's great because it
gives me a little downtime while both he and Miles sleep, but it also means he is not always
tired when Owen needs to go to bed at night. Owen is exhausted after being at school all
day, but not Joe. He is normally out of his bed a few times after we put him down for the
night. He tosses and turns, calls out for us so we can get him a drink of water, comes
downstairs for another hug...pretty much any excuse not to go to bed. My favorite is when
Ryan and I are sitting on the couch watching tv and he tries to sneak downstairs. We hear
his little footsteps on the landing, but he stops there and doesn't show himself. So we call
his name and all of a sudden he quietly hurries down the stairs and peeks his head around
the wall. I know I should be mad, and there are times I am, but there are also times where
the look he gives us is just so cute...it's hard to be mad. And there are the very few times,
after I know he's taken a really long nap, that I'll give him a hug and then let him snuggle
and watch a movie with us for a few minutes until he gets tired. I love having those
special moments of one on one time with him.
One of the many great things about Joe is he is so open and honest with his emotions. He
will always let you know if something you're doing is making him happy, sad, or mad. And
in turn, when he does something wrong he typically asks, "Are you mad at me?" because
he genuinely wants to know. He does not like being in trouble or having someone upset
with him. If he does get in trouble or upset about something, he slouches his shoulders,
lowers his head, puts on a pouty face and slowly starts to walk away. I hate to admit it, but
a lot of the time it makes me smile and want to hug him to let him know everything is ok.
And he's not just outspoken about his emotions. He's a pretty talkative kid and is not shy
about letting you know what's on his mind no matter what it might be...bad breath, gross
dinner, etc. He's also very confident in what he believes. There are plenty of times when
we're driving somewhere that he tells me "this isn't the way to..." as if he knows better than
I do where to get where we're going. I try to explain that I know where I'm going, but he still
insists that we're going the wrong way. So most of the time I just shake my head and keep driving.
Contrary to what his directional skills may tell you, Joe is such a smart little boy. I think it's
partly from being the second child. He is watching everything we are doing with Owen and
soaking it all up. Preschool also helps a lot too. They are working on writing their names,
which Joe is now able to do. He loves reading and has an amazing memory. He
remembers places we've been, things we've done or what people have said to him weeks
after they've happened. He's always surprising me with something he remembered that I
would never have expected him to. It's probably why he always thinks I'm driving the wrong
way. He remembers a certain way to get someplace and if the way I'm going is not familiar,
clearly I'm going the wrong way. He is not too into art right now, but instead prefers building
and imaginary play. He loves playing family, especially at school with Cate and Hazel.
Favorite Foods - Mac n Cheese, string cheese, cheese curds, goldfish, brownies,
chicken sandwiches (little microwave ones from Costco), apple juice
Dislikes - Most fruits and vegetables, milk, despises yogurt (he must get that from his
grandma),
Favorite toys - Anything that has to do with dinosaurs. He loves them! Magnatiles
and weapons...can't forget those.
Best friends - Owen, Miles, Cate and Cuinn
I am absolutely loving watching Joe grow and learn new things. We may have our
challenging times when he doesn't like to listen, but that's to be expected at this age. He's
a middle child trying to make his place, and I can empathize with that. The good times far
outweigh the bad and I wouldn't trade this time for anything. So Joe, using your words,
"I love you all the way to Grandma's house and back!" (multiplied by a million!!)
how funny he is. He makes me laugh daily with one of his comments, faces he makes,
hand gestures or demands. He is so inquisitive, creative and expressive all while at the
same time being defiant and downright demanding at times. He is very independent and
wants to do everything on his own. "Let me do it!" is a phrase we hear often. One of the
few exceptions is when I'm trying to get them out the door for school at which point it's like
torture trying to get him to put his own socks, shoes and coat on. It's infuriating! He finds
every other thing to do in the room instead of getting ready.
Even though he is not always the best listener, he has such a sweet side to him. I can
hardly resist when he says, "mom, sleep in my bed fo foo (for few) minutes" every night
when we put him to sleep. I know there will be a day when it's all I can do to get a hug from
him, so I tend to want to take my snuggles when I can get them. The funniest thing though,
is when I do lay in bed with him, he turns his back to me and faces the other way. It's not
that he wants to snuggle when he asks me in bed, he just wants to know I'm there. It's a
stark contrast from Owen who snuggles right up and lays practically nose to nose with me
when I lay in his bed. Snuggling or not, it makes him really happy to have me there so
I tend to give in every now and then. Anything to keep him in bed.
Joe is exhausted by lunch time, so he still takes an afternoon nap. It's great because it
gives me a little downtime while both he and Miles sleep, but it also means he is not always
tired when Owen needs to go to bed at night. Owen is exhausted after being at school all
day, but not Joe. He is normally out of his bed a few times after we put him down for the
night. He tosses and turns, calls out for us so we can get him a drink of water, comes
downstairs for another hug...pretty much any excuse not to go to bed. My favorite is when
Ryan and I are sitting on the couch watching tv and he tries to sneak downstairs. We hear
his little footsteps on the landing, but he stops there and doesn't show himself. So we call
his name and all of a sudden he quietly hurries down the stairs and peeks his head around
the wall. I know I should be mad, and there are times I am, but there are also times where
the look he gives us is just so cute...it's hard to be mad. And there are the very few times,
after I know he's taken a really long nap, that I'll give him a hug and then let him snuggle
and watch a movie with us for a few minutes until he gets tired. I love having those
special moments of one on one time with him.
One of the many great things about Joe is he is so open and honest with his emotions. He
will always let you know if something you're doing is making him happy, sad, or mad. And
in turn, when he does something wrong he typically asks, "Are you mad at me?" because
he genuinely wants to know. He does not like being in trouble or having someone upset
with him. If he does get in trouble or upset about something, he slouches his shoulders,
lowers his head, puts on a pouty face and slowly starts to walk away. I hate to admit it, but
a lot of the time it makes me smile and want to hug him to let him know everything is ok.
And he's not just outspoken about his emotions. He's a pretty talkative kid and is not shy
about letting you know what's on his mind no matter what it might be...bad breath, gross
dinner, etc. He's also very confident in what he believes. There are plenty of times when
we're driving somewhere that he tells me "this isn't the way to..." as if he knows better than
I do where to get where we're going. I try to explain that I know where I'm going, but he still
insists that we're going the wrong way. So most of the time I just shake my head and keep driving.
Contrary to what his directional skills may tell you, Joe is such a smart little boy. I think it's
partly from being the second child. He is watching everything we are doing with Owen and
soaking it all up. Preschool also helps a lot too. They are working on writing their names,
which Joe is now able to do. He loves reading and has an amazing memory. He
remembers places we've been, things we've done or what people have said to him weeks
after they've happened. He's always surprising me with something he remembered that I
would never have expected him to. It's probably why he always thinks I'm driving the wrong
way. He remembers a certain way to get someplace and if the way I'm going is not familiar,
clearly I'm going the wrong way. He is not too into art right now, but instead prefers building
and imaginary play. He loves playing family, especially at school with Cate and Hazel.
Favorite Foods - Mac n Cheese, string cheese, cheese curds, goldfish, brownies,
chicken sandwiches (little microwave ones from Costco), apple juice
Dislikes - Most fruits and vegetables, milk, despises yogurt (he must get that from his
grandma),
Favorite toys - Anything that has to do with dinosaurs. He loves them! Magnatiles
and weapons...can't forget those.
Best friends - Owen, Miles, Cate and Cuinn
I am absolutely loving watching Joe grow and learn new things. We may have our
challenging times when he doesn't like to listen, but that's to be expected at this age. He's
a middle child trying to make his place, and I can empathize with that. The good times far
outweigh the bad and I wouldn't trade this time for anything. So Joe, using your words,
"I love you all the way to Grandma's house and back!" (multiplied by a million!!)
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