The boys at this stage

 Brothers

Seriously, these boys just get better and better! Here are some updates on what they are like before they grow and change even more.

 Mason at 7 1/2:

-Has now lost four teeth and is tickled pink! It's a good thing he is okay with the toothless look since he lost these two front teeth a while back (Months. I can't honestly even remember when, it's been that long) and he is just now barely getting one of them to peak through the gums. I always dreaded the toothless awkward phase for my boys, but I got to say, I think he is as cute as ever!

-Still very serious about exploring.

-Is finally enjoying books. Right now he is reading Old Yeller. To get Mason more interested in reading, I started racing him to see which of us could finish our book first; the winner getting a prize. He loved it! And he loved beating me over and over again. That meanie!

-Loves playing outside. No change there.

-Loves his dog, Scout, even though she thinks he is a walking chew toy.

-Still loves to snuggle and doesn't seem to have any bubble of personal space whatsoever. None.

-Gave up his "B" on his own at the beginning of April. Can you believe it? I am still shocked!

-Still loves to draw. He especially likes it when I draw with him and has lately started using an old journal he found to draw in with me. We decide together what the theme of the page is (ocean, rain-forest, desert, etc) and then we both take turns adding to our picture until he deems it too full and then we move on.

-Is really REALLY into his knife collection. His last year's teacher from church gave him two boxes of knives that he had saved over the years (many of them from when he was in the army) and so now Mason has oodles of knives to gaze lovingly at when let him have supervised knife time.

-He is also really into a watch that he earned for working in our yard. He picked one with a face so large that it takes up almost his whole wrist. He can often be found timing things, checking the date, checking to see what direction he's pointing, etc.

-Still really wants to be a professional explorer when he grows up. But an explorer who is a vet. Regularly sets up a vet corner in our living-room and can be found snuggled up in it with his stuffed animals, animal books, and gadgets.

-Goes EVERYWHERE with a clunky computer case/suitcase that he has filled with his most treasured things. He bought his own padlock and keeps it locked at all times with the keys in the front pocket for easy access.

-Has set up an area in his closet where he sits and studies his large collection of animal books to prepare for his many explores.

-Still loves his brothers and his Poppy. Besides them, his best friend is Everette.

-Is my messiest eater by far. Actually, my messiest everything. He can't seem to go thirty minutes without totally dirtying up the front of whatever clothes he is wearing that day.

-Still hates underwear.

-Loves to swim and can swim many laps before tiring. He also is pretty proud of his back dives, back flips, and huge cannonballs off of the high-dive.

-Is still sure that his dad knows best about everything. EV-ERY-THING.

 Charlie at 5 1/2:

-LOVES this orange tiger shirt (that he calls his Lion Shirt) and wears it as often as possible. As soon as he sees it's clean again, he takes off whatever he is currently wearing and pops it back on.

-Still is all about comfort in his style and generally has athletic shorts on. However, recently he proudly told us that he now likes a certain pair of brown pants that he has refused to wear for the last year. I think he feels that this is proof of his maturing.

-Still really enjoys his gymnastic class and practices his handstands and cartwheels round the clock. Loves to teach his brothers the things he learns from his classes.

-Wants to be a gymnast/dolphin trainer/vet when he grows up

-Can't wait till he turns six because he found out that there are places in Florida that will let you swim with and train dolphins age six and up. I guess we better start planning our trip to Florida....

-When he is having a hard time speaking up or when he is feeling extra shy in a new situation, James has brilliantly started using his dreams of dolphin training to help encourage him. For example, Char recently had to say a scripture in primary at church and was really feeling timid. But instead of whispering and looking down, James got him to look up and recite his scripture loud and proud by reminding him that he has to practice speaking loudly and looking at the audience because that is what dolphin trainers have to do in their shows. James is a Char whisperer.

-Is generally my first boy up and loves having his one on one time in the mornings.

-Is still really tender and if I ever get to a sad part in a book we are currently reading out-loud, I'll look up and find him turning away with silent tears rolling down his cute freckled cheeks.

-Still loves babies and wishes that we could have more kids.

-Loves playing with his brothers and his pets. His best friend outside of the family is Florence (He says Flowence).

-Wants to eat quesadillas at every meal. Is pretty negative and picky about almost every other thing I make him.

-Loves anything active and is incredibly wiry and strong for his age. Has a six-pack that I covet.

-Affirmation is definitely his love language and if you give him a compliment or a love letter, he immediately melts into a puddle of happiness. The other day he found a card that he had hoped was blank so that he could write in it himself. He was pretty miffed about it being already used until he read the inside and found that Mason had written "I love you, Char" a few years back and instantly started glowing. After that, he spent the remainder of the evening making a very intricate card for his favorite big brother.

-Thanks Heavenly Father at least once every day for his pets everyday when he prays

-Always wants to be second at everything because  of the whole "First, the worst, second the best...." thing. Thrilled that he was born second and considers it proof. At first he had no competition for the second spot but now Coobie vies for the same order of getting things, brushing teeth, saying prayers, you name it.

-Char always wants to say any family prayer. Sadly, McCabe does, too, so he has to share his spirituality.

-Has growing pains all the time. Also claims to have headaches. That being said, they both seem to bother him primarily when it is bedtime or when he is supposed to be doing some other onerous task.

 McCabe at almost 4 1/2:

-This boy can't stop clowning around to save his life! Loves to be adored and is willing to make whatever silly face or tell whatever funny (to a four-year-old) joke he has to win you over. Currently he is under the impression that winking one eye half-shut and walking like an old man (hunched over with a pretend cane) is comedy gold.

-Loves his collection of little stuffed animals but is especially fond of his "Big Nose Dog" and clutches him everywhere he goes.

-He loves to draw and spends hours drawing his favorite stuffed animals. He is actually really pretty good for his age!

-Still has some serious speech issues and goes once a week to his favorite speech therapist, Abby where he winks his one eye and jokingly walks around like an old man while he attempts to flirt and while she attempts to teach. Maybe if she were less pretty and less sweet, his speech would actually improve faster?

-Is now 100% certain that no rule applies to him. McCabe does his thing his way and on his time. He has an uncanny sense of knowing how far he can push you without making you actually lose it. He come dangerously close many a time!

-Now rides a big boy bike without any training wheels and has ridden at least five miles in one bike session without stopping. He was completely uninterested in biking for the longest time. He wasn't even tempted to take up biking after he got a new bike! It wasn't until I told him that he could get a reindeer stuffed animal once he learned how that he actually put some effort into the sport and then picked it up in one lesson.

-Loves to swim and bravely swims all over the diving pool on campus. He is absolutely fearless in the water and will jump off the diving board with gusto! Yesterday, he even had James dive him down to the pool floor so that he could touch his little tootsie's to the bottom of the ten-foot-deep pool like his big brothers. He came up sputtering, but he came up proud!

-Loves to write his name and writes it all over the house....on books, exercise mats, toys, you name it.

-Is still a momma's boy. Thinks his dad is as cool as they come, but sides with his mom no matter what...unless candy bribes are involved. That little turn-coat!

-Besides his brothers, his friend Vivian stands supreme. "I WUV Vwivian!"

-Started taking gymnastics with Charlie and is eating it up! Charlie is catching him up to with his classmates by already teaching him how to cartwheel and do handstands. He came home after his first class and proudly told Mason, "Guess what?!!! Gymnastics is NOT for babies!"

-Is our biggest pain at bedtime, hands down.

-Is pretty picky about food but is very easily manipulated into eating almost anything. 

-Would chose to watch a movie over anything else but will also be the first to tell you ( in a rather self-righteous voice) that watching too many shows rots your brain.

-Can start crying the plumpest, most pathetic crocodile tears at the drop of a hat. But besides when he is trying to use them against you, he is almost always cheerful.

-Adores the color yellow.

-Loves the yellow Power Ranger.