Monte is FOUR

 Our Monte James, the boy who made me a mom, our first born turned four last Monday.  Four! He is intuitive, perceptive, curious, active, caring, and adventurous.

- Picking out his first piece of birthday cake!! 

 

 

- Went skiing for the first time.  He had had the flu the week before our trip, poor boy was sick, and while better was still more tired than normal and not totally back to 100% but we had already told him he would get to ski and he kept asking to go so we knew he was healthy enough to try a few times as long as we didn't let him over do it.  He loved the lift and loved "going fast"!  

Loves play dough.  More building.  He can play with play dough for hours!!  

- Loves kitties.  We had a litter about 6 months ago and there was one calico one in the bunch that Monte claimed and called "my favorite one."  Well our dog got a hold of it and we were nervous to tell him.  He took the news very matter-of-factly and seemed ok that his kitty was in heaven.  He still remembers that kitty though.  He would wake up and want that kitty, read to it, have it next to him while he played, snuggled it. 

When our cat recently got pregnant again, Monte asked "does she have my favorite kitty in her tummy?"  His enthusiasm did not diminish when we had to tell him that Mama Kitty had new kitties in her tummy.  He loves them so much and wants them to be able to play SOOOO badly!!  We've really had to work with him and being gentle and reminding him that they are not toys!

- Loves getting to use the camera and will ask for permission to take pictures.  We let him on occasion and he takes it so seriously!  I enjoy looking back through all his shots of trees and grass and the wall and whatever and wonder about why he chose to take pictures of what he did.  

Maybe he'll take after Aunt Penny...

 - Loves books and reading, both alone and with an adult and often falls asleep mid page turn. 

Loves to help me cook.

- Sleeps in the strangest, wildest, and weirdest positions.  It is a common occurrence for Gunnar or I to call the other one into the boys room to see whatever position Monte is sleeping in!

- Is our builder!  Seems to be so mechanically minded.  He went through a phase for several months where as soon as he woke up he was pulling blocks out and building!  

 

Favorite color: "I don't know. Black."
Favorite thing to eat: Apples.
Favorite toy: uhhhh uhhhh pink! My helicopter!
Favorite thing to do outside:  Digging!
Favorite place to go: uhhh the zoo!
What do you like to do at Grandad and Annie's? Play with tractor with the dumper!
What do you like to do at Granmolly and Pickup's?  Play play dough!
Favorite animal: I don't know... my pooh bear!  I like worms.
What do you like about Kit? I want him to dream about me!  Wrestle!!With Daddy!  I'm going to wrestle ON Daddy and throw him out the window!
What do you like to do with Mama?  Wrestle with you too.