3.5 years

Three and a half years old! Where did the time go? It seems like yesterday you were in my belly and you were little babies. As a matter of fact, Mommy and Daddy still call you babies (ssh, don't tell). In the past six months the two of you have grown up literally, right before our eyes.

Kaitlyn,
You are three and a half going on sixteen! You have such a personality I only wish you would show it to all you meet. You are still very shy in unfamiliar social situations. At home, you are a firecracker! You love to dance, run around and jump. We have you enrolled in dance class, tap and creative moment. During the routine part of the class your shyness takes over and you prefer to observe but when it comes to the creative moment portion you are jumping around and "shaking your body" like no tomorrow. Your stubborn side, which daddy would say comes from me, shows itself on a daily basis. You want what you want when you want it and won't have it any different. You are very insistent on doing most things on your own and always want to help Mommy or Daddy in our tasks. For this, I should not be complaining! You are very proud of yourself when you accomplish something new. I love picking you up from childcare and observing you doing skills I didn't know you could do. Some of your favorite things to do now include coloring, puzzles, playing with your dolls and helping Mommy cook or bake. You love Dora, Princess' (Tinkerbell) and watching Disney movies. Your fine motor skills show in the way you draw, stencil and easily complete games on the I-Pod touch. We love the twin connection you share with Ryan. When you wake up, you call out "Ry" and if he is not there you get very upset. We love to watch you play together and console one another. This is not to say there is not fighting, there is plenty of that to go around. You tend to, once again, want what Ryan has and most days are not very good at sharing but we are working on it. Mommy and Daddy loved to be showered by your kisses and cuddling in bed with you each morning. You are the definition of a Daddy's girl and would spend every waking moment with him if you could. You, our amazing daughter, are one special little girl and we love you so very much Katie-Cakes!

Ryan,

You are the definition of a three and a half year old boy-rambunctious, inquisitive, endearing, temperamental and loving. You continue to bring such joy to those you come in contact with greeting everyone with a hug or a smile. You are very physically active and can be a little daredevil at times. You are definitely the comedian in the family. Not a day goes by you don't make us laugh, whether it is something you say or a cute facial expression. However, like Kaitlyn, you need to work on your patience, or lack thereof. You don't like to wait for anything but you have no problem telling Mommy "in a minute". You could spend all day looking at books and playing with your trains. More recently, you have learned how to effectively use the computer/mouse and really enjoy playing learning games. You can count to 30 and recently learned to spell your name. Your favorite movies at the moment are Madagascar, Ice Age (all of them) and Toy Story. This may not necessary be a good thing but you do know how to work the DVD player and pick out movies of your choice. Throughout each day, we witness your compassionate and caring emotions. If "Ka-kin" (Kaitlyn) can't find a toy, you always take the initiative to help her. Being polite is second nature to you. Potty training took a little longer with you but in the past few weeks you have mastered the skill and we are so proud of you. We hope you feel as much love as you show us every day. Love you Monkey!