Stafford 4 Years Old - Reviewing the year with pictures

Swimming at Aspen Grove

Snow Cones during Frontier Night at Aspen Grove

Swinging at Aspen Grove

Swinging and Eating at Aspen Grove

Aspen Grove - May 2012

Stafford has been wanting to play with a Lego ship that Christian created and has been guarding.  Stafford came to me and said, "If Christian's goes on a mission, I'm going to take his Legos."

"Sumping" = Something

"No more Mr.  Mice Guy"
"Sing" = Thing

A backyard picnic with Jane B.

Stafford has two other friends named James.  

He thinks they all have the same name and calls all three of them Jame.

"Trufe" = Truth

Preschool graduation in our backyard.

 We did a preschool once a week for two hours.  Each mom took a turn teaching.  We would focus on a letter and the mom could do anything she wanted for the day.  The only requirement was decorating the letter to add to an alphabet book that they created throughout the year.  Once a week was perfect for this age.  It was easy and so fun. 

Stafford was the only boy, as you can see and as you can see, he enjoyed the attention and giggles that the girls would give him.

 Warrick was in afternoon kindergarten and was my helper when we had it at our house. 

He loved being the big kid.

One day Stafford gathered all his favorite stuffed animals and asked me to take pictures.

When Warrick got his penguin pillow pet from Grandma, he named it Gutchie. When Grandma gave Stafford his own pillow pet, a few months later, he called it Gutchie too.  I think he thought pillow pets were all called Gutchie.  Maybe they are.  We own two and they are both named Gutchie.  

His Horse Webkinz named Horsie 

This is Cocoa.

This isn't his, but I think he got on a roll and just started grabbing things for the picture.
This is Christian's tiger he has had for years named, "Rose".

Stafford was the last one to catch a fish at Aspen Grove, but he sure was proud.

He kept touching and inspecting it.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Still touching it.

Um, Stafford, I don't know if they'll appreciate fish juice in the bear's mouth.

We took it to the kitchen for the cooks to cook it up for him.

He just couldn't quite ring the bell.

He delayed.

Looked at his fish.

Stroked it.

Begged to take it home with us.

Still hesitating.

He finally handed it over to the cook

and cried.

Stafford insisted on safety first at Wal-mart.

Glenn is acting like he cares, but it's just for show.

Stafford stopped in Wal-mart, grabbed a bag of peanuts and posed saying through his smile "Take a picture!"  What else could I do?  Peanuts are special.

Fall 2012 - Since school has started, Stafford has the whole day to be with me.  It has been 3 days and he still thinks it is pretty great.  Today, after he told his brothers as they were leaving for school that he and I were going to have so much fun, he grabbed a yellow post-it note and wrote a few "letters" on it.  He said that it said "Thank you for going to church.  Thank you for being nice.  Thank you for going home."  He is, as I type this, in his nicest clothes and on his way to our neighbors where he plans to stick it on their door, ring the doorbell and run.  He is certain that it will make their day.  I think I might have to call down there with a little explanation.

Stafford loved staying home with me for about a week.  On day 7 he said, "Why do my brothers have to go to school?  I don't want to stay here and play with you.  I want my pals."  I'd feel bad for myself, but I love that he loves his brothers.

After our Monday morning bike ride.

Our hill is steep and about half way up I have Stafford walk.  He understands.

When we are outside, Chelsea always comes strolling out of the fields.  

Faithful.

Staff loves to water the garden and our baby trees "for dad".

"ahind" = behind

(This vocabulary is needed for the next story.)

Stafford just got back from a field trip to the pumpkin patch here in town.  He told he that a girl kissed him.  I asked him what he did.  He said nothing because he wanted her to kiss him.  I asked if they kissed on the cheek.  He responded, "No, the lips.  No one saw us.  We were 'ahind' the hay."  I asked what her name was.  He didn't know.  Is she cute?  Yes.  I asked if she was cuter than his friend Lindsey.  No.  Cuter than Mia our neighbor? Yes.  There you have it.  Stafford's first kiss.

 Here is a before and after of Stafford's before school haircut.

Usually Glenn is the barber in the family, but JcPenney was giving free haircuts for kids.

 Stafford had a high fever.

Christian collected a meal for him, put it on a cookie sheet, complete with a sippy cup,

and brought it to Staff and asked if he needed anything else.

I think he felt too sick to even eat more than two bites of applesauce.

Glow stick gun that he bought with his own money at the $ store.

Stafford woke up and started singing quietly to himself, "Santa wants me for a Sunbeam.  A sunbeam."

Stafford says that he loves being five.  Looks like we're off to a good start for another year of life!

Stafford asked me what my favorite animal was.  I told him a cat.  This is what he created for me.  These magnets are the "go to" toys that my boys play with - even more than legos.  I love them, even though I find them all over the house.