Jessie's 4th birthday

I know I am a little late in writing this as her birthday was on the 7th but better late than never. She had a good birthday weekend. Brandon and her both usually get two birthdays out of the deal because we do the birthday dinner and party with my family and then Scott's family comes out for their presents on another day. Anyway we had my family's party on Saturday and she had a great time. It was princess themed of course, half general princess and half Cinderella. She chose all of her decorations and then told me where to put them up. She even tried to tell me how to decorate the cake. Brandon was a little upset because she is now old enough to want to open her own presents and he didn't like that. He liked it better when he had to do things for her. On Sunday Scott's family came out to give her their gifts. She started to come down with a cold that day so she was a little under the weather but she still had a good time.

She is finally able to reach the doorknobs enough to close doors but she can't open the doors because she is just short enough that she can't get a good grip on the knob so she is always locking herself in places and then hollering to get out. She can also now turn lights on and turn them back off if she is standing on something, she needs about another inch to reach the top of the switch when it is turned on. So now when I put her in her room for her "nap/ quiet time" (which almost nevers actually happens, as she is usually knocking on the door asking if it time to get up yet) she turns the light back on after I leave the room. I don't think I am going to have any trouble with her in school because she is picking up a lot from Brandon and is constantly wanting to read but she gets bored quickly with anything that doesn't involve reading. She is quick to learn though and I think she will have no problems.

Brandon on the other hand is still having difficulties with numbers. He seems to have a block when it comes to math and he does not like to write. I still think he was supposed to be left handed and it is messing with his brain but he was adament about using his right hand because everyone else was. He is doing really well in reading though. They have what they call accelerated reading books that are different levels and when you get three 100%s on the tests, you move onto the next level. He is breezing through the books, one of them he only had home one day and he passed the book and is on to the next. He just moved into a new level so he has two more 100's to go but I am very proud of him. We have resorted to bribery to try to get him to work harder and it is helping to a point but he is only earning his stickers towards a prize for the books and site word lists that he passes not for any of his other homework. It is still a work in progress. I still get amazed when I hear him read to me it just doesn't seem possible that he is old enough to read and to see his progress as he masters it. I forgot how hard the English language is until I started helping him with spelling and phonics. We really do have a difficult language. I am so proud of both of my kids and they are growing up way too fast.