Ryan 3 Yrs.

I honestly can't believe Ryan's 3!  The time has really flown as these two have grown up.  We had donuts for breakfast.

Opened presents.

Played at a new park

Ate lunch at Sam's Club, where he wanted to buy these flowers for me because they were pretty.  He really is so sweet and points out flowers at every store we go to and says they're for mommy.

We bought a trampoline that just so happened came that day, so the boys thought it was theirs for a good while.  Ryan LOVES to jump on the tramp with his brothers and especially with his dad.

Since they weren't talking too much I just made an easy cake that I knew they'd love.
Who doesn't love loads of chocolate and M&Ms?

Ryan is really coming along with his speech, we knew a few words he said but man has he blossomed with going to Talking Time.  He loves going to school and loves to doing his homework even more, please let this always be the case!  He is still pretty shy while at Talking Time but occasionally they'll get to see his silly side.

Ryan is silly.  He loves to make you laugh, and he'll usually do it with a serious face as well.  But once he sees you laughing he can't help but join in on the fun.

My favorite right now, is the way Ryan will answer me. When I ask him to do something and he replies, "nope, mom" so cute and matter a fact.  So I'll get closer to his face and ask him again and he'll do the same reply a little closer to my face and this time with his eye's smiling more. This will go on until we are touching noses and both laughing.

He and William have started to be less mischievous since turning 3, but there are still times especially when their little brothers do something that they just can't help joining in on the fun!

He first learned his name with a Roar so when we asked who he was he'd say, "RYAN!".  We loved it, this was just after their third birthday.  I was just glad that they knew their own identity, not just that they were the twins or WillRyan.  As soon as he was comfortable with his name and William's name, when asked what his name was he'd say, "William".  Again straight faced, unless started to laugh, he'd get away with it though if we didn't know better.  He's such a tease

Ryan really gets along well with all his brothers, and again just loves to have fun and a good time.

He found this Cat in the Hat hat and LOVES it.  No one else can wear it.  Every time he wears it he has to find a book with the Hat on it (Cat in the Hat, Cat in the Hat returns), and then he points it out to everyone he can, "two hats! My two hats!"

He loves to give Zurpert kisses (blow raspberries).  He of course thinks it's hilarious!

Once again, Ryan is a pretty easy going, fun loving, laughter making boy we wouldn't trade with anyone!

William 3 Yrs.

William and Ryan had their THIRD birthday at the end of August, and honestly I can't believe how big they are getting!

Breakfast donuts!

Their birthday started with donuts and presents!

We went to a new park and let the boys play, always a favorite for these cuties!

We bought a trampoline and we just so happened to pick it up on their birthday which was a fun activity.  Afterwards we ate and did some shopping at Sams Club.  William and Ryan stopped at the flowers and insisted they were for me.  My parents had given them money for their birthday, so they spent a portion of it on me.  It made my heart melt.  They really are sweet boys.

We then headed over to Walmart to pick out a present with their birthday money and only came away with these huge balls, which are a blast on the new trampoline!  Jacob put the tramp up and we spent the rest of the day playing on it.

Since they still are not great at talking, I figured the best birthday cake for them would be a chocolate candy cake.  They of course loved it, what's not to like!?

William LOVED getting sung to for his birthday and often pointed to the happy birthday banner and say, "Happy Bir...ne!"  much after his birthday past.  In fact, I had bought two cake mixes for their birthday but only used one, so anytime he saw the cake mix in the pantry we had to sing to him again.

His talking is improving quite a bit lately.  Though we did have them tested for their speech with the Alpine School District since they are now 3, and they were approved for services.  We just started a program called Talking Time, which has a small preschool feel to it.  There are 6 kids and their parents, they sing songs, read books, work on specific letters that everyone is struggling with, then while everyone is working on a craft they pull back the kids for one on one attention.  It's great, William loves going and especially loves having a homework folder and homework to do like his big brothers.

William is starting to have a love to getting himself dressed in anything with pockets.  We look through his shirts for those with pockets, but when we can't find any we settle for just pants with pockets.  He loves to find things and put them into his pockets.

Trekkie.  He actually was like this for a good 15 minutes, and yes he's playing his game not sleeping.

His personality is such that if he wants something, he'll find a way to get or do it, even when it comes to going to the bathroom!  He can come upstairs 4 times to go the bathroom in a 30 minute period when he should be in bed and go a little every time.  If he wants to stay awake, he'll find a way to do it!

I went out into the living room in the morning and found this cute munchkin!

William loves to play with his brothers, it doesn't really matter which one.  He seems to have a great relationship with all of them, although he could be found fighting with any of them at any given time as well.  But such is the life of brothers.

Reading with Steven

Thanks to a new school schedule, he doesn't take naps every day which really helps with bedtime! And when he does take a nap, he has to be up by 2 to pick up the older two from school so he's usually pretty tired at the end of the day.

jumping with Spencer

This kid is the best to volunteer others.  "Who wants to help me clean this up?" "Ryan" "Who wants this pillow thrown at him?" "Didder" (Christopher).  But of course if it's like who wants candy or ice cream, he has no problem volunteering himself!

He and Ryan have started to say their names well and call each other by their names. I've been worried about that for a while, whether they knew their own identity or not.  We love to hear him say, "WillUm!"

Oh boy do we love this kid and his crazy antics!  He is smart, silly, funny, full energy, and can be super sweet when he wants to.

Christopher 4 1/2 yrs.

Oh Christopher.  He has started Preschool, and loves it.  Although sometimes he tries to play cool around his brothers and say he doesn't want to go, trying to be like Steven.  But he always asks when he can go and is willing to give me details about what he did there, or anyone else in class.  

We were worried about his voice volume while at preschool, but his teacher has reassured me that he is normal, kids will always try to talk over each other, but he's just like everyone else.  Miss Heather said he is so smart and great at school, but needed to work on holding his pencil correctly, which he has been doing such a great job on!

He's really into making friends.  Like if he plays along someone for a minute or two they are his friend.  My favorite is when he said a little girl in our ward was now his friend.  "I bumped her backpack, she turned around and we both smiled."  Oh my.

Christopher is the champion of all bragging.  If you give him a candy and say, "don't tell anyone!"  He will wait a minute then go to each of his brothers and say, "Hey look at this!  You don't have one, but I do!"  Today he found a quarter and told William if he followed Christopher around he would buy him something from the store. 

I had to really have a good talk with him after Steven started school, because he was talking up what we did while he was at school and really making Steven feel bad.

Christopher LOVES to play with William and Ryan, which is fun to watch.  Except that he will often turn them against each other.  I will find him whispering to Ryan: "hit William with your blanket."  Or visa versa, I have to remind him if his brother gets in trouble for something he told him to do, he's going to get in trouble as well.  It seems to be working...sort of.  One day they will be taller than him and everything will change.

Playing on the walking sidewalks while picking up Aunt Melanie at the airport

He is usually the most considerate at the dinner table.  "Mom, thank you for making this yummy dinner.  I appreciate it."  Then he refuses to eat it 10 minutes later because it's too gross.

Christopher is really a big sweet heart and will often share way more with his brothers than they would share with him, when he's in the right mood of course.  He gives great big bear hugs, loves to play with his brothers (and anyone else for the matter), is smart, funny, and has such a contagious laugh.  We love you to pieces Christopher!

Steven 6 yrs.

For Steven's birthday this year we chose to make a Darth Vader cake (that I found the mold for at D.I. earlier this year. Score!)

How mom made it

Steven's improvements

 The night before his birthday my parents were in town so we had a little family party for those who could come for cake and ice cream and a pinata.

 One of his gifts was an adult's coloring book for him and me to do together.  He really has a knack for art and details and loves to color, we've enjoyed using them so far.

Birthday Boy!

 The day of his birthday we ate breakfast and let him open a few small gifts but what he really wanted was money! Which was perfect when Grandma and Grandpa Balls sent money. After we did chores we went to a park with some neighbors, then picked dad up for lunch and took him to walmart to use up that money!  He bought a $5 movie, some ice cream, a light up ring, and a Hulk ring pop all for $10 and has yet to spend the rest of his money. No wait, he bought a big ball after William and Ryan got one for their birthday and he paid tithing.  I think he likes to know that he has a lot of money.  That night we ate at In-n-out then bought a movie to watch at home (Jacob and I were exhausted), we put the boys to bed and let Steven stay up with us watching a show while eating treats galore.  He ended up falling asleep on our bed, I hope he had a good day.

Playing with his gift from Grandma and Grandpa Morrise

 Steven is now in first grade!  He is doing well and I'm surprised with how much retention he has from Kindergarten but has made it known that First Grade is BORING. He'd rather go to preschool with Christopher or Kindergarten, because they were more fun.  Sorry kid, you've got a long way of school ahead of you!  He does have to go early in the morning (8 a.m.) and then after he gets home we do homework before he gets to play.

Love that his school rolls out the red carpet for everyone

They blare music and make the kids feel like celebrities

 He told me he wished I homeschooled him so he could have more time to play games on the computer, I informed him he wouldn't get to play any more games than he does now, maybe less, he said he'd stay where's he's at.  He loves lunch time and recess and often comes home telling him how he got to move up on the behavior board for being a good boy and working hard.  He's doing really well, with his homework he wizzes past the math homework and has the spelling words down the first go, and is increasingly amazing me with his reading.  (as long as he's not too tired)

I think it's a hard adjustment going all day long, especially when all your playmates (brothers) are still home playing and doing fun things.  Which he has banned us from doing anything fun while he's gone.  At first I tried not to, but after a while I've learned that the younger boys need to be out doing something or they mess the house up!  So now we'll just have to work with Christopher not bragging to Steven what we do while he's gone.

Steven is such a great big brother and a good example for his little brothers, we really couldn't ask for a better first child!  His super power is telling the truth.  The week after school started Steven randomly told me that when I send him down to bed, he will watch a movie before going to bed.  He'll put the volume all the way down, so we don't hear it.  Once we're in bed, he'll turn it up so he can barely hear it; then once it's over he goes to bed, or sometimes he'll fall asleep before it's over.  REALLY!  That's why you're so tired in the morning!  Silly kid, but I am really glad he told us so we could keep an eye for it.  He is so sweet, honest, smart, and kind hearted.  We love you kid!