The perfect age of FOUR came knocking at our door!!!

Four-year-olds are THE BEST!!! We had passed the all-out tantrum stage (kind of). Logan was no longer in pull-ups, preschool was a way of life, and outings as a family took on a whole new "do-able" attitude. The kids had separate parties for their fourth birthdays. Logan had a Thomas the train party, and Ellie had a princess party. (Top left hand photo is from their fourth birthday parties.) They also were able to celebrate their fourth birthdays in California at the Rain Forest Cafe with their birth mom, Keri, and her family. They also went to Disneyland and the ocean for the first time the week they turned four.

For Halloween that year the kids were Rollie Pollie Ollie and Zoey--such funny, cute costumes!!

Logan had already loved trains and Thomas for a year by now. But age four was definitely his "Thomas" year. Thomas birthday party, Thomas T-shirts nearly every day, Thomas shoes, and the adventure to the Heber Valley Railroad to see Thomas the Train in "real life".

Four was also the Christmas we lost "Peanut the fluffy dog"--Logan's companion stuffed animal for the past three years. Santa pulled through with the help of e-bay and "Peanut" rejoined our family. Two weeks later the original Peanut was found---under the bathroom kids step-stool. FYI--we looked for that thing for WEEKS before Christmas.

Like Logan and Thomas, Ellie and princesses had already played a prominent role in our home. But four was the YEAR OF THE PRINCESS!!! Princess birthday party, princess adventures at Disneyland, Disney Princess On Ice outing, the year all the Barbie movies entered our home, and the year she started taking dance!! Nearly every day she wore a princess dress or a leotard. Everywhere we went that's what she wore--to the doctor, to get groceries, to grandmas, to the parks, etc. Only to school and church did she wear regular clothes. She still loves it all now, two years later, and is wearing her "Christmas princess wedding dress" as I type. It is just so FUN to have a boy and a girl at the same age and time!!

And like every other age, just as quickly as age four came knocking at our door--it went right on through and out the back door in a whirlwind of memories!!