Jensen Turns 4

Right after Christmas Jensen turned 4 on December 27, 2016.  He has been talking about his birthday since June, when Adalyn started talking about her 5th birthday.  So needless to say he was excited for the day to finally come.  Since we were in Utah with family he got to have a little party with cousins and family. 

We started out the morning of his birthday in Evanston.  He got to have a little sleepover in the living room with cousins and play that morning with Maka and Cade while mom and dad packed up to head back to Utah. 

Every year over Christmas break I like to take the kids on a special outing in Utah.  Something that is fun and may be a bigger expense then we would normally do.  Idaho Falls doesn't have a lot of big attractions so it is fun to try things out while we are in Salt Lake.  We have done the Aquarium in Sandy and the Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving point the last couple years.  This year I decided I wanted to take the kids to the Treehouse Museum in Ogden.  I went there when I was a kid and remembered that it was fun.  So we decided to try it out on Jensen's birthday.   We even invited grandmas and grandpas and cousins to come too. 

We had a wonderful time spending time with family there and seeing all the activities that they had for the kids.  Overall I would say that it wasn't my kids favorite place.  Jensen's attention span is still pretty short so he mostly just wandered from station to station playing with little things here and there.  Adalyn loved playing in the little restaurant and "cooking" food for all the parents and grandparents.  Declin loved the ride on horses and the trains.  All of the kids said that their favorite part was playing tag with daddy throughout the museum (mommy didn't think running around everywhere was the best idea so this game didn't last too long).  I was really grateful to have so many extra hands to help keep track of where each child was.  McKay and I would have struggled keeping up with the kids if we did not have the help. 

After the museum we divided up and some of us went back to Corinne and Stu's house (which is close to the museum) to have pizza, cupcakes, and ice cream.  After food he opened his presents.  He definitely cared more about opening the presents then what was actually in them.  But he did seem pretty excited about his new scooter from Grandma and Grandpa Cannon even though he was nervous to ride it.  He is going to have a lot of fun with it this summer! 

A few things about Jensen at 4.  He is tall and skinny just like his dad.  He has the same teasing sense of humor as his dad, but a little softer around the edges with it.  He is SO tender.  He tells me several times a day that he loves me.  He is my favorite cuddle buddy.

Jensen loves things that turn on.  Especially flashlights, phones, most electronics.  He loves riding bikes, running, jumping, and climbing.  This year he got his first nerf gun, and pirate sword which he loves to play with.  He loves taking baths and jumping on the couch.  Jensens favorite color this year was orange and always requested the orange plate at dinner.  He loves carrots.  Not baby carrots, but the big ones that come out of the ground.  He loves chomping on them like a rabbit.  He knows his letters and sounds and counting to 20. 

Going to joy school is his pride and joy.  He thinks it is so awesome that he gets to go to school just like Adalyn.  He goes once a week and loves it!  He tried out swimming lessons this year and improved a lot during the two weeks, but still needs to learn to stick his head under the water! 

Camping is going to be so much fun with Jensen this coming summer.  He really got into at the end of the summer in 2016 and now talks weekly about camping.

Jensen has the cutest testimony of Jesus Christ.  He loves him and often talks about what Jesus made on the earth and what good and bad choices are.  I am so grateful for his example to me.

     

One of the greatest blessings that I have noticed recently is Jensen and Adalyn's friendship.  Of course they fight at times, but they are truly each others best friends.  Jensen has grown leaps and bounds this year and is really improving his social skills, but it is still a work in progress. He still often has a hard time playing well with other kids.  But he and Addie (and Declin) can play together for hours and have a great time.  You can tell he feels safe with her and loves to do whatever she is doing.  I am so grateful that I was able to have them so close together (they are 16 months apart).  The first year was hard, but ever since then it has totally been worth it.  I remember being so frustrated that I could not nurse Adalyn as well and as long as I wanted to.  She just loved the bottle more and it was always a struggle to get her to latch on and nurse.  So we gave it up early which gave me the opportunity to have another baby sooner then we would have under normal circumstances.  So grateful that we did and that Jensen is in our lives.   We love you Jensen Boy!