Four

they kind of like each other.
they wanted to be twins with their new matching haircuts,
so they coordinated their outfits.

Lincoln's looking just a tiny bit different these days.  I LOVE his thick yellow hair, and was sad to see it all go...

gross?

But every time Lincoln came in from playing in the sun his hair would be soaked with sweat.  I was feeling bad for him.  Cooper looked so much more comfortable without a mop heating up his noggin.

My four year old suddenly looks so much older, and that makes me a little sad.  Yesterday I sat Lincoln on my lap and asked him to please!please!please! stay four years old for forever.  He said, "OK Mommy, I will stay four forever.  I promise!"

I'm having so much fun with him these days.  Even when he gets a time-out for doing something naughty, he's still happy and loving.  The "olders" aren't my biggest fans.

Cooper's new phrase (which he uses liberally any time he doesn't get his way) is, "I HATE YOU!"  (Which really is better than the venom I spewed at my mom when I was 6; "I don't have to listen to you.  You're not my real mom!"  Geesh.  I was so mean.  And, of course, mistaken.)

Mercedes can often be heard lamenting, "I hate my life.  Whah whah whah."  At the moment, she's 10 going on 15. 

But Lincoln ALWAYS loves me.  He makes his own fun and sunshine wherever he goes.  I love that he can't pronounce his "R's"; Cooper is still "Coop-ah!"  I know that it won't last much longer... but I'm enjoying it while I can.  Isn't FOUR the greatest age there is?  

I think so.

Here's Mercedes at FOUR:

at the Newport Beach LDS Temple

photo taken by my very talented cousin Andrea

And Cooper at FOUR:

in the ER with croup, waiting for a steroid shot

                             

raking leaves, just before his 5th birthday

And just for the grandparents, Lincoln at FOUR:

at Liberty Square Park, June.  

                         

daddy did this.  of course.

Motherhood really is the greatest blessing there is.