Ryan: 4 years, 7 Months

Ryan is having a lot of fun playing with neighborhood kids now that it's nice out. From a few others around his age who like the swingset and sand table to some 1st-2nd grade girls who like to draw with sidewalk chalk to the Jr. High boy who always stops by to say hi (or even wrestle or race around the house) when he goes by on his bike, we are grateful for all these kids who make time for Ryan and Cohen.  

The picture this month is of Ryan discovering a May Day basket on our front step from a neighbor (and one he made at preschool). He is also demonstrating what happens when you discover all your pajamas are in the wash when it's time for bed.

Ryan seems to be all-boy with his love of sports and snakes and other gross things. (those are 2 important male criteria, right?)  On our way home from Minneapolis we got a text of a picture of him holding up an opossum jawbone with teeth that he found under grandpa's shed after it was moved.  Another day I got this picture from daycare:

Yes that is a snake.

Sometimes he loves working outside, like helping Grandpa in the kubota or helping the other Grandpa clean up the creek behind their house. Other days he tells me that when he grows up he doesn't want to be a firefighter or a pilot or a farmer or anything like that because he doesn't want to do "hard work." I tried explaining that everyone needs to work hard at their job but he made it clear he doesn't want to do "really hard work"I asked him what he thought he could do instead and he said, "Be a teacher."  Oh boy.

Ryan is practicing riding his bike (with training wheels) and is improving every day. Inside, his latest obsession is making marble runs. After having to contrive tons of marble runs out of everyday objects, I was thrilled to find a complete Marble Works set at a garage sale for less than half the price of new. Now we have the joy of stepping on random marbles all.over.the.house.