Briggs is 40.5" (55th percentile) and 33 lbs (24th percentile). He is wearing some 3T and mostly 4T clothes and size 9 shoes. He goes to pre-school 2 mornings each week, attends 3 year old Sunday School and Children's Church on Sundays, enjoys library story time, and spends my 2 days of work with grandparents. He no longer needs pull-ups at night and no longer takes an afternoon nap. He generally sleeps 11-12 hours at night, going to bed around 8:00 and usually waking up between 7 and 7:30.
And most days he wakes up happy.
Likes: Briggs loves anything with wheels. Cars, trains, buses, construction vehicles, tractors...if it has wheels, Briggs likes it. Favorite toys are his cars and trucks and construction vehicles, his trains and his train table, and Magnatiles. He enjoys puzzles and is very good at them. Briggs loves to read with favorite books generally being books about cars, trucks, or vehicles. However, he's happy to sit and listen to books of all kinds for as long as someone will read to him. He is even joining us now for bedtime chapter books with his sisters that don't have any pictures, and he follows along with the plot and the story really well.
Briggs and Staley reading their new library books
We don't watch television, but Briggs's favorite movies/shows to watch on DVD are Planes, Cars, Thomas movies, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He still enjoys Paw Patrol and Blaze and the Monster Machines, although hasn't seen these in quite some time. He is getting more interested in doing craft activities with his sisters and is beginning to spend more time drawing and coloring. He loves listening to books on tape. The Pond is his current favorite series of stories on CD, but he also really enjoys Nathanial the Grublet, Little Tree, and Disney read-a-long books on tape as well. Briggs likes playing games and does really well holding his own during family games. Memory, Apples to Apples Disney, Tumble, the Blaze game, and Spot It are a few of his favorites. Briggs enjoys spending time with friends at pre-school, church, small group, and in the neighborhood, but his sisters are his favorite playmates. All my kids have a great time playing together. Lately they have been playing Spy Camp (sneaking around the house "spying" on Zach and I), school (Adelie and Briggs created a pre-school type game called 'Littles'), climbing into stacked up laundry baskets, and chasing each other around the house. Briggs is always an active participant in the plays and performances the girls put on, and he's always willing to play dolls or figurines or whatever his sisters are playing.
Briggs always loves playing with his sisters, no matter what the game might be.
Although his sisters are his best playmates, other good friends include Grace, Sterling, Keiko (who are all girls from pre-school, our neighborhood, and/or church), Amos (a boy from small group), and his cousins. Briggs enjoys outings and is happy no matter where we go, whether it's Target, the grocery store, the zoo, or the library. Briggs is generally a good eater, but favorite foods are chicken nuggets (or chicken "nunnets" as he calls them), meatballs, pancakes, Michael's garlic bread, most fruits, and most sweets. He loves to eat at restaurants with McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Cornerstone, and Culver's as a few of his favorites.
Briggs has lots of favorite things, but his sisters top the list.
Dislikes: Briggs is a sensitive child and still has many things that scare him. He does not like storms, the dark, wind, eating outside, most movies (especially those with bad guys or ones that he's never seen before), fireworks/scoreboard buzzers/loud noises in general, and the dentist. He still lacks patience in some situations and gets upset when needs aren't met as quickly as he thinks they should be. He can also get upset if he wants someone to play with him and everyone is busy.
Skills: Briggs can run, jump, climb, wrestle, ride his scooter, hop on one foot, and throw and kick a ball. He can cut with scissors, manipulate small objects, and complete 35-48 piece puzzles without help. He is not consistent with his crayon grasp, still sometimes holding it in a fist rather than with his fingers, but that is improving. He can write B, R, I in his name with verbal cues and needs a little help with the Gs and the S to get them facing the right direction. Briggs is becoming more and more independent. He can dress and undress himself, take himself to the bathroom, button large buttons, zip his coat, and get his shoes and socks on and off. He feeds himself, still preferring his fingers but can use his silverware when we ask him to. He is now washing himself in the bathtub with verbal cues to make sure he does it thoroughly and can brush his own teeth, although I still often follow up for thoroughness. Briggs can blow his nose. He is a very good helper and does well helping with cooking and baking, including cracking eggs and using the mixer. He will also help push the buttons to start the washer and dryer, help move clothes from the washer to the dryer, and help with cleaning around the house. He is usually really good about cleaning up his toys and putting things back where they go.
My little kitchen helper
Briggs is very bright. He knows all his colors and shapes, can count to 29 (often getting a little tripped up with 13, 14, 15, 16), recognizes a handful of his upper case letters, and can say his ABCs. He is very inquisitive, has a good memory, and likes to talk through lots of scenarios and situations. I think talking through things helps him to process things and understand things so that they are not scary or unknown, but I love how he is always trying to rationalize things or figure things out.
Briggs has a very sweet personality. He loves to snuggle and cuddle. He's quick with an 'I love you'. He is very easy to take and does great on outings, even when it involves waiting at the cell phone place or stopping at multiple stores. He is great at sharing, plays very nicely with friends and siblings, and can also entertain himself for long periods of time. He has a sweet, loving, fun, easy-going personality...and those big eyes melt my heart. It's so fun to watch the little boy he's growing up to be.
My big 4 year old!
