Julia and Margaret at 4 Years Old

Margaret:
Height: 38.5 inches (25th-50th percentile)
Weight: 34.5 pounds (50th percentile)

Margaret at 4 years old.

Margaret measures up.

Our resident book lover

                                Margaret concentrates hard on a maze. She loves doing "work."

Margaret (at age 4) is our most flexible child. She is generally happy to "go along to get along." She is good at solving problems and can be counted on to comprise in a tense stand-off situation with her siblings. Margaret is protective of and generous with Julia and will often sacrifice a toy, a turn, or food for her twin if a temper tantrum is on the horizon. That being said, when something is of great importance to Margaret, she is feisty and firm in standing her ground. She is good at expressing herself verbally, so we always know exactly what is wrong when Margaret is displeased. Also, Margaret's strong verbal skills allow her to tell us exactly what she is thinking at all times. It's a very endearing trait. We always know why Margaret is doing something...because we often get a running dialogue of her thoughts. :)
Margaret's awesome range of facial expressions is one of my favorite traits of hers. Her emotions are always excellently displayed on her face, whether it be dismay, anger, or excitement.
Margaret's favorite activities are soccer, reading books (she is hand-down our most book-loving child), and playing "kitty-cat." When Margaret is feeling nervous, she often reverts into being a cat, and will only communicate in meows with her "paws" held in begging position close to her chin.  I am not a cat person, so this feline frenzy can be a little unnerving at times!
At this time, Margaret is the least interested in physical activity out of our 3 girls. When we go on family bike/scooter rides, Margaret's most favorite mode of transportation is in the bike trailer, preferably with a snack in hand. Margaret recently upgraded to a faster scooter, though, and is not afraid to pick up some speed while cruising around our driveway!
Margaret's favorite foods are ice cream, mac and cheese, and black beans. She loves to draw and write, and is the best twirler in the family. She is strongly attached to her sheep and bunny "lubbies," and asks every night if I will sit outside her door "forever" while she falls asleep. When Margaret grows up, she wants to be a tree. ;-)


Julia:
Height: 40 5/8ths inches (75th percentile)
Weight: 40.5 pounds (75-90th percentile)

Julia at 4 years old

Green-goggled swim monster

Cruisin' on her bike with Cinderella in tow.

This picture pretty much sums Julia up: she cannot be contained and lets it all hang out.

Julia continues to be a child who lives life at full throttle. She is temperamental, opinionated, stubborn, and fierce in both her affection and dislike for things. This past year has been a tumultuous one for Julia. Her temper tantrums ruled many of the days (and our family) while Julia struggled to express herself and assert her independence. We have come a long way over the year, and I will readily admit that I am very glad the last 12 months are behind us in this area of development!! Things are getting better, but we still have a ways to go.
Julia's smile can melt your heart, so it's always hard to stay mad at her when she's been difficult. She is hands down the best snuggler in our family, and always sends Daddy off in the mornings with a hearty smile and wave from the front window of the house after demanding a big hug and kiss before he walks out the door.
Out of our three girls, Julia is our most fervent animal lover. Isabel and Frances usually bear the brunt of her furry friend affections, and sadly, they do not return the love. Julia is not particularly adept at reading cues, so when Isabel bears "his" (all the girls think Isabel is a boy despite our constant corrections) teeth and growls while being subjected to Julia's attentions, Julia grows even more delighted that "Belle is smiling at me!" One of Julia's favorite games is taking Isabel or Frances on a walk inside the house. As you might imagine, this is not one of the dog's favorite activities.
Julia is an amazing swimmer. She reminds me of a little submarine when she swims: she emerges from the water only for fresh air and supplies. She is truly happiest when swimming and asks every morning if we can go to "da pool." Julia is also a speed demon on her scooter and bike. She loves to cruise the neighborhood with her sisters and family, and is so proud that these activities are strengths for her.
At 4, Julia struggles with her desire for independence. It is a push-pull situation. At times, she is fervently opposed to us helping her, but in other situations, she is just as adamant that she cannot possibly do a task on her own. It is frustrating to parent through these situations.
Complicating the situation is that Julia has a very active imagination. She is very fearful of being alone and still struggles with night terrors from time to time.
Julia loves milk, bananas, chocolate, and red peppers. She enjoys playing with every Little People set that we own, and is also really good at interpretive dance and "putting on shows." ;-)
My favorite saying of Julia's at age 4 is how she pronounces "suitcase." The girls play the game "going on a trip" frequently, and Julia can always be heard talking about all the things she needs to pack in her "sous-case" before they can depart.
When Julia grows up, she wants to be a cougar. :-)