The Zorio Family: Dawson is 4 AND A HALF!

On November 14th, Dawson turned 4.5! You know, when you're 4, the half is a big deal! :) We talked about how it means he's halfway to 5, and he told me that it means he's halfway to his party!
Dawson really seems like such a big kid all the sudden. He's such a good big boy!! He really is a wonderful help to me. He knows the rules and generally obeys them. Dawson loves to show Carter new things, and he gets excited when Carter actually learns them from him. Dawson and Carter are starting to play together more and more, and they both love it!
I've blogged a lot about Dawson lately with his school and soccer updates, so I won't touch on those any more than just to say that he loves both. He just can't get enough of preschool and talks about it constantly!
Some of Dawson's friends he plays with at 4.5 are Charlie and Colt. Here are a few of his favorite things:
Favorite Shows: Veggie Tales, Bananas in Pajamas
Favorite Toys: John Deere Gator, anything art related, books
Favorites Outings: Loves going to the zoo, Dollywood, Nana and Grandad's house, Lolly and Pop's house, and walks or bike rides in the neighborhood down to a house on the corner to see the cat named "Keelie" or the other corner to see the dog named "Riley" (I'm sure that these neighbors don't know who were are much less that we remember their pets from one-time interactions, but these pets are regular parts of our conversations, haha!)
Favorite Topics of Conversation: "What are we planning to do tomorrow," "Why does Carter (insert anything Carter has just done that a 1 year old would do that a 4 year old would not)," "When can I spend the night at (either Lolly and Pop or Nana and Grandad)'s house?," loves telling us ALL about school and all kinds of things his friends at school say.
Other things I want to remember about Dawson at 4.5:
-He makes his bed like a champ! Each day Dawson has 4 chores to do (because he's 4). He has to make his bed each morning, take his water cup from his nightstand to the kitchen counter, and put his pajamas in the hamper. His fourth chore is in the evenings, and we have to pick up EVERYTHING in the playroom. He is such a wonderful boy about his chores. Many mornings he does the morning chores without me reminding him. We started working with him to make his bed last November, and over the past year he has gotten REALLY good at it!!! And he knows it looks good because he is always proud of how he's made it. (A year ago, I really wondered how much improvement a preschooler would be able to make on making their bed, but I'm SO glad I kept making him do it on his own with no real help from me, because now he gets most all the bumps out and squares the blankets and comforter up to my satisfaction nearly every time! I'm always impressed!)
-Dawson is an excellent helper! He will help me or John with ANYTHING we ask him to and he's happy to do it! He prefers to help John though because John's chores are more exciting to him...for example, he gets excited that more and more leaves keep falling because that means he gets to help John work in the yard getting to the curb numerous times!
-Dawson loves his Daddy, Grandad, and Pop! I'm not trying to say that he doesn't love the females in his life, but Dawson just especially loves being with the guys! :) On John's days off work, Dawson is right with John nonstop!

Dawson is such a wonderful big boy! I cannot believe that our oldest is already 4.5!! He is such a kind-hearted boy, and we love him so very much!!