Birthdays and Busy Bags

I now have a two year old boy who is so very active. He's stubborn and curious, mischevious and loving. I could go on and on, but he is overall a joy to our days and a light to our nights. He had a beach ball birthday this year. We had lots of sweet kiddos from church come to his party. We are very blessed to have so many wonderfully sweet and adorable friends in our church family.

One of my biggest trials this summer has been keeping the children occupied and out of the horendous heat. I love summer....swimming and sprinkers, popsicles and lightening bugs, cookouts and sidewalk chalk....and I'm not going to complain about the heat. It is what it is, but it has most definitely changed how much time we spend outside. Even in the pool or with the sprinkler on it's still very hot and Landon's little cheeks get bright red and I know it's time to take a break. It doesn't take very long until the water feels more like bath water than a chance to cool off. So, as I'm sure a lot of mommies have been dealing with this summer, we've been indoors more than usual for this time of year.

Little hands need to be kept busy. I've definitely struggled to keep all four little hands in our house occupied and from trouble. The smallest hands have definitely been the most challenging. So, I've teamed up with some friends to make busy bags. We haven't gotten together yet, but we're planning to next week. I've made some by myself before, but I'm really looking forward to having a stack of them ready for too hot to play or rainy days.

These two sweeties have been caught more than once playing in the sink. Sometimes they make a big mess....sometimes only a minimal one. (I mean can you see the mirror? Wet little hands make for a smudged mirror.) Either way, they have had more fun just sticking their hands under the water. Oh for the joys of being a child.

I'm planning to document our busy bag making so look for that coming soon. :)

Let them be Little

It's Landon's second birthday this week. It's so hard to believe that it's already been two years. My pregnancy with him was both wonderful and difficult, and I wish I had stopped to savor the moments more.

It's been a while now, but sometime in this year we got his haircut for the first time. He has since had another cut, and boy does that boy have some locks!

The decision to finally get his haircut was made for us when in the same week two different people thought he was a girl. After that his daddy said it was absolutely time to get his haircut. So our sweet friend Deborah cut his hair for us. She also did Caroline's first haircut. We love how personal it is for a good friend to be such an important part of this milestone.

He is growing up too fast. I know how cliche that is to say, but it is so true! I was looking at him today before his nap and I just wanted him little again. Throw in that Caroline will be going off to preschool this fall and I'm a bit emotional about my kiddos right now. Every once in a while he'll still let me cuddle with him and rock him. Most of the time he is all boy and all about trucks, dirt, sports,questions, and rough housing, but sometimes I'm still able to catch him in a moment of weariness and he'll cuddle. I savor these moments because when I look into his eyes and answer his favorite question, "What's that sound?" I see the boy in him. The baby is almost gone. Only the slight chub in his cheeks and thighs still shows there was ever a baby there at all. He is a boy.

I like to tease Caroline and tell her I don't want her to grow up. I go on and on about her staying four forever and how she can live with me and be my little girl always. She loves this game. She'll laugh and then say, "Mommy! God made us so we'll grow up. I can't stay little forever." I am teasing her and I know she will grow up and I pray about that often. I love to hear her explanation about God's plan for human life.

This morning we were having this discussion and in addition to her reminder to me that God made us to grow up, she added, "Mommy what about Landon? When I'm off at school you'll still have him. You like him." Yes sweet Caroline, I do like Landon a lot. But that doesn't change the pang in my heart that you're growing up. The sweet moments of your childhood will grow fewer and farther between.

For now though, I will love my children deeply and fully. I will continue to pray for them and their future spouse. I will laugh with them and discipline them, and hopefully just let them be little. For a little while longer.

Landon's First Birthday Party

We had a Noah's Ark theme for Landon's first birthday. I made the cakes and cupcakes...it literally took me almost all day long the Friday before the party on Saturday. I love doing it, and I will continue to make their cakes as long as they want me to, but whew! It's definitely a labor of love.







He had a great time and actually really enjoyed his cake. His sister...well, on her first birthday she did not enjoy her cake, so we weren't sure what he was going to do. He was a little apprehensive at first, but once he discovered that it tasted good...well, he was sold!





On a hot Saturday, we had so many wonderful friends and family come out to spend the day celebrating our precious son. I love this picture of Aaron with his buddies and brother-in-law.



With Aunt KK and Uncle Judd



With Opa and Oma



And yes, for the record, I know the color of those pictures isn't the best...but I still like them! I never claimed to be a professional....

It was a fun day and I'm so glad Landon is in our life! He adds joy daily and is a wonderful addition to our family!

Happy First Birthday!

A very sweet little man is having his first birthday today!



Landon is a joy to have in our life and a priviledge to raise. He is a true gift from the Lord and it's very difficult to remember our life without him in it. Just like his big sister, he loves the water. He loves to splash and makes a big mess, but his squeels of delight are like payment for the time spent cleaning the bathroom floor.





Landon is into everything. He's crawling and pulling, and trying desperately to walk. He is drawn to all things electronic and would chew through a wire if given the chance.



Landon loves his big sister. He wants to eat what she's eating, play with her toys, follow her around, he's basically her little shadow!





I love you dearly, little boy! Happy Birthday!

Birthdays

We've had 2 birthdays around here in the past few months. Caroline turned 3 and Aaron turned the big 3-0! We had parties for both. Caroline's was ladybug themed. Aaron's had no theme.







I did not make those adorable cookies, which I gave out instead of goody bags. I did make the cupcakes and they took a lot longer than I was expecting! A definite labor of love, and she loved them, so I loved making them!





I think these pictures say it all. Birthday parties are fun and exciting, but are also tiring and overwhelming. Happy 3rd birthday to my sweet girl!

I plotted and planed Aaron's birthday party for months beforehand. I wanted it to be a surprise and I wanted it on his actual birthday, which is really close to Christmas. I knew some of our friends would be out of town, but I also knew that some wouldn't be, so I planned it for his actual big day.

For the 30 days leading up to his birthday, his sister planned a huge and touching gift for him. She contacted family and friends and asked them to send in pictures, stories, objects...anything that they had that meant something to Aaron. She got so much great stuff! Each day for 30 days he had an envelope to open for that day. Each day was from someone, and held the picture, story, or object from his thirty years. It was so wonderful to read about his life and see it through the eyes of people who have known and loved him. Fun times. I used presentation boards to display each day at the party. (and had Science fair flashbacks while putting it all together!)



He did sniff out the actual party, but he was surprised that his family came. His parents, sister and brother-in-law all came for the surprise, which he absolutely wasn't expecting. So I halfway got him.





Happy Birthday to my amazing husband!

Landon!

Our little man arrived yesterday at 8:57am! He and I are both doing good, just a bit tired still!

More to come!

Birthday Girl

This week we've been celebrating Caroline's second birthday. In fact, today marks 2 years since her due date. It's so hard to believe she's already 2! Time is whizzing by in rapid fashion, which is so hard to comprehend. Didn't I just have my first prenatal appointment? Didn't we just find out we were having a daughter? Wasn't it just yesterday that I was on bed rest? Didn't I just have her...yesterday?! Nope, that was all 2 years ago!

It's long been said that time flies when you're having fun, and we definitely have a lot of fun, so I suppose that old saying has merit. What a joy she is in our lives. She has given us more happiness and more blessings than I could have imagined. I thank the Lord for the joy she is and I pray we raise her in a way that's pleasing in His sight. She is a wonderful, special, beautiful (inside and out) little ray of sunshine in our lives! I love spending my days with her and I am thankful to my husband for working so hard to provide for us so I can be home with her.

We had family come in town and had a small party for her on Saturday. Last year, she wasn't thrilled with everyone singing to her and watching her dig into her cake. She cried at being the center of attention, and did not like it when her hand was pushed into the cake. What a stark contrast that scene is to this year! She loved her party this year and spent most of the morning gazing at her cake.





Once it was actually time to eat the cake, we all gathered around and sang to her. She loved having everyone sing to her. She listened and grinned, and when we finished, she clapped emphatically and giggled and loved it! She leaned forward and tried to take a big bite out of the cake! We don't have a picture, only a video. I have no clue how to get a video from my camera onto here. (Sorry grandparents!) I put some on a plate for her and she dug right in!





On er actual birthday Aaron was off work and we took her to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time. (I had a coupon!) She loved it and had a blast. There was no real need for us to purchase tokens, because she had a lot of fun just running around. She did ride a few of the rides and enjoyed the huge singing Chuck E. in the corner.





It was a fun week and a fun birthday. We got to spend a lot of time together as a family, which is always great. I'm hoping time will slow down a bit, but regardless, we're savoring her toddler years!