The par-tay!

Here's a quick post on the boys birthday party. We  I decided to try and do a pool party again this year. With birthdays in August what else are you to do!?! The slip n slide parties were a blast but the boys are getting bigger and so are their friends and I would need a huge slide to make it as much fun, so... pool party it was. This year I decided to try our local YMCA for the party. For a very nominal amount we got their entire side gym complete with a bouncy house and lots of thingies on wheels with rope attached (no idea what they are called:) for the kids to pull each other around. Plus basketballs, footballs, and running to their hearts content. Oh - and SWIMMING! The boys mentioned several birthday "themes" they wanted. We eventually settled on a Lego Swim Party. I found this super cute picture to use as our "LEGO Swimming" invitations. Apparently several invitees were expecting a pool full of LEGO's :)



I found some cute ideas to make the juice boxes look like LEGO's and made rice crispy treat LEGO's with m&m's as well. Ya'll I am soooo not pinterest worthy. I try, I really try. The rice crispy treats ended up looking more like duplo blocks but oh well - they still tasted yummy :) I did not take one picture of any of the party treats! I ordered the cake and found these super cute candy LEGO's you can really build with that I decorated the cake with and gave away as party favors - they were probably my favorite part :)

Here are the handful of subpar pics I took:













Those wheeled thingies with rope - Ben pulling his big sister around :)

A little bouncy house blurry fun 

Some of our party guests - can you see the cute little lego juice boxes? :)

The rest of the party

Beau, John-Mark, James, and Zachary

More gymnasium fun :)

Sweet friends - Austin, James, Zach, and Jeremiah :) We were friends with their momma's and daddy's long before they were born - love that they love each other too!

 Fun boys Hendley, Hudson, and Holden - these are new friends we've met through homeschooling and we are so thankful for them!

Thankful for lots of Daddy's that swam with the kids. In order to be able to swim without a life jacket or parent close by you have to pass the swim test. I was hoping most of the boys would be able to pass it - and they all totally rocked it!!! They are all getting so big!!

 Most of the party - Jeremiah, Campbell, James, Austin, John-Mark, Beau, Joseph, Zach, Gracie, Ali, and Josiah. (Not pictured - Maleah, Jace and Caleb, Nate and Elaine, Nally and Fallon, and Ava Ruth, Naomi, and William) My boys love all their friends and were so glad so many could come out to celebrate with us!

Papa Steve made this super cute Lego centerpiece for us - so cute!! All the kids loved it. When we got home I realized someone had taken the legs off of ALL the people and put them IN the pool - too funny!

Lastly, I leave with a picture of this stud :)

Happy 5th Birthday John-Mark!!

As much as I can't believe John-Mark is another year older - that fact that he is ONLY 5 is a relief! He seems like such a big boy and seriously seems more like James twin rather than younger brother! He is doing way more stuff than James was at 5! I am amazed at how well he is writing and learning to read. He has always been a quick learner when it comes to anything athletic - learning to ride a bike sans training wheels before turning 4 and passing the Y swim test before 3!! This fall he is going to play baseball for the first time and I have no doubt he will knock it out of the park - literally :) For the record, anytime he wants to slow down a bit I am totally ok with it :)

For John-Mark's "special day" as he called it we started with singing, telling him how awesome he is, presents and chocolate chip muffins. We gave him a Jake and the Neverland Pirates game for the MobiGo and a spiderman and Iron Man shirt. When he saw the wrapped shirt box he was not too excited. He even said, "I hope this isn't clothes" :) (so different from James) But when he saw what was on the shirts he said, "cool!!" (I love that I know what my kids will love:) Then J took off the afternoon and it was daddy/John-Mark time. I asked if he wanted to do a family birthday lunch or just lunch with daddy and he quickly picked lunch with just daddy :) So I planned lunch at Chuck E Cheese and a fun afternoon of swimming at a local Y that has just renovated their pool and added two slides and a splash pad. We didn't tell him what he was going to do until he got in the car with J but he made sure to let us know that going to a Braves game like his big brother did on his birthday was NOT his idea of a fun "special day". J said when they pulled up to Chuck E Cheese John-Mark was so excited he was afraid he was going to pee in his pants!!!  The kid  loves to play video games and it doesn't happen very much so we was super pumped!! The trip to the pool was a blast too. J said JM went up and down the slides no less than 30x - and that's probably a conservative estimate! This boy LOVES water. I asked if he thought he missed his brothers and sister and J said he never mentioned them once. Aside from the fact that just by nature he is totally fine with playing alone - I think he LOVED the one on one time with his daddy :)

 And then we were 4 - August 14, 2008 - in some ways this seems so long ago and in some ways it seems like yesterday :( 

 Sweet baby boy had tummy troubles the first couple of weeks and I thought we weren't going to make it - but he loved sleeping on his tummy on us - I remember this so vividly :)

 And he's off - walking before his first birthday

 Happy 1st Birthday baby boy!!

 2 years old - our water baby :)

 3 years old - first ball and glove from Daddy

 3 years old and became a big brother again!! Love his long, blonde summer hair :)

4 years old!

My silly boy - dressed himself for bed  :)

5 years old - spending the day at the pool - heaven!!

Dear John-Mark -

  oh, my handsome baby boy! You stole my heart when I first saw that sweet face 5 years ago. I can't think of too many things that I have enjoyed in my life as much as watching you grow and explore over the last five years. I look forward to seeing what God has planned for you and seeing you fulfill all the potential He has put in you! 

Some of the things I love about you:

- I love how much you love your big brother and like to be with him.

- I love how you always remind me that when you grow up I am going to live with you so I don't have to be sad :)

- I love how you could eat PB & J everyday and be totally content

- I love how you love your favorite toys and can entertain yourself for hours with Buzz Lightyear or Lego's or dressing up as a a Super Hero :)

- I love how you make friends so easily and will play with anyone

- I LOVE watching you do what you love - SWIM!!

- I love that you are always up for an adventure and challenge - you will try anything!

- I love that you are feisty and don't let anyone get one over on you - 

- I love when you get silly and make silly faces and silly dance moves

- I love how you are totally content not being the center of attention and are totally happy to watch everyone have fun and you join in when you feel like it. I have no worries about you struggling with peer pressure :)

- I love that I can set my clock by when you rise and go to the bed - our Rooster

- I love that you love to do math and learn new things - and that you are really good at math!

- I love that you are so willing to share (most days) 

The sky is the limit for you baby boy - I know nothing will ever stop you from reaching your dreams! Keep living life like an adventure - it's so fun to watch!!

 

James decided he wanted to make his own list for John-Mark - here it is :)

John-Mark - I think you are awesome because

 - you're a good friend

 - You're and awesome helper -

 - You're awesome at playing games

 - You're and awesome friend to play Lego's with

 - You're very, very, very, special when you color with me and always color inside the lines good

 - You're awesome when you watch me do things (play baseball etc.)

 

He also made him a special Lego creation out if his own Lego stash and even gave him THREE Lego men - real love right there!!

 

Happy 6th Birthday James!!



It seriously is mind boggling for me to think that this time 6 short years ago I was meeting this sweet face for the first time!

This amazing boy that made me a momma for the first time!



 

This morning we did our regular birthday traditions of singing Happy Birthday to James in bed - which they love and wait in bed until we come in :) This year we added a new tradition of telling him a list of things we love about him and then let John-Mark and Gracie share something they love about him as well. Then he opened his presents (a laser gun set for he and JM and new "stick" shirts :). James requested chocolate chip pancakes for his birthday breakfast which of course I obliged. Then Jeremy surprised him by taking him to Atlanta for a Braves game with tickets in a suite (all he could eat) and then moved down to some awesome seats almost behind home plate! Heaven for this boy :)

 9 months

 2 years - first Bama game with momma (7 months pregnant with Gracie :)

 3 years old!

4 years old 

5 years old

Dear James -
I can't believe you are 6 years old today!! It has been one of the best gifts ever to get to be your mommy and watch you grow in to such an awesome boy!! Here are a few of the things that I love so much about you!!
- I love how much you love to be with your friends and how you are such a thoughtful, kind, and generous friend.
- I love when we go on special mommy/James dates and you hold my hand :)
- I love how you are such a good helper and always willing to help take care of your brothers and sister.
- I love how you are always paying attention to what is going on and ask the best questions!
- I love how you are so interested in people's story of how they met Jesus.
- I love how you can always make everyone laugh.
- I love how you make up songs and sing and play the guitar for me.
- I love how you will be silly and lead a dance party in the car!
- I love how you will let me kiss your face 1,000x and then you will do it back to me :)
- I love to watch you do what you love - play baseball :)
- I love that you plan special family fun nights.
- I love that when you see pretty flowers/weeds growing in our yard you always pick me some :)
There are many, many, many more reasons that I absolutely adore you! I pray that you always know how much you are loved and how the Lord perfectly placed you in this family - as the first born, big brother, leader of the crew :) Your daddy and I are so proud of you!! Happy Birthday sweet boy!!

 

This morning after we all told him some of the things we love about him he was so cute and followed up by telling each of us something he loved about us :) AND that is our James :)

When Jeremy told him he was taking him on a special birthday trip he asked if he could take a toy for the car ride. I was kind of surprised because he really isn't a toy kid and I couldn't imagine what he would want to take to play with. Then he asked if he could take his brother :) He always prefers to be with people over having stuff :) Love him!!



Summer Part 3

Oh, this girl!! She is a mess and LOVES to talk so much that I have to institute "no talking" minutes just to get her to take a break - poor thing is just like her momma - oh, and did I say proud - she gets that from me too - but she's also SO MUCH FUN!! Every where she goes she makes friends - probably because she has no problem holding a conversation on her own :) She and I like to go on little DQ dates without the boys sometime :)

 

Digging for dinosaur bones - a future paleontologist? Starting this fall we are putting G in a pre-k program 3 days a week. She will be the first to go to any sort of program away from home but I think she will love it. Sister is sooo smart and would love to do school with us but it takes lots of patience and time to teach two boys how to read and write and I need to focus on them right now. She'll be back home with us full time next year to start kindergarten but I think she will love getting to be with more girls and getting some special attention while we're home learning addition :)

 

This summer James and John-Mark both got to attend our churches VBS - Summer Blast. This was James' second year to go so he was pumping John-Mark up about how "awesome" it was and how they watch movies and eat lots of fun snacks - I think they learn about Jesus some too :)

John-Mark holding his groups sign. This years theme was super hero's which was perfect for my boys - we are all about super hero's right now.

 

 This is what it looked like when I came to pick up the kids everyday. They would end the day with corporate worship and some of the kids would run to the front. Can you guess where my kids were? James was in this crowd and JM was sitting in his seat watching everyone. So their personalities. James loves to be where the action is always and JM is totally content to sit back and watch and join in if and when he feels like it. He's not shy at all - just not swayed by what every one else is doing :)

At the end of the week we had a family worship night to celebrate all God had done in the kids life. J and I took all 5 kids!! I joked with our pastor about how our family now takes up our own side row!!

The rooster couldn't hang - going all day with no rest time 3 days in a row and staying up past 8pm proved to be too much for him. Nothing like enjoying a little rest after worshipping Jesus :)

John-Mark and his mini-me - another fish!

David is officially no longer hanging out in the pumpkin seat while we are out and about. Even if he's tired he won't sleep very long once we get out of the car and he hears things going on around him. He's loving sitting like a big boy in the double stroller :)

 

Most mornings he usually does fall asleep in the car on the way home from the gym and then I put him in his bed and let him finish his morning nap. Look.how.big.he.is!! He's about to out grow this seat and move to a forward facing big boy car seat!!! I love those sweet sleepy, kissy lips!!

He's also now feeding himself most bottles. He just won't sit still when we try to hold him and he's constantly trying to turn 180' in our laps!! I usually don't allow feet on the table while eating but for that cute foot I had to make and exception :)

This year we celebrated with Chick-fil-A again and dressed up like little cows to get free lunch. All 5 were dressed up but Ben was TERRIFIED of the cow and would never have taken a pic with him! Of course the older three were talking.his.ears.off!! John-Mark repeatedly told him, "I know you're not real - you're just a man in a costume" :)

Super Daddy with all his water babies :)

5 sleepy babies in a van :)

This last month we finally moved David from our closet to his crib in the room with Ben at night. He's still napping in our closet because it's just so quiet back there during the day! They LOVE being in the room together at night. They both sleep like rocks at night and then wake up and talk, talk, talk to each other in the morning. I remember how much John-Mark would yell as soon as he woke up wanting us to come and get him but totally stopped doing that when we moved he and James in the room together. These boys are the same way! I never hear them fuss but when I walk by the door and can hear them "chatting" away. Ben loves to tell me, "babeee" and point to David every morning when I come to get them :)

This boy is the best big brother ever!! He is such a great helper with the kids and loves them to death!! This picture was taken one night while I was trying to get dinner ready and David was under my feet so James came over to entertain him while I finished up. Seriously, how did I raise him with with out him helping me! He's also a great helper with the kids in the car!

Sad baby boy teething :(

There's our happy boy again :)

Benjamin is becoming such a big boy. He pretty much demands a fork at every meal - and he does pretty good with one too!

Happy boy at 10 months!! So, I must report that it appears his first word is dada. Or, really, dadadadadadadadada :) I guess J can have 1 out of 5 :)