Picnic at the Park & a Playdate

Last week we had so much rain it was getting depressing. On the one sunny day I had to get out so I decided to take the littles to the park for a picnic. Porter hasn't been to the park since he was old enough to know where he was and so he took his first ride on a swing. He loved it... for a minute. He really cared more about people watching and whatnot. I will have to try again one day when he isn't so tired I guess. He would smile a little but then just reached for me to get him out...



Another day last week we had the privilege of hosting our friend and her son for a little playdate, mostly for me and her but also for the boys. The girls were a great help but next time if we want to have a conversation, we may have to go to the Y and utilize the childcare! Everyone was interested in the basket. The boys wanted to dump it and the girls used it to play baby when we weren't looking :)

Porter & Max

Bella's Sixth Birthday Celebrations

It seems like we spend 11 months out of the year talking and planning Bella's parties and then we spend a month counting down and preparing for them. This year this was the case even more so. It drives us crazy at times. Anyway, we decided on a glow party theme. I was worried about the time and if it would be dark enough but it turned out great. We had it at 6 and used blankets to black out the windows in the den. We had glow in the dark balloons, games and decorations. I got some glow in dark paint to make her banner and table runner and then used neon colors when glow in the dark wasn't possible. We attached glow sticks to hula hoops and those were the favors. We also had glow earrings, glasses and rings. We had bowling with water bottles and light up balls and a glow in the dark ring toss and even glow in the dark bubbles. The kids she invited ended up being a great group. We had pizza (of course), cupcakes and they made their own sundaes. Sadly, I forgot to take any pictures of the games but that room was pretty cool- mostly dark with lots of balloons and glow sticks!



The next day we went to McDonald's after church to celebrate her birthday with cousins and grandparents. She asks us every Sunday if we can go to McDonald's and we always say no way but this time it was her birthday choice! She got a lot great gifts that made her a very happy girl. They were mostly things for her American Girl doll, Julie. After that she requested that she and I go shopping for more stuff for Julie and so we did.



Later Randy and I realized that we were supposed to paint the rock at her school on Sunday rather than Monday evening like we thought- it turns out that you get two days not just one. Sooooooo since we had not planned ahead, we packed up all three kids and paint and headed to the school in the dark and well, we did the best we could. Looking back I would have done it very differently. We thought we may go fix the next day if need be but the floodgates opened up and that wasn't possible.



On her actual birthday, Tuesday, Ava, Porter and I ate lunch with her at school and brought donuts to share in the class. She was in heaven. That afternoon we went to my mom's and celebrated again with dinner, cookie cake and more presents (again for Julie!). She was one happy camper and kept saying this was the best birthday ever. And I am glad because I was WIPED and I don't want to have to do this again for a long time. Randy has already told her we aren't going to talk about her birthday again until next March and even suggested that we go to the beach next year and skip the parties! She is not amused.

Tooth Number Two

I am in class today but I just got a text and picture saying that Bella's second tooth is out! Apparently Porter put a spoon in her mouth and knocked it into her mouth. She felt it in her throat and coughed it out! First, the dental assistant and now her brother... haha!

Easter This Year

This Easter was really different in a lot of ways... the same in others. We always stick with traditions but try really hard to keep ourselves and the kiddos focused on the meaning. Randy had his sinus surgery on the Thursday before and that side tracked us in a lot of ways. He left to stay at his parents the night before the surgery. The center was close to their house so they were able to take him and pick him up easier than I who had to get the girls to school and do Ava's Easter party that day. We also thought it would be easier for him to recover away from the three kids that would want to climb and wrestle as usual, not understanding what was going on. It ended up that Bella got sick in the middle of the night after he left. She threw up every hour or so into the morning so she was not able to go to school. My mom was able to take Ava to school so Bella wouldn't have to ride in the van and took the Easter goodies for her class. Luckily Bella was better by the next day and Randy's surgery went well. Friday Porter's schedule had been off and I didn't have it in me to get everybody ready by myself for the Service of Darkness that night but Randy was able to go thanks to his mom.

We went ahead to my aunt's on Saturday where we always have lunch and an Easter egg hunt. Bella was so excited and had been counting down the days. My cousin's husband is being deployed for 11 months to Kosovo so we had some of his favorite foods, prayed for him and said our goodbyes.

Randy came home later that night so we could all go to church together the next day. So Sunday we had church and then my family came over for lunch and we had another egg hunt. We rested some and then headed to Randy's brother's for dinner. The kids always have a blast and this time spent a lot of time outside on the trampolene.

11 Months

Porter has been a busy little boy this month! He had his first Easter complete with a bowtie & his first egg hunt, he began doing more "real" crawling, he has been pulling up on everything and climbing too, he had chicken nuggets and pizza, learned to give kisses, signed "more" and is nursing much better. He also stopped giving kisses, starting biting and started using a "snack trap" (a cup with a perfect little lid for babies to get their snacks out without big spills) and started to sign "more" every time he is hungry (which is a lot)! He also started standing more than he sits in the bathtub and has managed to get lots of bumps and bruises doing so. He has been known to jet for the fridge when it is open and start chewing on any fruit he is able to get his hands on. He has also started showing separation anxiety when we leave him in the nursery at church and not wanting to go to other people as much as he used to. It is hard! Even if this is the third baby- I cannot stand that cry! Luckily I know it only lasts a minute.

An update to the post on Bella's loose tooth

She called it her "first wiggly tooth" and she lost it April 1st. We had a dentist appointment that morning for the girls to have their teeth cleaned and we had been there about five minutes when the dental assistant said, "Are you going to be happy or sad when I tell you that you just lost your tooth?" It took us both a few minutes to figure out what she was saying. Bella's eyes were wide and I knew she was nervous. "Are you serious?!" I asked her and she was. She said she just brushed it right out of there! It was barely hanging on so I was not surprised but it was surreal. I felt all of these emotions flood over me! I have a little girl and she just lost her first tooth! Who knew a tooth could be such a big deal? She was so happy. They gave her a tooth box and we took a picture of her new smile and sent it to Randy. Since then we have put it under her pillow, had several discussions about the tooth fairy (all her prompting) and her little sister has lost the lost tooth! Ava said she put it in her Easter basket. First, that is gross and second, her basket has tiny holes all over as baskets do so who knows where it ended up! And now a second tooth is loose wiggly.

and we are here now.

It blows my mind. As I wave bye to my tiny little girl on a huge yellow school bus every morning, I think, 'What am I doing?! I should have kept her home one more year. I should have homeschooled. She is too little to be riding the bus. She needs a car seat.What if someone is mean to her? I hope she is happy.' (The list goes on.) Her book bag is as big as she is and she wears it with pride. I am envious of the way she carries herself. She walks with her chest out like she owns the world. It isn't arrogant. It is innocent and confident. She made Randy and I parents, she made my parents grandparents and she made my Grandma a great grandmother. She turned six this past week and I am still in disbelief. I have to entrust her to the Father that cares for her more than we ever could, the Protector who can ensure her safety better than we ever could...

Lord, Thank you with all of my heart for allowing me to be Bella's mommy. I mess up on a daily basis but I am so grateful for the chance to keep doing it all over again the next day. Protect her from harm, from danger, from hurt and from herself in times of rebellion. Guide her in her relationships, friendships, academics, and in all that she will do. Prepare her for each new day and each new year and each new phase of life... Bring her a husband that loves you and honors you and will love her and honor her as well. May she fall more in love with you each and every day and do great things in your name. I ask all of these things in your precious name! Amen