Enjoying Spring

I took both these photos while we were playing in the backyard today I uploaded them and thought they were funny. Funny because the top is the best picture of the older kids I got. Hair all messed up, funny faces and in the dirt... with lunch on their faces and what was around the third outfit for one of them for the day. A contrast to miss Marianne. She looked so perfect in her spring dress. Smiling at me with her toes in the nice green grass.

Three year old pictures.

This big boy is officially big.

The tooth fairy came and took his pacifiers away last night. Because they break your teeth and all. That is what three year olds do we tolk him. It took some convincing and a few tears but Sam set them out on the porch for her to come and get. I thought we might have to tear them from his hands. But we didn't. he braved up and placed them himself. He found a McQueen Pillow and a Thomas blanket. He set them out on his bed. It took several trips out and back to bed. A bit of crying about wanting to be little again, and wanting to still be funny- that didn't make any sense. And lots of cuddling from his mommy. But he did go to sleep without it.

Horray for a pacifier free family.

Birthday Boy at Camping House

Sam helped me make this birthday cake. He has been talking about his birthday and making his birthday for weeks. McQueen was his choice for weeks as well.

For the birthday we decided to make a special trip with Grandma and Grandpa to their cabin. The kids call cabins "camping houses"

We started the trip with a silly string fight. Kate was really into it. Sam thought it was fun but had trouble.

Getting mom

This turned out as the only picutre of me on the whole trip.

I look forward to this moment for the whole year. Sam was so anxious for his birthday to come. But he was pleased. so pleased. His face showed it.

Then he opened presents. A rock star guitar for him from Kate. He mentioned he wanted to be a rock star when he grows up some time ago, and of course Kate remembered. He loved it and had the rock star stance down right away.A train from grandma and grandpa. It has been attatched to him since he opened it.

Sleeding on the pine needles. There was no snow at the cabin. But the sleds slid well just on the needles alone.

Early morning hikes. Sam was such a trooped and hiked the whole way. It was a fairly long hike p and down a hill, over rocks and he just hiked happy as could be.

The trip was a fun little retreat. And I felt Sam's day was special and he was happy. I get so anxious in hopes for just that. But the trip was a success and so much fun.

Samuel is 3.

Normally I would add and exclamation point to my title about birthdays. But that is not how I feel. I'm happy for him of course. But my heart is broken as always. I don't want him to be three. I want him to be my little guy forever.

This morning I really forgot it was his birthday. We are not saying a word about it because he is kind of obsessed about it and we are not celebrating until tomorrow. His dad did dress him in a shirt this morning with a "3" on the back though. And he came knocking on shower door just to show me.

And we had a fun day together running errands getting party stuff and food and playing outside.

He can't wait for his birthday though.

He is still my tender hearted boy. He cries a lot.

He cries about his clothes, his food, cartoons, his toys, his pacifiers, thinking he got left, that there are monsters in his room and lots more about his clothes. Have I mentioned he cries about his clothes? when Sam is upset big fat tears roll down his cheeks within seconds. And he talks as he cries and I can't understand a word.

Then the next minute he is bursting with excitement about anything big or small.

That he gets to run errands, that I made him an egg sandwich, that he saw something in the store with buzz on it, or spiderman, or mcqueen. It is easy to convince him to be excited about anything. His excitement usually comes with high pitched talking and jumping up and down.

clenched teeth, hands clasped, big smiles "eeeeeeee" sounds.

He kisses me more than anyone. More than the girls and more than my husband. He is always offering kisses and hugs. It means a lot to this mommy. He is the cuddliest person in the house too. And I like cuddling.

He likes all the standard three year old boys stuff.

Trains, trucks, tactors, fire engines, blocks, basketball, bad guys, super heros, swords, guns, tools, playing outside, going places and sandwiches. I think he thinks sandwiches are great because we call them "sam-whiches" like they are special for him.

And they are.

He also really likes coloring and music and dancing.and both his sisters oh so much.

and he is the best at saying prayers, always remembering to say "thank you for Jesus" and sometimes if I am lucky "thank you for mommy" comes next.

He is always saying things are special. "I'm special mommy", "this is my special car mommy" "marianne is special huh mommy"

I call him "my sammy", "my guy" and "my sweetheart"

I'm so proud of my sweet son. He is charming and adorable and awesome.

Lots more birthday stuff to come soon.

Doctor stats

Weight 30.6 lbs- 35%

Height 15%

Day of Love

Valentines Day should be a big deal around here.

It is basically the day Jake and I decided to get married

We had been broken up for almost four months.

Jake asked me to go out with him and his friends for the night (to see if we could be friends again)

They had a fun little party for the evening.

I'm not sure if it was because it was Valentines Day and love was in the air,

or his huge muscles and sweet smile,

but we ended up totally making out.

We had been the on again off again sort.

We had said we were not going to date anymore unless we were going to get married.

I think that unspokenly mean we weren't allowed to make out unless we had agreed to get married either.

So that night kind of sealed the deal.

We've rarely been apart since.

I attempted a photo shoot for Valentine's Day last week.

It didn't go well.

There are no picture of Kate because she was literally running naked through the house screaming because she didn't want to wear something red. I gave up on her.

Sam wasn't so cooperative either. As you can see.

But Marianne.

She never fails to give me the smile I want.

That smiling pile of chubbiness.

When I was attempting to take Sam's picture he pulled a decoration off the mantel. It crashed down on to my head, splitting it open. Blood gushing from my head I called for Jake to help me. I think it resulted in a concussion because I've had a headache for a week now.

Oh the silly things I do.

Funny enough the picture Jake took of my head, so I could see the damage, looks like a blood red heart.

Oh Valentine's Day.

A Little Love

Kate came up with the idea to make these lips all on her own.

Making some decorations.

Sams says he is making a Valentine for me

" I wub you soooo much mommy, I wub you becuuuuz, I wub you becuuuuz, more than Daddy"

Awesome Sauce Sam. I wub you too very much.

our festive results
Because I was taking pictures these two joined in on the action with their cameras as well

Stay Little My Buddy

Sam has been a little sick this weekend. It looks like we are going to go through every illness California has in sequential order until we can be healthy and happy.

He has mostly been sleeping in my bed, calling "mommy" all night long.

This is him asleep in his bed.

Two pacifiers, his red blankie, his bear, his pillow, his big tiger, and his little tiger (which he usually calls lions)

He is such a cuddly guy- notice his arm around the bear.

I can't say having him asleep in my bed with me has been all cuddly and fun, as it has mostly been no sleep and crying and getting my pillow stolen.

But I do enjoy the little-ness of it.

My little guy.

Don't turn three ever please.

Snow Day

Just some backyard fun in the snow. Got to get all the snow in before we leave for sunny CA in just two weeks. When I was there this week the birds were chirping, the leaves had mostly not even changed colors yet and it was 70 one day. That is a little ridiculous.

Sweet and sillly

my kids are extra awesome lately.

Like how they are perfect patients for the doctor.

Yesterday we went to the pediatrician to check their growth. With all the food allergies and digestive issues Sam and Kate have, and seeing how everyone in Kate's dance and preschool seem to tower over her, I thought it a good idea to get their growth checked in between their annual well checks..

I stay up at night with worry for their silly tummies that never seem to work just right.

Turns out they are doing alright. Perhaps I will sleep better now.... or find something else to worry about more likely.

Kate was 31 lbs 7% and 39 in 12%

Samuel was 28.5 lbs 31% and 36.5 in 48%

They are a little small, mostly Kate, but I guess she'll be just like me.

While at the doctors Sam repeated to me over and over again

"my daddy is my best friend" in his cute broken word voice. I loved it. The doctor had some comment about his ridiculously large vocabulary, but sentences like" daddy is my best friend" are better than any big words.

later that night during family prayer he said he was grateful for "Mariannd"

he is such a sweetheart.

Last night- after we taught them how to play fruit basket for family night :)

Sam went upstairs and came back with this diaper box- ripped up. He was siting in it saying it was a digger tractor. It did after all have a working cardboard shovel. Kate and Sam sat in it until Kate decided she wanted it to be a bed for a baby. They fought, until she found another box and turned it into the craddle.

Sam is just making me laugh left and right.

Last night he was sitting on the potty, and then requested "spiderman panties"

he does not own or has never seen spiderman underwear, but I think Kate gave him the idea that he should want them.

Here is Marianne. She is still cranky from her ear infection and strep throat. Did I mention to you that our pediatrican has never seen strep in a baby so young. Seriously- poor girl. She is smiley again though. She actually has huge laughing smiles now, but we can't ever seem to catch them on camera. Here is one we just barely missed. You can see she is adding chub to that chin and cheeks every day. Also her hair continues to grow, and now it is dark brown at the end, red in the middle and blonde at the roots. I actually can't wait for her hair to be all blonde like I am sure it will be, just because then she will look like the rest of us.

Kate is still loving preschool. She dresses herself, and tells everyone about her school coat or shoes or hat or dress or whatever she is wearing. She likes the layered look in case you did not know that already. I often have to coax her into wearing only one dress or skirt to school. Today she brought her toothbrush for show and tell. She sees what other kids bring and then always wants to bring that the next time it is her turn. Last time we were at he store she asked if she could buy a new toothbrush- then described the kind she wanted because somebody at school at brought it for show and tell. We found what she wanted, then I let her get it.... it was a toothbrush after all. Then today she insisted on bringing it. I didn't realize we were buying it just so she could show her friends she had one too, but I guess that is what we were doing. Is this really already happening?
This morning I spent some time on the phone shopping auto quotes. Sam got a hold of some of the papers and within a few minutes he had created several masterpieces he was very proud of.

He tells me this is a snake in a hole.
And this one is daddy happy.


Kate arrived home just in time to make a masterpiece of her own. It is a dad hunting a bear like some kid at preschool told her about. Her dad does not hunt. She tells him he should. So she can get a bear claw like the boy at preschool. She tells me you can tell it is a dad in the picture because he has no hair. Ha!

Such sweet and silly kids!