June Fun

Lots of days at the park

And lots of days in the backyard!

He's getting so big!

Out to eat for Uncle Josh's birthday

Cousins!

Aubrey with Uncle Joe

Joseph loves the sandbox

Precious moments

Playdates! (Isaac, Levi and Ella)

More Playdates! (Jackson, Aubrey and Joseph)

New playground in town

New playground has a free splash pad!!! Lots of fun for the kids!

Isaac and Levi being silly

More silliness!
 

Joseph wants to be a big boy!

Ladybug fun!

These boys love bugs…Mom, not so much!

We are gonna need some stop signs and yield signs in this backyard!

Isaac Reading

Levi - How long until stitches? Totally Joe's kid!

Singing time!

Boys on bikes

Best Sandbox in town!

Joe built this (totally over-engineered, but super cool) sandbox for the boys.  Already there has been lots of digging, sand castles, and buried little legs in the sandbox.  And best of all, Joseph doesn't put the sand in his mouth!!! And not best of all...there is sand all over the house, sand settled at the bottom the the tub, and sand rubbed off in the boys' beds!

Isaac Quotes to Archive

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Upon looking out the window at a clear sunny morning during breakfast, Isaac says, "It's not a cloudy day again, maybe Jesus vacuumed up the clouds today."

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Every Monday we learn a new "memory verse."  This week was John 3:16. We read a story about a brother and sister who wanted to give Jesus a gift and do so by singing praise and giving their time to help their church.  So during out discussion after the story, I asked Isaac, "What gifts can we give to Jesus?"  Isaac responds, "Um, maybe some ice cream treats and chocolate milk?"

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Joseph - 10 months

Since last month, we have sprouted 2 more bottom teeth (total of 4 bottom) and just now a top/middle tooth and another beside it is coming (and its not the other middle one). I think it's gonna look kinda funny if the other top/middle one doesn't sprout soon. :-)

He loves to stand up and has begun to walk along things.  He says "ma ma ma" in what seems like he is trying to tell me he wants "more" food.  He nods his head (ok, really nods his whole body) sometimes for a "yes" response. He loves to talk back with his own baby language while having long conversations with you.  He seems to be pretty verbal to me, but I guess with Levi being slow to talk, any noise from Joseph seemed advanced. Lol! He can give you a high five and a wave. He plays shy and gives the sweetest hugs! He pushes his head away when I try to give him baby food by spoon, and prefers primarily only food he can pick up and put in his mouth. He also likes music and dancing just like Isaac!

Joseph walking with push toy

Loves putting things in boxes and buckets

Ma Ma Ma…

Random - May 2014

Joseph chillin' with his buddy Isaac!

LOVE garage sale finds!  Marble runs make hours of fun!

Best picture with church clothes (LOL!)…getting all in a picture is getting tougher an tougher!

Isaac is getting really good at reading.  Here he is reading a book to Levi!  Precious moment!

Still the sweetest smile!

Again…hard to capture all 3 smiling. :-)

Buddies…again!

Another one who LOVES outside!

Isaac mowing the lawn. :-)

Welcome back big pool with slide and lots of holes.  How long will this last, I wonder!?!

Isaac - practicing piano

Isaac has lots of creative stories lately. His recent stories include coyotes (since we have them out back) and the "old house."

Joseph - 9 months

Height - 27.76" (24.87%ile)
Weight - 18 lbs 6.5 ozs (27.59%ile)
Head Circumference - 43 cm (5%ile)

Joseph still has only 2 bottom teeth in his great big smile! He likes to climb around, but still not crawling.  He will rock on his hands and knees and reach or take a single crawl, but not moving around the room yet (which I'm perfectly ok with at this point!).  He LOVES to eat and will eat pretty much anything we give him.  He enjoys picking up food, especially cooked peas, cheerios, or pieces of bread or pancakes.  He gives the most precious hugs and face-smashing kisses.  He adores the guys in this house, that's for sure.  He still doesn't not sleep through the night (well, now starting to when I finally am getting around to publishing this post), but Mom just needs to break the bad habits and get him sleeping through the night now that the snotty noses and temps are back down.  But I'm sure it will be just in time for the next set of teeth that will keep him awake through the night once again.

Mother's Day 2014

I woke up this Mother's day with a very different appreciation for Mother's Day than I ever had before. Every Mother's Day, I have always thanked my Mom for being the best mom with the "traditional" card and a gift.  And even when I experienced my "own" first Mother' day with Isaac a few years ago, I thought how special it was to have this day to be honored by my son, my very own child, wow!  But, for the first time (3 beautiful sons later), I really thought about all that my own mother has done through the years for her children and grandchildren.  I thought about my mother-in-law, sister-in-laws, and numerous mommy friends that I now appreciate so differently for the sacrifices they have made by becoming mothers and the many sacrifices they will continue to make. I thought about my friends who cannot have children or will not have anymore children and what this day may mean to them.  Maybe once I became more "selfless," I realized how "selfish" I once was.  Or maybe I just didn't truly realize what a blessing motherhood is. I wish it hadn't taken be this long in life to really appreciate all those mothers out there.  And man, I am blessed that God gave me these three amazing boys to teach me these valuable things I'm learning…Every. Single. Day.  Motherhood is a blessing!