6/23/10

4:00 am Heart Break

Last weekend my mom was here to celebrate Ethan's Birthday with us. Yesterday morning she had to go home. Since she was leaving so early (4:00 in the morning) the children said their "goodbyes" Monday night.

I thought that would help them from being to sad watching her leave like last time.

But I was wrong!

Kai woke up at about 3:00 am when she was getting ready to leave. I brought him back to bed with me and he laid there until he heard the garage door close. Then he ran to the window and cried as they drove off. I quickly took him downstairs so he would wake anyone else up. He was too sad to go back to sleep so we snuggled and watched a kid show.

Around 1:30 pm he crashed out in his room. I am not a huge fan of Kai taking naps, but I will say that he is the happiest, nicest, sweetest, most pleasant kiddo when he wakes up!



Not to mention adorable when he is sleeping!

6/22/10

Kneeling

About a month ago Luke started kneeling during our family prayers. It is the cutest stinkin' thing! Some nights he is kneeling before the big kids. How cute is that?!?!?!

This picture is my effort to try to recreate it this morning.





6/20/10

Happy Birthday 7 Year Old Ethan



Today is Ethan's long awaited Birthday! Today he is 7. Today my baby is 7 and has no front teeth. I keep saying it but I just can't get my mind around it. How has so much time past?

Today was a wonderful day in every way. Last night Brian and I stayed up to a ridiculous hour, that I haven't seen on the clock since Girls Nights in Washington, to blow up enough balloons to cover the floor in his room. I wanted him to wake up to 200 balloons as a big surprise he wasn't expecting, since he already knew what he was getting. We decided to redo their bedrooms instead of buying toys this year for birthday's, and he had chosen his comforter and accessories yesterday at Pottery Barn.

Last week Ethan told me he didn't want to go out to dinner for his Birthday instead he wanted to go to breakfast. So this morning, after getting just about no sleep, we got up early and left the house at 8:30 so we could go to breakfast and still get to church on time. He loved breakfast and was all smiles the whole time.

After church we came home, ate left over pizza, and I got to work on finishing the cake. He kept talking about himself as a seven year old. Kai kept saying,

"I have never had a seven year brother before!"

Ethan kept saying thank you, thank you, thank you, for every little thing. He said it was the infinity best day of his life.

For dinner I surprised him with steak, homemade fries with special dip, corn, and a smoothie to drink.


For dessert the cake of course, and another surprise for Ethan I had everything ready for him to make us all our own personal blizzards with our own choice of toppings. He has been asking to make homemade blizzards for a week and was thrilled.





This was all that was left of the yummo blizzards!

It was that surprise that through him over the happiness scale! Oh how I love that sweet Ethan Boy! It really is the simple things that make him so happy! What a special kiddo he is!



Dear Seven Year Old Ethan,

Today was pure bliss, every second of it. I loved watching you enjoy your special day and making the most of it. I wanted to cry last night before I went to bed. A huge part of me wants you to stay 6 because 7 is just too old. Ethan I am so proud of the seven year old you. You are handsome beyond my imagination. You are so smart, an incredible reader, and an even more impressive writer. You are constantly wanting to learn new things and you ask lots of questions. Most day's I have to "Google" the answers for you. You are crazy about going to the pool and are a fish! Ethan you love your brothers and sister and even though you fight, sometimes a lot, you are always quick to share with them and teach them anything they want to know. They look up to you for an example and do as you do. They adore you in every way. Happy Birthday Ethan, I love you more then I can describe. You are the very best!

Love,

Mommy

P.S. Have I told you yet I can't believe you are 7!


6/19/10

The Day Before

Today was the day before Ethan's 7th Birthday! He has been beyond excited and counting down the days for over a month now. He reminds me so much of myself when he discusses his birthday or anything that could possibly be connected to it.

He woke up this morning talking about his birthday. He made the case that he should be the one to pick what we eat for breakfast, because tomorrow is his birthday.

He got to choose who said each and every prayer today.

He sat next to my mom in the car after picking her up from the airport.

He picked the dinner.

He picking the smoothie for dinner.

He had the idea for us to go around the dinner table saying what we love about him.

He decided Toy Story 3 3D was the movie that he wanted to see with my mom.


All because tomorrow is his birthday!

After we got the children to bed Brian and I spent a few hours blowing up about 200 balloons. We put them all over the floor in his room so when he wakes up he will be SUPER surprised! And so will my mom since she sleeping right next to him!


Here is what we all said about him at dinner:

Daddy: I love that Ethan loves to learn new things.

Olivia: He is a good teacher to me.

Mamaw: He is such a sweetheart and is so kind.

Kai: Ethan can do front flips, he is so sweet, and I like him helping me.

Me: I love Ethan's love for holiday's and celebrations, and his sweet handsome face!!

Papaw (mamaw said one for him): He loves watching you wakeboard.

6/18/10

The Hats and the Shirts


Earlier this week we were discussing the NBA Finals at the dinner table. The children are, of course, die hard Nuggets fans as we are. So once we got past the fact that the Nuggets weren't playing we were able to discuss the games. I am not a Lakers Fan and I am NOT a Kobe fan. So, we were rooting for Boston. During the conversation Olivia said,

"So we want Boston to get the hat and the shirts?"

You have to love the most important things to 5 year olds, hats and shirts!

6/16/10

Lighting Bugs


One week every summer during my childhood was spent with my mom's family in Eastern Kentucky. That one week was one of my favorites all year long, and it was the only time we saw anyone from my mom's side the whole year. When I think of Kentucky and those summers so many wonderful memories come to mind. Since moving to Pennsylvania I have been getting those nostalgic memories at least weekly. So much here reminds me of Kentucky. Brian can always tell when I am having a "moment." He says,

"This reminds you of Kentucky, doesn't it?"

Last night I let the children stay up late to watch the basketball game with us. Kai fell asleep shortly after Luke and then it was just Ethan and Olivia going strong. It was getting dark, so we paused the game and headed out back to see if we could find any fireflies. Brian was the first to spot one, then Ethan. It took a minute to get Olivia to look in the right direction but once they both saw them they were intrigued.

Brian showed them how to catch fireflies in your hand and off they went. Ethan was a natural, he caught a bunch. Olivia finally got the hang of it after killing two and having to relearn the hand cupping strategy.

It was incredible watching the children experience fireflies for the first time. And of course Brian said,

"This reminds you of Kentucky, doesn't it?"

6/10/10

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun


Since we have moved I haven't wanted to get all the kids' toys out. There are SO many and they are a HUGE mess. Slowly over the past few weeks they have been finding a box of them here and plastic containers of them there. Last week they found the box that had Olives' guitar and headset. It has been a non stop rock in roll concert ever since.

I think this guitar proves that Girls Do Just Wanna Have

FUN!

6/8/10

A Sweet Moment


Today I peaked out the window to see the children playing out back. They were sitting together playing in the dirt, each with a shovel in hand. As I kept watching I was pretty sure Ethan was trying to get Olivia and Kai to eat dirt. He got a little chuck of dirt in between his thumb and first finger and put them in his mouth, then quickly put his hand behind his back and wiped the dirt on the grass while pretending to chew. Thank goodness they didn't fall for it and all just ended up laughing!

Lately I have been obsessed with all that I am missing, and all that I see that I know I won't remember. So this blog has kind of turned into a place for all the memories I am scared to death I am going to forget.


6/7/10

The Streak


I came down stairs to find this

Then this
Here he comes, look at that, look at that
There he goes, look at that, look at that
And he ain't wearin' no clothes


Oh, yes, they call him the Streak
Look at that, look at that
Fastest thing on two feet

Oh, yes, they call him the Streak
Look at that, look at that
He likes to show off his physique