Splash Pad!

Summer is definitely here....wanna know why?!  The splash pad is finally open!  This year's trips to the splash pad will definitely be different than trying to go very pregnant/with a newborn!  Don't get me wrong, it was still crazy hard getting everything together, sunscreen, snacks, juice, swim diapers, clothes, and keep a good eye on everyone, but it was still fun!  We ended up staying for 2 hours this first time we went.  I had no idea it was that long, but I think JM would have stayed another 2 hours!

Last year JM just wouldn't really go in the water, he wouldn't really enjoy himself and I kept getting very, very frustrated.  What kid doesn't enjoy splashing?!  A friend told me to not worry about it and she said "I bet he'll do great next summer when he's 4", and you know what?  She was right.

JM literally ran straight in and stayed out in the spray of the splash pad the whole time.  What a difference a year makes for little ones!

Now, Matthew, on the other hand is not very thrilled with the splash pad right now. He seems to be a little more clingy lately and uncertain.  I think it's just a phase and I'm trying to keep him close, encourage him, and give him some boundaries so he feels safe and happy!  I hope he loosens up a bit because I just love the splash pad and I plan on going a bunch this summer!

We ate lunch first and then headed into the water.

Here is Noah sitting in the water for the very first time!

The consensus is: he loves it!

Matthew hung around Noah and me and ate snacks and drank some drinks.

They all had a pretty fun time and at the end they kind of clustered together and played in the water all together.  A fun, wet trio!  It was sweet for me to watch!

We love our splash pad and I'm quite sure we will be back a TON this summer!  I'm so glad our city decided to put this fun splash pad in downtown!

 

A School Park Day!

One week before John Michael's preschool year ended, the teachers set up a fun morning for everyone to enjoy a nearby park.  We dropped the kiddos off as usual and then they walked to the park from church.  The kids had muffins, donuts, and juice and the moms got to sit and talk a bit.  It was kind of nice getting to know these people that I pass every week in the hallway while we pick up and drop off our kids!

 

Noah went with me, of course, and he ate his breakfast while we were there.  He crawled around a little bit and played around on the slides.

John Michael and Sarah Kate!  I hope they're always in classes together!

It was neat to see John Michael interacting with his classmates.  He IS on the more reserved side but lately he's been very outgoing: talking to kids at the park or talking to kids at restaurants and introducing himself and his brothers.  I think it's very sweet and I'm proud of him for slowly coming out of his shell and venturing to do new, fun things!

I still can't believe a whole school year has passed us by and next year he will be in preschool again for his 4/5 year old year.  He is such a big boy and growing so fast!  His blue eyes still melt my heart!

Get Out and Play!

We love our backyard so much!  It looks like a crazy daycare center, there are so many toys!  That just means we are having FUN and playing outside!

 

Learning to drive his red car.

And my baseball crazy Matthew.

And JM looking for "pirates" in his clubhouse.

And lately it seems like the only picture I can get with all 3 boys has Matthew running out the side of the picture.  He will NOT sit still to pose for a picture.

The boys were snacking on something, but I have no idea what!

I love our backyard and I'm so glad it's nice and flat and fenced in so we can be outside and enjoy it most days..

Birthday Boy

We were lucky to have my grandparents and my mom drive up for John Michael's birthday.  I was glad they could come and celebrate his birthday and make some fun memories!    They stayed for a few days and cooked and cleaned a bit while they were here.  Mostly, they just cooked and I didn't complain one bit!!!

While they were here we had a traditional Sunday Dinner.  I've missed Sunday dinner so bad since we've lived out here.  Sunday afternoons still seem strange without family around.  I was so happy to have a nice Sunday dinner around our dinner table with 4 generations gathered!

 

For John Michael's actual birthday day we were stuck at home with Matthew and Noah being sick, so we couldn't really go anywhere.  I made monkey bread for my birthday boy and he woke up to balloons hanging all around his bed.

Since we had sick ones at our house, we just watched movies all day for his birthday!  Not a bad birthday!

I made John Michael a yellow cake with chocolate icing!

After Jordan came home we had dinner, ate cake, and opened presents!

The boys are blessed to have family send them gifts all the way from Alabama!

His big, main gift was a new, blue 2 seater Jeep!

They love riding in it, although it is taking some teaching to show them how to actually steer it and not constantly run it into the curb.

Overall, it was a great few days of celebrating John Michael turning 4.  I know I say it all the time, but I still can't believe that he is growing so fast and how time is literally falling through my hands like sand.  It seems like yesterday that he was my only little guy and we spent so much time together reading, rocking, doing puzzles, and running errands around town together.  Now, things have changed; more babies have joined our family and there seems to be less and less of me to go around.  At the end of the day I hope that John Micahael feels loved and happy.

Now that he's 4:

 As he turns 4 I notice so much more how he waves to people and says Hi and he prays for his friends at bedtime.

 He has a kind heart and I love him for his sweetness and gentle way.  He is so close to learning how to read.  He knows what each letter says and I'm hoping he can read by the end of the summer.

JM is having a hard time with writing skills and we're working really hard on that right now, so I'm also hoping he'll be doing some of that by the end of the summer.

He's just now learned how to pedal his tricycle.  It's taking some working but he's getting it and he's proud of himself!

JM is around 39 pounds and is in a size 10 shoe and can wear up to a 5T shirt and 3T shorts this spring.

He loves to go to gymnastics class and he really loved church choir this year.  He loves to sing and he can sing pretty well.  I'm so happy that his favorite songs are Bible songs.

I hope as he keeps growing that he keeps an open, tender heart toward the Lord.  I hope I can be the mom I need to be to help him do everything he needs to do to get ready for school and all of those things like sports and other activities.  Mainly though, we just pray that he learns to love and trust GOD with his life!  We know everything else will fall into place if we put our trust and hope in Christ!

Happy 4th Birthday John Michael.  We love you so much, sweet boy! What a joy and a blessing you have been to us these past 4 years.  You changed our lives and we will never be the same!

John Michael's 4th Birthday!

When we asked John Michael what he wanted to do for his 4th birthday, he told us he wanted a Cars 2 birthday party at gymnastics.  We said OK and got it scheduled and I think it turned out great!  We had pizza and cupcakes and drinks.  It was an easy set-up and an easy clean up for me, so I was happy!  Most importantly, JM was happy and liked everything.  He's such a great little guy!  I can't believe he's already 4!

 

 

John Michael said he liked all the balloons and decor for the party!

When the kids got there they all had to take off their shoes and then sit and listen to the "coach" tell them the rules.

After that, they had an hour of open play to just do whatever they wanted!

Everyone had a great time and I think the kids really enjoyed being able to run crazy for a whole hour!

After the kids played we all headed into the party room to have pizza and cupcakes.

Matthew wanted to sit up right beside his big brother and all the big kids!

We all sang Happy Birthday to the birthday boy, he blew out the candle, and everyone enjoyed cupcakes.  I had THE most precious Cars cookies made and sitting in a little bag for the party favor, but I don't think we got a picture of that.  They were so cute and the kids liked them, I think!

That smile on his face says it all!  He was so excited about his party and I think he was pretty happy too!  We were so happy so many of his friends could come celebrate his birthday with him.  It meant a lot to us!

3 Blessings

 

 

 My 3 blessings who call me Mom......

Sweet Matthew

Sweet John Michael

Sweet Baby Noah

And Even Jackson is my baby too!

It's been a wonderful Mother's Day today because I got to spend it with my 3 greatest blessings in life: my BOYS!  I'm so blessed and lucky.