Well, you can imagine why it's been a while! We've been blessed to fill in with Bryan as the Interim Youth Pastor at our church. We LOVE the students and seeing them grow in their Faith and walk with Christ, but it's been a stretch time-wise as Bryan is also leading Christian Challenge and doing full-time school to finish up his Master of Divinity.
The babies are changing so fast! I was looking at their 4 mos. pics yesterday and they've changed so much! "Curls" is walking...he's still "wobble-y," but that doesn't keep him from jogging! "Blonde" can walk (he walked across the room two days ago: crying), but he usually only takes a few steps. He'll be cruising in no time!
Their personalities are so sweet and so funny! "Curls" lives by the mantra: life's a party! He's always smiling, laughs out loud when we laugh, lights up when he makes us smile or laugh and is all about fun! Unless he's not happy...if he gets hurt (really hurt, b/c little bumps don't even phase him), he screams face down on the floor. Or in the middle of the night sometimes, he'll lose track of his binky and wail until we pop it back in or hand it to him.
"Blonde" is more analytical. We see him watching everything, taking it in and processing. He loves cuddling and being held. He has sweet smiles and LOVES being kissed on his tummy! He giggles and giggles! He eats very well (obviously), while "Curls" (like "Big Boy" was at that age) is much more picky.
You can see little flashbacks of "Big Boy" at that age in each of them. "Big Boy" was always happy, loved to cuddle, loved to make us laugh, etc. You can tell these guys are brothers!
Speaking of brothers, "Big Boy" is the best big brother I could ever ask for. He watches out for his babies (""Curls," not for "Curls"...dang-er-ous, dang-er-ous" (all said very slooowly)). If they have something of his, he doesn't just grab it, he trades them for one of their toys. He's pretty good at keeping his "choking hazard" toys in his room and he's REALLY good at snagging choking hazards if the babies get something that they shouldn't. He's protective of them. Enjoys them. He genuinely enjoys them. If we're going to the library, zoo, park or museum, he'll ask if we can bring "his babies." He wants ten more babies. It is a JOY to watch him be a sweet, big brother. He has never once shown any signs of being jealous of the attention they get. Even when people stop us at stores and swoon over the babies, he takes that as attention to him, because they are his babies. It's really sweet. Anyways....you can tell that we're very proud of him!
"Big Boy" completed his first karate class and was awarded the "Best Blocks" certificate. He LOVES Karate and is in the middle of his second session. We bought a Karate class for two at the Youth Auction at our church and so "Big Boy" and Daddy will get to do karate together. =)
Speaking of Daddy: the boys love to crawl all over him, "wrassle" with him and play. When we go in to get them after a nap, etc., if Daddy is in there with me, they both lean and reach for him to hold them. So sweet. And, as with Dallas as a baby, Daddy gets the MOST laughs and giggles!
Me: "Are your underwear too small?" "Big Boy": "No, they are quite soft."
"Big Boy" is reading through his Bible (his idea). We're reading "Jesus is Buried." And "Big Boy" asked, "Why did they "berry" Him? Did they turn Him into berries?"
We recently had some birthday parties! The babies turned ONE! We had a small party at Grandma and Grandpa's house. "Big Boy" chose the theme for them: Elmo (thankfully, "Blonde" has JUST gotten over his extreme fear of Elmo ;)
"Big Boy" just turned FIVE! I know everyone says this, but I can't believe my baby is FIVE! He has kid socks and wears clothes from the Boys Dept. not Babies. He chose to have his party at Jeepers, now called Jambo. We had rides, games, pizza and cupcakes. His babies got to go in the Bounce House with him and Mommy and Daddy went in too. It was a lot of fun!
And here's a brief run down of the rest of the year...
Tears when Granny Dee left:
""Big Boy's" Family Map" that Auntie Mary Audrey made for him to remember where all his family members are (Uncle Sam is on a plane b/c he travels so much! ;).
Wildlife World Zoo : a LOT! Here's one of our trips w/ Big Boy's cousins =)
Babies: Wearing Jimi Hendrix shirts =)
Sleepover w/ "Big Boy's" girlfriend, G. The last picture is at 2 am...she was asleep w/ her hand on his cheek. So sweet.
Monster Trucks! Our dear friends, the Blues, watched the twins (thank you!).
"Curl's" first bite ever! "Big Boy" fed it to him =)
"Blonde's" first bite (also from Big Boy)
"Big Boy" gets dragged by the dog we used to have (Poly) and gets a hamster the same day. When asked what he wanted to name him, "Big Boy" said, without hesitation, "Sweet as Honey." Sweet as Honey was dearly loved, but fatally injured in a wheel that Mommy bought. (Before Bryan found him in there, we thought he ran away and that's how we left it w/ "Big Boy," FYI don't blow it!) (Update, we told him how Sweet as Honey really died when he got a new hamster, "Teddy Bear" and a new wheel!) =( That started our fish tank. ...then pest control came...
Easter!
With Granny D at Chuck.E Cheese =)
