They have my heart.

Jackson's First Purchase...

A few months ago, we started an "allowance" program with Jackson. I know there's a million different variations of this, but we chose to do it in an all-or-nothing type system.  We gave him a list of chores and he has to complete every single chore each day.  Upon completion of every chore, he gets $1 for the day.  So at the end of the week, he could have earned $7.  Of whatever money he earns for the week, he has to put $1 in tithe and $1 in savings and the rest is his to spend.  His chores include making his bed, keeping his room clean, cleaning the playroom each night before bed, and cleaning the litter box.  He does a REALLY good job, but he's not AT ALL motivated by money.  At least he wasn't... Until I showed him the Amazon Wish List I had started for him a long time ago... Well, then it all changed.  He saw several things he "HAD" to have (his words.)  So I helped him narrow down the things he "had" to have to a few that were $20 and less.  He decided he really wanted this Star Wars Lightsaber nightlight with remote control.  He saved his dollars, and bought it himself!  It's a very very proud moment for me... because being my firstborn, he usually gets what he wants without having to wait or earn it... and that's not the life lesson I want to teach him, so we are both learning in the power of patience.  May the force be with us.  :)

Muddin Up.

I asked Ryan for months to post something on here about his Tough Mudder, but he isn't really "into" blogging for me anymore... So since I wasn't there, I can simply say... Ryan completed his 2nd Tough Mudder.  He found it to be ... Tough.  But he is now in a very small, special group of people who have actually completed two of these things!  The first one he did last year in Colorado and this one was entirely different (still very hard!) in Kansas.  All he gets to show for his hard work is a headband... Which the boys enjoy playing with.  So there ya go.  :)

Artwork By Ethan!

Little man tells me this is "me, side-kicking a spider and I have a sword in my hand."  

Impressive on all levels, I think.  :)

Camp Out Birthday Party!

Jackson's 6th birthday party was extra special this year.  We had 6 boys, 6 dads on Friday night... 5 boys and 5 dads in tents overnight in our backyard.  There was a bouncy house, water balloons, torrential rain downpour, an outside movie, grilled hot dogs and burgers, s'mores and teepee cupcakes, watermelon... there was fishing and nonstop fun!  These boys were up past 10p and all camped out in the same tent - not even waking when these awful storms blew thru at 4am with lightening and thunder... These boys are camping champs!!  Jackson had an absolute blast, and the daddys were troopers!!

And yes, this IS the best pic I could get of all 6 of them.  6 year olds don't stand still.

Happy Birthday Jackson!

My baby boy turned 6 years old!  Jackson Andrew, how in the world can you already be SIX!?  Jackson has been counting down to his birthday for months.  He is so ready to be bigger, go to kindergarten and be a "big boy."  He chose to wear his Star Wars shirt to school because we baked Star Wars cupcakes for his school friends.  When we got there, he jumped up and down excited to see me and his little brothers.  Ryan got there a little later, but he was an added bonus!  I got the kids little cans of 7-Up and taught them all to play "Heads-Up 7-Up."  I think they loved it.  I was able to collect a group pic of them as long as they could do silly faces, so that seemed perfect.  :)  This is Jackson's 2nd year at this school and I'm beyond sad for him to be going to a different school next year.  I love this school and the teachers/staff so much.  I'm thankful that Ethan and Christian will have years there.  Jackson has his big camping birthday party tonight - I'll try to get pics posted of that as soon as I can.  I'm still in shock that it's been 6 years since I gave birth to this amazing little human being.  Such an awesome day - life changing.  And he continues to change my life everyday by his awesome heart.  I love this boy to the moon.

14 Months Old

Talking about Christian makes me teary.  Teary because he's just so awesome.  And because he's growing up.  And not slowly.  It feels like life since he's been born has moved in "fast forward" speed.  He's fulfills me so much - I still get excited to go pick him up out of his crib every morning.  I still enjoy rocking him to sleep at night even though I know I shouldn't.... His fussiness is still cute to me... I just can't really put all this into words.  At 14 months, I'm assuming he's somewhere around 20 pounds.  I haven't weighed him in awhile... but he has been eating so good.  His favorite foods are chicken nuggets, ALL fruit, avocados, snap peas and ice cream.  He loves to read books and he loves music - it's the cutest thing when he hears music, he'll bop his head back and forth.  :)  He has been transitioning from 2 naps to just 1 for about a month now.  Some days we do 2, some days it's just 1.  If' it's 1, it's usually around 1130am and it's usually about 2 hours.  If it's 2, it is usually 830am and again around 230pm.  He goes to bed around 730pm, and I LOVE rocking him to sleep.  It's MY time with him where he's still and at peace and comforted by me so I love it and I don't know when I'll stop.  For now, it's our time.  So it stays.  

As far as milestones... He started walking 'well' last week.  He loves to walk to Jackson... He giggles the whole way to him.  He still prefers to crawl, but just yesterday, he walked all day long as his primary mode of transportation, so hopefully he will opt to walk more now.  As of the last few days, he's popped his 5th tooth out.. with at least one more on the way any day.  He is talking up a storm!  He babbles and babbles and wants to have a conversation already! Sometimes, he's so serious that I really do wish I knew what he was telling me.  He tries to repeat everything he hears and his favorite words are "dada," "momma," "all done, "bye," and "up."  He absolutely loves to play with his brothers.  But he's feisty.  He makes this enormous ear-piercing scream when he isn't getting his way.  It's sharp, short and demanding.  It's generally when Ethan has taken his toy, or has something he wants, or is eating something he wants, or is just in his way... etc.  You get the point.  Let's just say this little dude isn't gonna allow being the youngest to get in his way of what he wants.  His smile and his laugh are totally infectious.  His hair is coming in very blonde and his eyes are still the brightest blue. He's still sucking his thumb when he's sleepy or upset - but only with his blankey.  Thank GOD Ryan's aunt made us 2 duplicates of the special blankey so we can actually have a few backups.  We can now keep one in the diaper bag, around the house, and then 'the beloved' stays in the crib. He has his daddy written all over him, and most of the time only wants Daddy if he's around.  Otherwise, he does want to know where I'm at at all times.  He will follow me around from room-to-room, and if I have to leave the room, or run upstairs for a second, he will scream the entire time until I am back in eyesight.  He is still not doing great when I drop him off - either at church, with a sitter, or sometimes - occasionally - even with my mom.  He is much more attached than the others were at this age. He cracks me up how he wants to do exactly the thing I'm telling him not to.  And how his little bottom lip will quiver when I have to abruptly tell him "no!" (for example when he was about to put a cord into his mouth.) - he belts out this heartbreaking cry because he thinks I'm mad at him.  Oh my goodness.  This boy is a trip.  The best trip ever.  I have truly been so blessed by being a momma to be this boy, and his two big brothers.  I'm falling more in love with being a mom every single day.  Grateful and blessed.

The walk home...

The walk home from school was more fun the other day when I surprised J and E and walked to pick them up and brought their EZ Rollers with me so they could glide on home in style.  I GPS'd it and it is 3.27 miles from my house to their school and back, so it was a great walk for me.  Christian loves to go for walks, so I'm so glad they finished the trail by our house so we can walk straight to their school so easily.  

These boys make everything in life more fun!  :)

quack quack!

A few weeks ago, I took the boys, impromptu, to go feed the ducks at the Springdale Library.  They loved it!  The ducks were so happy to see us that they even got a bit too close.... Ethan didn't like that too much and one of them snapped at Jackson's fingers... Too funny.  Definitely gonna do this again soon!

That last bite...

So tired he couldn't even finish his goldfish... Found him w/ this hand still in the container.  And I love the bottom lip sticking out. Awh, the Christian cuteness continues...

Stars Wars, Baseball, Friends!

Last Saturday was a special treat for my biggest boy.  It was Star Wars Night at the Arkansas Naturals game.  So Jenny, Sara and I took our boys out to the game to celebrate, complete with dinner at Jose's beforehand.  It was so much fun!  Jackson was absolutely thrilled to see the Star Wars characters - his smile could not be bigger and wider.  It was so awesome to see how happy he was!!!  Jackson, Cole and Jonah made it til the 7th inning!  

It was such a great night!

"I got a cute butt and I cannot lie..."

That's Christian's version.  :)

I love you too!

Jackson was upstairs "building" and yelled for me to come see what "I built for you."  So I went up to find this!  I am so in love with this boy and his sweetness.... Just don't ever want to forget how incredibly precious he is!

To Climb or Not to Climb....

In less than a week, C answered that with "To Climb!"

Last Week....

 Today...

Sunshine and Dirt.

The weather isn't that great these days... so when there's a nice day, we are playing outside!!!

April Instagram Pics!

I've been doing some spring cleaning...And I had a good helper. :)

 Christian's new birthday ride from the Burrow's!  He loves it!

 Perfecting his kick.

 He totally beat me in foosball - legit style.  I mean, I should say he smoked me 10-7, and we aren't from the philosophy that you let your child win.  He and I have played many, many times and this is the first time he's won - and I was trying really hard!  He's gotten very good at foosball!

 Christian's birthday present from mommy/daddy!

 Fishy Face!!!

 Demolition Man... and no one even seems to notice.

 Jackson absolutely LOVES his friend Ethan Winant.  They've been buddies since they were 2 years old, in Mrs. Dawn's class at Mother's Day Out at Fellowship.  They have a precious little friendship.

 Ethan got a (very) early birthday present... matching his big brother's... perfect for the start of summer!!!

 me and my middle man!

 This is Ryan's Instagram pic, but I love it!

 Ethan gave me a flower and asked me to put in my hair.  Once it fell out, he got me another because "mommy you need a flower in your hair."

Their nighttime routine...

 Christian and baby Edward hang out with their big brothers are playing at Little Gym.