Mentos... the Messmaker!

Daren and Brady launching the Mentos explosions... boys, boys, boys!

More Hogwarts fun!

Ian's Hogwarts Party!

Ian's party was a smashing success! All the children had a wonderful time "mixing potions", taking "flying lessons" on the trampoline, eating wizard hat cupcakes and playing Dementors and Werewolves! The children were given little robes and wands and they looked so cute! Here are some of the photos of the big day!

My baby's turning 6

OK, I can hardly believe that Ian will be turning 6 in 3 days! Where did all the time go? I know it is so cliche, but it really does seem like just yesterday he was toddling around and learning how to talk! It just goes too fast! And although in many ways it breaks my heart to see him growing and getting bigger, I am SO proud of the little boy he has become! He is a wonderful sensitive soul with a flare for goofiness and annoying noises. He loves his baby sister and holds a special place in his heart for all of earth's little creatures. He told me last week, just out of the blue, how much he loves it when his baby sister smiles at him! He is full of curiosity yet he has a healthy respect for self-preservation! A daredevil he is NOT. He loves the computer, listening to music and dancing, playing board games, and running around casting spells as Harry Potter or saving the world as Spiderman, and on occasion he feels the need to rule the universe as Darth Vader. He wears out socks and the knees of his pants with the best of them (I replace socks constantly)! If given the choice he would wear sweatpants and t-shirts every day of his life. His favorite movies include all the Harry Potter's, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Star Wars, and Cars. His favorite books include all the Jan Brett books (The Mitten, The Hat, Honey, Honey Lion, etc...) and he adores Going on a Bear Hunt. He did have beautiful, long, curly hair, but got sick of being hassled over it and now sports a very becoming short hair cut that makes his eyes stand out more. I am beginning to wonder if his eyes are going to become green like mine, they are no longer the bright blue that they were when he was smaller. He is always eager to help, and he is more than happy to spend time amusing Ainsley if I need him too. He helps me go shopping and bring in groceries, he sets the table and starts the dishwasher. He loves to help me sort laundry and adores helping me cook (especially if it entails decorating pizzas or cupcakes). I couldn't ask for a better companion!

But here is the fact of the matter... he is without a doubt, one of the greatest loves of my life. He inspires me to be a better person. He is the reason I possibly make myself crazy on occasion because I want so badly for him to remember when he's grown that his mommy took the time to make the cookies, to read the stories, to sing the lullabies, to sew the Halloween costumes, and to throw the ridiculous parties! And don't get me wrong, it's not that I want him to remember the sacrifices I've made, I just want him to look back and know that he was loved with every fiber of my being! And I do my best, EVERY single day to not just tell him, but show him how much he means to me. I could have never asked for a greater gift in my life! And although watching him grow older and henceforth grow more independent cuts me deep in my soul, I will cherish every single moment I have with him until the day I die, for he is my son, my love and my life. I love you Ian.

Little Miss Pink!

My handsome boy!

Sometimes I just have to post lots of photos of my kids and these of Ian are just to die for! Isn't he the most handsome thing you've ever seen??

What is it about basketballs in this house?

It's all about the ears!

What I love about Ian this week...

I love that he is SO excited about his birthday! He is counting down the days. Who knew 6 would be such a big deal for him?!? I love how he is happy to take the time to build a big castle with blocks and is totally happy for his baby sister to "KNOCK IT DOWN!" I LOVE that he tells me he loves me at least 4 times a day! I loves that he wants to draw pictures all the time now. He is getting so good and creative! I love that he gets his Magna Doodle and jumbles up words for me to figure out. You know you have to be a decent speller in order to mix the letters up for someone else to figure it out! And lastly, I love that he comes in here and opens up the photo booth and spends hours taking ridiculous photos of himself! I'll post some of these later!

What I love about Ainsley this week...

I love how she comes up to me with her arms up and says, "Hold her Mommy!" I love when the dog smacks her with his tail or gets uppity, she points her little finger at him and scolds him! "SIT DOWN OTIE!!" "NO, NO, NO OTIE!" But when he does sit down, she pats him on the head and says, "Good boy, Puppy!" I love when she gets excited, she shrugs her little shoulders up, smiles really big, squints her eyes and stomps her little feet. This is amazingly cute! I love that she now asks for specific books she wants me to read to her (the faves being McDuff, Winnie the Pooh and Rainbow Fish). I love when we get out her big foam blocks that I can make a castle and she gets all excited and yells, "KNOCK IT DOWN!" and then runs over and destroys it! She's my little pink Godzilla!

Ainsley's talkin' it up!

For quite some time, Ainsley has had quite a vocabulary, which she puts to good use daily. Over the last month or so, short sentences have begun, things like, "Thank you, Mommy", "Hi Daddy!", "No Bubba!" and stuff like that. However, I was treated to the best sentence in the whole world on Christmas Eve! I had her in the bathtub and she stopped playing, looked up at me and said, "I love you, Mommy." Well maybe it was closer to, "I yuv oooo, Mommy!" But hey, I'm good with that, "L's" are a little hard for her yet! Then when we were in San Antonio she floored me! We were waiting to be seated for dinner at a restaurant and I had her walking around to keep her occupied and she turned around and smiled really big and said, and this is just too cute, "Shake your booty, Daddy!" I am completely serious! Where this came from, I don't know? I don't generally walk around saying "Shake your booty, Daddy!" So there it is, for the record book, Ainsley's first two multi-word sentences were, "I love you, Mommy! and "Shake your booty, Daddy!" She's a riot! Another new comment that she makes frequently is, "Daddy workin'?" And this is actually cool, because until she made that connection, she was really upset on a daily basis when Daddy would leave. Now I can say, "Daddy workin'" and she seems satisfied with that answer!