Our big boy!

Today my oldest "Numero Uno" turned SIX!

Where has the time gone?

I remember that day like it was yesterday

I knew I was having contractions

but wasn't due for another 3 weeks!

My husband was refinishing our guest bath

that he had totally gutted while I was out of town!

We taped a piece of paper to the wall in the hallway.

I let him know every time I had a contraction

and he stopped his construction project to write down the time.

I love that I still have that piece of paper.

I love that you can gradually see the contractions

getting closer and closer and how I had to literally brace myself

against that same wall as we walked to get in the car.


The nurses kept telling me not to get my hopes up,

that NO one goes early with their first babies.

I knew they weren't right...I knew this baby was coming soon!

they thought I was crazy.

Sweet Numero Uno arrived at 8:11 PM and I was sure

nothing ever that perfect had been born before!

He was teeny tiny....6lbs. 4ozs. which concerned me on

where the other 50 pounds were accounted for!

I felt so natural as a mother instantly....

like it was WHY I was put on this earth.

I never second guessed myself - was so confident

and couldn't WAIT to go in his room in the middle of the night.


There is something so special about your first born.

He is the one that first gave me this role as mother.

He is the first life we created out of such LOVE.

I gained a whole deeper kind of love for my husband when this child came.

Now he's six years old! HOW?

He's independant and mostly indecisive,

He values my opinion but doesn't like collared shirts

He'll play with anything but is obsessed with Star Wars.

Those who know me, know that I'm pretty simple

when it comes to birthday parties (or anything really!)

but last night we blew it out! Crazy ridiculous - boys running everywhere!

They had a blast and I enjoyed a glass of wine when they left!

I even got into the spirit and dressed up as Princess Leia

She must have had A LOT of hair to do those buns!

Those that also know me, know that I don't do dress up!

That just shows what I would do for this sweet kid!


Happy 6th Birthday "L Dog"!

Vacation

Relaxing isn't the word I would use for our annual vacation

fun? yes.... Relaxing? no.

Maybe that's because we have the kids

and is there really a true "vacation" with 3 kids 5 and under?

We lost this one on the first day.....

In a nutshell -

He had come out of the ocean with his cousins and I thought he was still standing next to me but I looked up and noticed he was gone along with the boogie board. We all started looking out in the ocean and everywhere and the beach was PACKED! I ran up to the lifeguard stand and asked him if he could help me....long story short, sirens, rescue trucks, a helicopter about to go up above the ocean....it was horrible. Robby was in the room with baby girl napping so I called just to check if he had gone up there and not told anyone....robby seriously almost had a heart attack. He had been out in the water with the boys that morning and said later that when I called, he knew he was gone if he was in the water because it was so rough.

Anyway, numero uno had turned around to go back in the water but said he realized everyone had come out so when he turned around to come back, he couldn't find us...there were so many tents up and he just got confused. It was HORRIBLE.

Needless to say, I drank 4 strong margaritas in an hour and cried the rest of the night, then passed out on the sofa while crying in front of my entire family. Numero Uno was so sweet and worried about me and rightfully so! I was worried about myself!!!! I did not think I was going to get over it.....I was so thankful to see him in his bed that night.

The week did get better from there but I don't think it could've gotten any worse.

I eventually decided to let the kids go back in the ocean

but ONLY if me or daddy were in the water with them!

The kids "work" hard on the beach

and then we take great naps in the afternoon

We enjoy great dinners and good company

and even went crabbing a few nights!

I love being with my family and enjoy

watching my kids LOVE being with their cousins!

I'm looking forward to one more beach trip this year....

WITH THE GIRLS!!!!!

now that one will be relaxing!

FOUR!!!

He is FOUR years old!!!!!

ON July 4th!!!!

I know I say that alot but what a cool birthday?

We had a rocky beginning

Very colicky baby

who cried from midnight until 8 am

around 4-6 weeks old...

I didn't think I would survive!

With no sleep and a 22 month old

that I needed to take care of..

but as a mother, you do what you have to do

and you get through it.

Now those days seem like a blur

and a lifetime ago!

I never knew that cranky baby

would turn out to be so darn sweet!

He has his own sense of "style"

As you can tell in the picture above.

I actually had bought this birthday outfit probably 2 years ago

Size 4T on major sale but when his birthday arrived this year,

the outfit just wasn't him at all!

He didn't care....he wanted to wear it.

So he added his own little twist with his camo rain boots!

He completely loves his family.

He is a wonderful big brother

and CAN BE a wonderful little brother!

He has the most thankful and grateful heart

He never meets a stranger

and is the most secure and confident 4 year old I've ever met!

Gone but not forgotten!

I have not forgotten about you.....

Summer has been CRAZY!

And sometimes I think I'm the only one

who thinks having three kids is constant crazy!

I have alot of updates to blog about

plus coming home from vacation

and getting ready for numero uno to turn 6

and counting down the days to the return of school

and....a ROUTINE!

So.....stay tuned for these posts!!!!

A fun 4th of July Celebration/Little Man turning 4...

A memory filled trip to Lookout Mountain

A fun way to show your support for sweet Ella...

And our annual family beach trip!

Be back soon!

His "Friend" Party

So more on Little Man.....He is our 4th of July baby!

Yes, we were literally on the back streets of Atlanta

trying to get to Piedmont Hospital

and around this - The Peachtree Road Race!

Usually we have a big family/close friends cookout

but this year he wanted his school friends.

No girls....just the five boys from his class.

It is his party afterall, so I gave in to a separate friend party!

I think the "simple" parties are the best

It doesn't require a lot of money

or a ton of kids to make your little one happy

This party is the prime example of that!

I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how last minute this was

I emailed the moms (no invitations!) about two weeks ago

told them to meet at the spraygrounds

got their 15 minutes early to reserve our free pavilion

and paid the $1.00 per each child to get in....

Could it be any simpler than that?

Some moms have their "thing" when it comes to birthdays

You know what I mean...

some have to rent out the biggest facility

have the most people

or give the most extravagant gifts......

My thing is "Party favors"

They don't have to be expensive

but they have to be CREATIVE!

My 4th of July baby makes party favors easy

This year we did fun hats with each kids names on them

Sparklers, Bubbles and a Clapper!

Too cute!

Maybe one day in the near future

he'll be running in the Peachtree Road Race

on his birthday!

Behind

I'm starting to feel very behind - obviously on the blog

but it's more than that...it's the kind of "behind" you feel

when everything starts to have a certain smell....

Not sure what I mean?

The "clean" towels smell musty

because they were left in the washer too long

because you aren't home all day to put them in the dryer.

The car has a certain smell

from the pool toys and random wet towel

left in the back seat by a little one.

Even the fridge has a smell

from that salad you were going to eat last week

but decided chickfilA drive thru would be quicker!

Here's why I've gotten so behind-

We've been doing alot of this:

Which make for some great this:

We go on frequent "outings" like this one to daddy's work!

We've eaten alot of "Mario's" as someone calls them around here.

Yaaaaa for Marios!

And we threw an early bday party for little man & his friends at the spraygrounds!

Our 4th of July baby is turning 4!!!!!

Sweet Ella

(Ella - 2nd from right)

Many of you have been so thoughtful to check in on my friend so I wanted to update everyone and ask for your prayers -

Sweet Ella (2 1/2 years old) had a tumor on her adrenal gland...after surgery to remove the tumor and the adrenal gland and 2 long weeks of waiting, she has been diagnosed with Adrenal Carcinoma Stage 3 Cancer and will be starting chemo immediately.

Her parents, Sheli and Robert are meeting with the oncologist at 9:00 am Thursday morning (tomorrow) which is also their tenth wedding anniversary.

I truly believe in the power of prayer and this is going to be a tough road ahead for this sweet family. Please pray for her healing, strength for her parents, understanding for her brother and whatever else your heart feels led to pray. I know they would appreciate it.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus!"

Phil 4:6-7