meeting baby Danny

One of the weeks that Chris was gone (Aug 09) either in the field or TDY the boys and I decided to go meet baby Danny. We drove down through Austin and picked up Sarah & I's mutual friend, Laura & her two girls (who were good friends with John before they moved) and headed out. We had a great time. I got to practice my Spanish with Laura's cousin's grandma (who the kiddos loved cuz she loaded them up on bananas and fruit, and she had some yummy tea she had me try!), had some good conversations, the kids did pretty well on the car ride, and of course we got to meet our new nephew, and cousin. One thing I learned that trip, through Laura, was that kids are gonna be wild, crazy, off their schedule, and you are going to be tired. You just have to expect that. It has definitely helped in future trips that we have taken, just to know that it's not gonna be the same as it is when you are at home. I say that, b/c not only were the boys a little wild at Sarah's house, but when we left they were tired, and hungry. We stayed at Lackland Air Force Base's OBQ's, which was a wee smaller than the ones that I had stayed at in San Angelo. We had great plans as how it was all gonna work, but nope, didn't happen. The kiddos had a hard time settling down. I was gonna have John sleep in the closet in the big room, but he screamed when I put him in there, but when I brought him out to the foldout bed in the living area he decided it was play time and jumped around not listening to me. The whole time, Naiah wasn't falling asleep either, cuz of all the commotion, and I was exhausted, so I got really frustrated and just wanted to cry. Thankfully watching Laura taught me how to be patient and give of myself even when I didn't want to. She taught me how being a mother is truly selfless, especially when you are wanting to be selfish the most (ie when you are tired!)
being cute as mommy was packing

Mikaela & Kiera loved the pool table!

Baby Danny!!!!!!

Since it was like over 100 degrees (if you can see on the thermometer) we set up the kiddy pool and everyone hopped in!

John checking on Danny
Precious

Kiera checking on Danny

Naked boy alert!!

John & Kiera, "What are you doing, Ben? You are taking up all the space!"
Much better

Mikaela wondering the same thing as John & Kiera

I loved all these faces, couldn't pick just one





Ben checking out his cousin
Thought I'd post a closeup for idea of size difference!

The next day we stopped back at Sarah's and attempted to take a picture of all the kiddos, and some of the three cousins. This is what we ended up with:
Not too bad, but missing a few!


Ben was fascinated by his cousin, and Danny loved the attention!


John looking, but Ben busy "helping" Danny do something


Mikaela looking, but nooone else, and John is trying to escape


The girls and Danny looking (of course it would be my two who would "ruin" the perfect picture!!

Almost got them all til John tried to escape!!


Well, at least 2/3 cousins isn't too bad!!

Now John gets squirrely, and Ben gets distracted. Here he is by Mikaela, and then

on top of the couch, distracting everyone else!

Mikaela is still posing, but everyone else has lost interest

Well got the 3 cousins, and Kiera


Now the boys are starting to fight

Probably the best of the 3 of them, even though noone is looking!

And we've officially lost control!!! :)

Danny decided to nap in the midst of it

Yeah getting 5 kids under 3 to look at a camera is quite a task!! At least it made for some fun memories. The drive home went much too quickly, at least the drive to Austin did. The boys were pretty crazy by the time we got home, and I was pretty exhausted!! But it was all worth it!

Random stories/words from the boys

Wow, found this in my drafts. Didn't realize I didn't publish it.

John's favorite Bible Story at the moment is Zaccheus. He loves reading it every night, and then we have to do the song with the actions right afterward. Well, on our walk a couple of days ago, John started climbing a tree. When I asked him what he was doing, he said, Zaccheus climbed a tree. He was acting out the story of Zaccheus. Too cute. Then yesterday he said, too short, can't climb tree (at a different tree)

John is starting to associate words that he hears with words that he has heard before. Saturday morning Chris has the guys from Bible Study over for some disciple time, and prayer time. Dave Haefs ended up staying over, b/c his daughter was going to have her first softball practice just down the road from us at 9. Chris was giving directions, and said turn left at Stan Schleuter. All of a sudden John started mumbling something, and kept saying left. We weren't sure what he was saying until he went to go get his Dr. Seuss book, "Oh the Thinks you can Think" and turned to the page where it says "Left, think of left, and why is it that Beft always go Left." So proud!! :)

The other night we heard him yelling in his room, "Don't fall, don't fall." When I went in to see what was going on he was standing at his window, trying to stack his paperback books in a tower in the window, and was getting frustrated b/c they kept falling. I told him that the books weren't supposed to be in the window, and that's why they fell. I had to snicker to myself as I left the room, after I told him to get back to bed.

So, there are a bunch of weeds around this area this year. John was trying to help our neighbor Amanda pull weeds, and she said, "Be careful, that one has stickers." John got a confused look on his face, and I had to explain that he gets stickers for going peepee in the potty, and that was what he was thinking when she said stickers, and he couldn't find any stickers. So we had to use either owies or pokies, or thorns to describe the "stickers" on the weed. It was too cute.

So as of 16 1/2 months Benaiah has quite the vocabulary,and it's growing every day. It helps having a big bro who we are constantly talking to. Here are some of his current words (at least the ones I can remember):
ball, stuck, uh oh, cat, Tess, meow, bow wow, Bap, cow, moo, poopoo(for poop, pee, and belly button), book, drink, water, juice, please (Mease), kick, Kix, more, hot, tap tap (for what a hammer does), lawnmower (for lawnmower, vacuum, broom), truck, apple, church, snort, light, lights, on, off, up down (for both up there, and hop down), Whoa, Yay, miss (as in missed a basket), go, nose (and he'll point to where his nose is), nat (for nasty), mama, dada, papa, all gone, bump (for when we go over a bump, or if he bumps his head he'll say bump (boop) and pat his head), no, cracker, taco

John's 2 year old b-day party!

So as John is about two and a half months shy of turning 3, I figured I should catch up and post pics of John's two year old birthday party! Being born in July means of course you have to have some kind of water involved in your party, so we had some buds of John come over and splash in our backyard in two pools (one with a slide) and a slip & slide. Funny how most of John's buds at this party are girls. I think Jarrett & Ben were the only other little boys there. Hmmmmm. Already a lady's man! Chris's folks made it, but my family was all with my sister, eagerly awaiting the arrival of my nephew who unbeknownst to us would start coming later that evening and arrive the next day, the 27th. John's b-day is the 29th! How fun that they have b-days so close together!


Emma, Lily & John splish-splashing in the pool.


Natalie & John timidly walking down the slip and slide, while Lily showed us how it was done by sliding on her belly.


Emma having a blast in the puddles of water created!


Again, Lily showing us how it's done, sliding down the slide into the pool! Unfortunately John & Jarrett were looking at something else.

Emma styling in one of the boys's hats


She spent most of her time playing in the pool at the end of the slip 'n' slide


John & Ben enjoying some time in the kiddy pool!

Brothers!!


Erin, Jarrett's mommy was such a big help feeding Ben so I could scurry around making sure everyone was taken care of. We had tacos, since at this time they were John's favorite meal!

The birthday cakes! Much better looking than last years. I figured out how to do the frosting where it wouldn't run near as much, and I expanded my artistic ability and drew some of John's favorite things on the cake: balls! Chris did have to do the football, cuz apparently I can't draw a funky oval football shape.

John's cake- made in a mini bundt cake pan. I think this is the last time I'll make him a special cake, b/c he barely ate any of it. I'll just give him a piece of the big cake next time!

Ready to blow. He loves blowing out candles, so he was super excited to blow out his very own!

Listening to everyone sing "Happy Birthday!"

In action

Ta da!

Such a big boy eating with a fork

Ben, next to his buddy, Erin!


Emma was fascinated with our books! When I would watch her all she wanted to do was read. Apparently it's not much different at her house! Travis & Amy say they have to go get her new books all the time, cuz she loves reading so much!

Jarrett patiently waiting for some cake


See what I mean. He barely touched his cake, just moved it around his plate.

Evie Pflug made it too!

Sisters, Natalie & Lily from across the street! So fun having neighbors who have kiddos to hang out and play with!


He doesn't eat his own, but he'll go around and beg. Go figure!


Chris's dad & JR made it. Penny had to work. :( I think she had to work last year too. Boo. We've gotta plan better!! :)

The birthday boy!

Presents!

Cool!

The other kiddos had to help show him what he got! It was too cute!

Ashley getting a taste of being a mom of two/three would be like! Kept trying to convince her b/c she did so well, that they need to have more, but she wasn't convinced!

Action shot of opening a present

He had a blast!

Saying thank you!

Opening one of his big presents from Nana

Daddy putting together his racetrack.

Showing off his toy to Natalie!

So John gets all these toys, and what does he do, the minute everyone leaves. Finds one of daddy's screwdrivers and goes to work figuring out how his lawnmower works. He loves tinkering with things and figuring out how they work.

Such a mechanic

Happy Birthday my dear, sweet John! The past two years have been full of life, as we watch you love and embrace every moment to the fullest (sometimes a little too much!!) We love you!