Three.

This little cutie-pie turned three today. 

He ran circles around the kitchen singing "Happy Birthday to you!" at the top of his lungs.  He had whip cream on his cake.  He blew out candles and opened way too many presents.  He finally understood that he was three by the end of the night.  He talked on the phone to Auntie Debbie telling her that it was his birthday and he was opening presents.  Only Dad was allowed to help him open presents. 

He played with all his new toys.  He got diggers and firetrucks, tools, crayons and coloring books, playdough and paint, firetruck undies and new clothes, a DVD about diggers and fireengines and a big dump truck too.  Phew. 

He blew out three candles on his melted cream snowman cake.  (Mental note, don't put cream on until right before.)  Three candles flickered back on.  So he blew even harder making some great puffer lips that made Mom laugh.  We all laughed.  We all love him so. 

Mia decided to drive a truck on her hair and got it stuck.  Jake played with all of Sam's new toys.  So did Mia.  And um, so did Mom.  :)

It's hard to believe three years have already passed when the fresh memory of the craziness I felt to have him born.  Each day passing creaping closer to Christmas brought on new emotions and breakdowns and one fat baby that was determined to stay put.  He wasn't interested in joining a crazy lady.  :)  A whole week passed and finally he was born.  He came quickly.  It was painful.  Grandma Sharon was invited to witness his birth along with Grandma Desse.  He was worth it.

Already three years old and happy and content.  Loves to be with Dad and plays late at night in Mia's room when they should be sleeping.  He loves gum and classifies it as either spicy (mint) or by it's color (purple gum).  He'll eat a whole pack in a day and leave chewed bits in places that I don't want to find them but it makes me laugh because it's Sammy.  My Samalicous who calls himself "Sam'l ".  Who requests that we drive past the firehouse everytime we go somewhere.  (Good thing we live close.)  Who hid under the table when Stephanie's family sung to him this week and snuck pieces of steak of the other children's plates when they were not looking.  Who was throughly thrilled that it was his birthday.  If we all could all be so happy. 

Happy Birthday my little man!  I refuse to believe that you are growing up and will be a Sunbeam in just a few short weeks.  That you'll be big enough for Preschool next Fall.  That you were brave enough to sit on Santa's lap and tell him that you wanted a garbage truck for Christmas.  That the dimples on your hands and wrists will soon be gone.  We love you with all of our hearts!

xoxo,

Mama

Captain Rex

Jake, of course, was Captain Rex for Halloween.  We took a two year break from the Star War's costumes but was back in full force this year.  He was one happy kiddo! 

We thought the costume looked best when he wore it with his clone trooper voice changer helmet.  He really looked like a clone but that helmet was not fun to wear. 

Jake loves that helmet so much, he will wear it to bed.  Until one night, he realized that he could trick me by placing the helmet and pillows in the bed.   This is how I found him sleeping. 

This was the first year that he went off with friends to trick or treat.  They had a blast running around as fast as they could.  Got quite a bit of candy too.

The three kids who started out the night like this:

Ended the night like this: 

We tucked them in one by one and kissed their chocolate covered faces goodnight. 

It was a good Halloween for all.

Padme

My little girl is growing up.  She wanted to be Padme.  From Star Wars.  What??  Not a princess in a fancy dress, not a cute witch, not a ballerina or a beautiful bride.   She did say that she wanted to be Repunzle so I found this best gold sparkly dress for her to wear and was sure that she would love it!  She did, until she put it on and it itched.  So Padme is was and a cute Padme she made.

Super simple costume with a old blanket wrapped like a shawl, cool hair (Thanks to Steph for the late night, hands on tutorial!), boots and some silver paper and she was set. 

Her poor bruised eye.  She had a accident on the play ground   This cute girl and her tangled up and knocked themselves down.  Mia took one for the team.  We kept telling her it was perfect a battle wound to go with her costume.

When asked why she liked Padme so much, she replied "Because she gets married and has twin babies."  She's still a romantic girly girl! 

Riddle me this.....

What's fat, black and blue and fits in the back of a Jeep??

A happy fat baseball, Priness Padma and a clone trooper of course.

Halloween 2009 - Big Fat Baseball

I found this cute little baseball in my yard.  I quickly got my camera to get a shot of him.  I had never seen a baseball this size in this location before.  

At first, he wasn't too sure about me and my camera.

But a little candy dropped in his spider friend seem to warm him up to us.

And then he let us poke is squashy tummy to make him giggle. 

He ended up following us all around gathering candy from house to house pointing to each house asking if they had candy too.  All loved his fatness and cheered for Boston.  After the night of fun, we just couldn't send him out on his own and decided to keep him for ourselves.  After all, who wouldn't love a big fat baseball?

Pumpkin Patch

We went on a pumpkin hunt to find our perfect pumpkins. 

The children searched long and wide to find their perfect pumpkins.

Oooo, this one is just right for Jake.  So heavy, but determined to make it his.

He placed it in the cart next to Sammy's perfect pumpkin. 

Then Mia found her perfect pumpkin.

And into the cart it went.

Along the way, we picked up this cute little pumpkin.  He sure was a keeper!

Then off to the hay maze to have some fun.  Jake followed them making videos so long, my memory card filled up. 

And of course, the obligatory photo op even though the sun was in their eyes....

And the trip to the pumpkin patch was done and of course, we are eagerly planning our trip next year.

Invaded

Help!  My work table has been invaded.  Don't they know that it's dangerous terrain?

Pretty, pretty ballerina

It was his idea.

He thoroughly enjoyed dance class with her.

(And art class before that. Note the blue nose and the colored pencils everywhere.)

The boy can't help that he just wants to dance!

I thoroughly enjoyed his moves and his little boy undies peaking out.

Pretty, pretty ballerina.

So where is Jake?

So many posts involve Mia and Sam and not so many for Jake. There is a reason you know. He is a 9-year-old boy who is completely goofy in every picture I take of him.

For example:

Love this kid. He is constantly going. Constantly talking. Constantly doing something. He's always goofy and more often then not, he'll make me laugh which just eggs him on.

This picture had us all rolling. We were at Gramps party when I told Jake to take a good picture. At the last second, he snapped into this pose.

Awww....Jakey.

Giveaway Time Again!

Just a quick little shout out to let my family know that I am hosting a giveaway at Blue Cricket Design for one of my Halloween banners. Head on over and enter to win. It would delight me to give it to someone I know!

Besides, it gives me an opportunity to put up this cute picture safely. I love these girls! Aren't they so stinkin' cute and ragamuffinish?? We literally stopped them from playing a game and made them come and hold this banner up. They even co-ordinate! Thanks to Kem again for coming to my rescue and taking some quick photos with her mad photo skillz. Kem - you rock!

Sleeping Beauty

I find this hilarious. I should of taken a picture of her bed too. You wouldn't believe the amount of stuff she sleeps with and how it is all set up just so. Coloring books, crayons, toys and more all set up ready to play. How can sleep with it all?

Birthday party

Happy Birthday to Auntie Dee Dee (aka Megan) and Gramps!



We celebrated at the care center gramps is staying in. Just a few more weeks of antibiotics and he should be as good as new and ready to come home to his favorite big blue chair.









Auntie Dee-Dee was looking smashing for the day. She was spoiled with a blow out from her favorite stylist and a cutie sweater. She sure loves her sweaters. I still remember when Ry and I were dating, her announcing to me that it was sweater season when it was still 80+ degrees outside. We were on Weber State's campus by the institute. Funny what you remember.








Matt was happy to be there. Jake, well he was being Jake.























Sam was being silly. Mia thought that he was especially funny so she did it too.

The kids made Gramps a poster and they think it's the cat's meow to draw on it every time they go to the care center. And looky loo, I was there too.

Happy Birthday again!

Fashionista

She's at it again.

Layered t-shirt with short sleeve cardigan with knee length shorts and her favorite brown boots. She added a ribbon to her backpack for style.

I like her style and hope she continues to express it.

Family Outing

A much needed, good ol' family fun outing was had tonight. We don't see much of Ryan these days so we thought it would be fun to go miniature golfing. Jake was super excited. Sam loved it and set up every shot for himself. Mia was all about hitting the ball crazily. The sun was setting, the light was beautiful, the air was getting crisp. There was laughing and good times for all.