Happy Birthday Jacob!

Dear Jacob,

You are three!! Wow, it seems like yesterday when you were born three weeks early and were five lbs. Now, you are my tall and lean boy. Although, chart wise you are only 50% for height, most people think you're tall and you are so lean and have the smallest little wrists and arms. (You get those small wrists from me.).

This year has been all over the place with you! You started sleeping in a "big boy" bed at Grandma's in the Spring and came home and adjusted to sleeping in your toddler bed right away. A few months later we sought to move you into Conner's room to be on the bottom bunk but you just kept him up at night so we had to stop that. Then, because we had already moved Eli to your toddler bed we moved you to Eli's old room/guest room and put you back in a crib for two months because we didn't have another toddler bed. We made the decision to move Eli back to his old room into a new toddler bed and we moved you back to your old room in to your old toddler bed. Ha--craziness! It didn't work with you in the guest room because you just got up and played with everything in there and things just disappeared like your sleeping music c.d.. I have not found it after three months!

You also have been up and down with potty training. When we went to Myrtle Beach in September you were going potty obsessively--like four times in ten minutes. You wanted to go all the time. Somehow that wore off and you haven't been as excited to go potty these days. Thankfully you are staying dry most the day but getting you to run to the potty when you need to go isn't really happening. Oh well, it took Conner a long time too!

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You have been all over with your moods too. Sometimes we think you have "girl" blood with your mood swings. You can be the grumpiest little guy. You talk with a grumpy voice, and this grumpy face with your eyebrows up in a scary way. You pout, whine, and are grumpy about most everything. Your anger manifests itself with tantrums of throwing yourself on the ground, kicking your legs, and crying/screaming. Oh me, it's been exhausting. We sometimes wonder where the cheerful Jacob went. Thankfully he comes out every so often and we are so grateful for those moments! Ha, Ha

You have learned shapes and colors this year. We are still working on letters and numbers. You enjoy books and doing "school" at the table with your brothers. You have learned ten Bible verses in the past five months and have learned the Lord's prayer and three hymns.

I love you Jacob. I love your sweet smiles, your hugs at night, how you always want me to sing or read to you. I love how you initiate saying "I love you or you're pretty Mommy". So sweet. I love watching you run and play chase with your brothers. I love how you love your Pawpaw and talk about him taking you to get pancakes with butter. I love how you carry around your blue blanket and love to wear pj's. I love your baby voice and the sweet way you love your brothers.

I am so thankful for you Jacob. You are precious! I love you and pray that God will continue to watch over and protect you and that He would extend His great mercy towards you and save you. I pray that you would come to know Jesus and that you would live your life for Him!

Luv you,

Mommy

Elijah is 2!

Dear Eli,

Mommy is a little late in writing to you. You and Jacob have Birthdays during the busiest time of the year! It is so hard to believe that you are already two. You are such a sweet boy and so much fun! I love your hugs and little kisses and your sweet little voice. I love hearing you pray, sing, and say your Bible verses in your cute little way.

I have written before about how easy you have been. You were an easy baby and have been a pretty easy toddler! You love to play and are content to be by yourself. You have always gone to bed so well and started sleeping in your toddler bed the first night with no problem! You love to wake up in the morning and just lay in your bed for awhile, which is so nice.

The days of "ease" are fading as you have started to exert your angry will. Oh my, beware--you have thrown plates, managed to clear everything from your seat at the table by throwing it all on the floor, and you have the highest pitched scream that I'm worried might one day break the windows! Ha! It doesn't happen often, usually when you want something at the table, either to keep a toy or you want something we say no too or when we don't understand what you want. We pray that you will grow in being a wise "boy" who keeps himself under control!

These days you love to "read" books. You love being read too and you enjoy sitting and looking at them and studying the pictures. You also love to play with Jacob and Conner and get into whatever they are doing. You love worship time and playing with the instruments and you especially love chase time with Daddy every night. It is the cutest and funniest thing to watch your short legs run down the hall as Daddy chases you! You can run fast.

God made you so perfectly. I love your double-extra-wide feet with their thick toes. I love your thick, stocky legs (you get those from Pawpaw). I absolutely love your button nose and precious smile. You have some crazy hair with all these waves in it but I love it too! Along with those thick feet you have some thick hands--so fun to hold.



We celebrated your and Jacob's birthdays together at Grammy and Pawpaw's this year while we were visiting N.C. for Thanksgiving. You both enjoyed opening your gifts and you especially loved the Sesame Street chocolate cake. When we came home, on your B-day, Miss Becca had decorated for you and we had yummy pizza. The next day (The day between your Birthday and Jacob's, Dec. 1st), I made your traditional Birthday breakfast cake. You and Jacob had fun trying to blow the candles out together. You enjoyed opening a few more gifts on Jacob's b-day when Grandma came to visit.

The biggest "milestone" this year has been your growth in talking. At fourteen months, we enrolled you in the county's program to have an early education specialist come out and work with us on your speech. You were not saying many words and were a little behind in some other areas. Thankfully around twenty months your speech took off! You went from five words to fifty in a matter of a few days. That was an answer to prayer and we are so thankful! You are doing well in every area now.

Eli, it is a joy to be your mother. I am so grateful for your life and the gift you are to our family. My prayer for you is that you will come to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. I pray that God would grant you the gift of faith and that you would come to live your life for Him!

I look forward to watching you grow, learn, and have fun this next year.

I love you, Eli!

Mommy

The Boys are growing!! Growth Charts update...

Last week, all FOUR of the boys had physicals at the same time! I was expecting to have to take all of them by myself but THANKFULLY, Linda (mother-in-law) came early to visit and so she was able to go with me. It went much better than I expected and only Conner had to get shots. I thought all of them would need them but who would have guessed only the five year old would have to get them! That was good news! The biggest surprise was that Nate is 90% for height when he was a month early.

They are all growing well. Here's the results:

Nate-- 9 months--20.14 lbs. (50%), 29 3/4 in. (90%), Head 46 1/2 (75%)

Elijah--2 years--27 lbs. (50%), 34 in. (25-50%), Head, 50 cm. (75-90%)

Jacob--3 years--32 lbs. (50%), 37 1/2 in. (50%)

Conner--5 years--39 lbs. (50%), 44 1/2 in. (25%), vision 20/25

A New York Getaway

Denny and I enjoyed a much needed two-day getaway to NYC from Sunday to Tuesday. His Mom was so kind to drive and down and serve us by watching the boys! Our great friends Viv and Janie were also wonderful in taking Conner and Jacob both mornings to give her a break!!

We took the train up Sunday and arrived to cold temps and a cab drive from hell. Yes, I know the stories of NYC cab drivers and have experienced a few drives before but this one was too much!! In fact, it made me cry! Yep, Denny even had to ask him to slow down. Oh, it was awful, scary, and the driver was absolutely ridiculous in his weaving in and out of cars, but I'm glad to say we made it safely to the hotel!

We enjoyed an afternoon of walking around and then we got dressed for a nice Italian dinner and a Broadway show. We saw "In The Heights", which was the Tony winner from last year. We really enjoyed it. On Monday we headed to Central Park for ice-skating. Though neither of us have put on skates in over a decade or two, we managed to do pretty well. We got there right before it opened, which was perfect because it got crowded fast and our feet were sore so we were done after about 30 min.

Denny and I ice-skating at Central Park

We then enjoyed some shopping and then my sweet husband surprised me by making reservations at Serendipity, a restaurant, I've wanted to go to for years (ever since I saw the movie). It was just as sweet, eclectic, and, fun as I thought it would be! I loved it and enjoyed some wonderful chili! Thanks my luv!

The decor inside Serendipity

We then enjoyed some more shopping and a visit to Rockefeller Center. On Monday evening we headed to a gala for the Lupus foundation which Denny's company was invited to. It was a formal affair and my husband looked quite handsome in his tux! We enjoyed good food, great entertainment from a famous Broadway performer, and some intellectual company. We were sitting at the table with two of the scientists that have been working on Denny's company's drug for Lupus. In fact, they were honored for their research. It was nice to see them awarded and recognized for their research.

Me (along with others) and the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

On Tuesday morning we went to Macy's! You can't visit NYC at Christmas and not go to the historic Macy's--All 5 1/2 floors of it! It's huge! After some shopping we headed to the train station to head back home.

We had a fun, chilly, relaxing, and memorable time! So thankful for family and friends that serve us so we can "escape" for a few days!

My luv, I enjoyed every minute of my time away with you...EXCEPT the cab rides!!

One of those mornings...

Had to blog about my crazy 30 minutes this morning! It's pretty gross but something I am already laughing about...It started with Jacob having a nasty, runny pull-up..clearly diarrhea! I laid him down to change him on the floor not knowing it was leaking so, stain on the floor, had to clean that up quick and then clean him up. A few minutes later Nate wakes up from his nap and I go pick him and feel my shirt all wet. Ugh, he too was leaking from a runny, stinky diaper! Yuck! He was so nasty that I had to give him a bath. After his bath, I decided to run another bath for Jacob and Eli. While I'm putting Jacob's clothes on, Eli who is dry and waiting to be dressed, decides to poop on the floor! Oh my gosh, are you kidding?!!! I feel like it's some bad joke! Yuck!!! So that was my disgusting 30 min. experience this morning!

Lastly, Oct. pics of the Harvest Party

Our Harvest Party night began at our friend's, the Bates, house. We had dinner and then got dressed up. It was the first year we all went to the Harvest Party and Jacob and Eli's first year dressing up. You all enjoyed wearing your costumes and seeing friends at the church. Daddy also got into the spirit by dressing up as a cowboy! Each room at the church had a game to play for candy. Conner and Jacob had fun with most the games but after about 30 min., Mommy and Daddy were worn out with all the whining about wanting candy!! As if 3 or 4 pieces weren't enough you just wanted more and more! So it got progressively worse as time went on so after an hour or so we headed out. It was bed time anyway!

You boys with our friend Mileana Bates

A picture in the lobby at the church

Conner as a knight in shining armor

Eli as a pirate (Yes, Conner wore this when he was three)

Jacob as Peter Pan (and yes, Conner wore this when he was four)

Nate couldn't hang on any longer. In all the crazy noise he managed to fall asleep!

Oct. 2009 continued...

Here are more pics from October. For the first time we went to Cox Farm in Virginia for their Annual Harvest Festival and it was great!! It was far better than the local places we've been. There was so much to see and do and you boys loved it! We all enjoyed a hay ride that lasted for about 15-20 minutes and the tractor actually pulled us through a pond. It was a wild ride!! The slides were great and you boys loved seeing all the animals.