Another milestone

Happy Birthday Big Boy

So it goes without saying that we love Jax. Who wouldn't love that adventurous little boy with a mischievous grin and a rock in his pocket. So this year I'd like to share with you the 3 things that I love about Jax that are sort of random but it's the little things we remember right? So here's to my Big Birthday Boy. I love you buddy!

Now here's the 3 lesser known things I love about Jax:
1. I love that Jax sleeps with his tushey in the air. It's so funny to me and looks incredibly uncomfortable, but this is how you will ALWAYS find him, tushey up and arms folded. Note the blanket. This is his Bob Bob. He is never without it, and if we happen to get away from home for the night without it, chaos ensues. The best part is that it isn't even his blanket (or wasn't at least). I was given to me as a gift in college from a roommates mom, but it never saw much use until Jax came along.

2. Jax loves his brothers and sister, but he has a special spot for Kena. If I say "go play" the first person he runs to is Kena (who he affectionately calls Lynn, by the way, even though no one else uses that nick name). Perhaps it's because they're only 16 months apart in age, or maybe its the fact that he's the only brother that will let Kena dress him up and comb his hair, but these two share a special bond and it warms my heart. If you're looking for Jax, you can be almost sure that he's doing something with his big sister!

3. I love how random my little guy can be. In this picture we're at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake and there are several things I'd like to point out. First the shirt. Notice that the top button is undone. This is the first (and only) time in the entire life of this shirt that he's allowed me to leave it undone. He's very particular about it and I'm not quite sure how I got away without it being done. If we leave it undone he'll come running out of his room and say "you missed one!"

I also love the hat. We go through phases with Jax where he won't leave home without it. This was one of those times. He wore it the entire day and refused to take it off.

I also love the marker in his hand. He was so excited to see that they had markers to color with instead of just crayons. Every couple of seconds he'd stop and tell me how cool is was that they had markers or how we should have markers at our house. You can't see it in this picture, but by the end of our trip he had red and black on his face...hence the no markers at our house.

He's the first child I've had whose had such a mind of his own and I love him for it. He knows what he wants and he works til he gets it!

Another first!

Trace and his spoils. I figured that with inflation a dollar was appropriate!

So happy to have a gap!

My mommy firsts just keep adding up! I got to be tooth fairy for the very first time last night. My big boy Trace has been working on that darn tooth for nearly 2 weeks. Yesterday before church he asked me to put a string around it and was so disappointed when I wouldn't (does any one else get queasy thinking about pulling teeth?). But all his hard work paid off. As we pulled into our parking space at church I hear a shout from the back seat "MY TOOTH IS OUT!!" He was so proud he walked around the whole building telling anyone who would listen. What a cute kid.

He walks!

Finally my baby has decided that walking isn't so bad. He's even started standing himself up in the middle of the floor to walk. I'm so excited. My upper body was getting major work out hauling him around!

Happy 24th!

Daddy and his boys.

Mason played in the water that splashed on the porch.

My monkeys making "silly" faces.

Mommy thought she had the upper hand with the hose, but I think I came out wetter then anyone else.

Mommy and Jax on the float. Trace and Kena were on the other side.

Cory dug the sign that this kid had. They were really scooping the poop from the horses. Pretty funny. I like his long underwear personally.

I know this post is a little late coming, but we had a great 24th of July. Our valley has the biggest 24th of July Celebration outside of the state of Utah and this was our first year attending. I helped with a triathlon that morning and then our kiddo's rode the wards float in the parade. The we all came home, and had a water fight! So much fun!

They grow up to fast...

This morning this beautiful little girl had a melt down. She is convinced that she has already been five, and in April she would like to turn 6. How do you explain something like that to a kid. Try as I might I was unable to convince her that 5 was a good year too, and she ended up crying on her bed for a full 5 minutes!

It's got me thinking...don't they all just grow to fast? It seems like I blinked and she became this beautiful little girl. And all to often I find myself looking at her and getting glimpses of who she'll be as a young woman. Why, just Sunday I found myself watching her from down the bench, and she looked so grown up that I couldn't help but be sad. Someday my sweet little "sister" will be a big grown up girl, dating boys, and marrying one of them, making great friends and going out to "just hang", and even having little girls all her own. I'm so grateful for the chance to be her mommy and share all of that with her...but please don't make me skip 5!

A boy and a bee

For Mason's birthday this year he got a Wheely Bee. Its an awesome little ride on that has 4 caster wheels so it doesn't get stuck in corners and such. Just this weekend he decided to use it for the first time, but not to ride on, to walk with. See Mason is 14 months old and still not walking completely on his own (he can, but just won't) but the wheeley bee has given him new freedom. He can walk all over the house and get himself out of tight spots It's made it possible for him to keep up with his brothers and sisters, and he is having a blast!

Being stuck doesn't stop this boy!

He's also found momma's kitchen stool to be a helpful walking tool!

Look at that face! Now that is one happy walker!