Dear Havana

Oh child... tomorrow you will be 8! I can't believe it. You are so bright, beautiful, creative, fun, and sweet. I love your heart, your knowledge of the Word, your questions about God, and all the fun you see in life.

You love to organize things. You are always helping me put things away or set up new systems. I also somethings think of you as a little squirrel because you put random things in strange places, but you have a reason and a purpose... storing it for later. It makes me smile when I find an old juice box that you hid in your bathroom drawer because you liked the picture. Don't get me wrong, I still threw it away, but I did so with a smile on my face. :)

This past year you finished up first grade with a bang! Enjoyed a hectic summer where we MOVED, and started 2nd grade. You might have a discouraging moment or two, but most of the time you are upbeat and excited about any and everything. You LOVE all things music (worship, dance, classical, and show tunes) and art. You were in "hip hop" dance this year, where I had to have the teacher change the songs because of the lyrics, but I don't think you were too embarrassed of me. :)

My heart is so emotional right now. How can my little girl be getting big so fast? Your daddy and I often speak about how big you are getting. You are growing into quite a beautiful and kind lady.

It's fun to talk to you. We talk friends, politics, and God. You love baby Einstein, classical music, dancing, singing, and playing games. You get bored kind of easily if an adult is not around. You are expressive and fun.

We were talking politics recently and God used you to convict me... I had mentioned to you (several times) that I'm not excited about Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. You said that if they name a bridge after either of them we won't say the name but call it the "nothing bridge" -- I realized I wasn't setting a respectful tone. So we have talked about no matter who wins, we will pray for them. You said you hope they listen to Jesus... I do too. Thanks for challenging me on that. I'm looking forward to growing in our relationship!

Here's the message I want you to know right now:
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. God made no mistakes on how He has wired you. You are smart and funny... kind and pretty. But none of those are the most important things. Your heart that beats for God and is other centered is what will keep you on the right path. Your creativity is a way to point others to the Lord, and I pray that you will learn to worship Him in the midst of your music and crafting. Be a light for him, don't worry about the opinion of others. Be a good friend to all and don't worry if you don't have someone you can call a "best friend." Trust God no matter what, He is the only thing you can put your hope in.

I don't know what this year will have in store for you, but I know that with prayer and Jesus we will make it through it all. I love you so much... I'm so lucky to be your mom-mom. Thanks for being my snuggly girl.

Apple-tight

Selah kept telling me she lost her appetite. Only she says "Apple tight" and if I try to tell her otherwise she makes a big fuss. Haha. 

Sweet sayings

So much to blog and write about. But before I forget...

We were driving down the road when Selah dropped a toy. She said she could reach it if she took her seat belt off. Havana quickly turned around and said, "No! It's not safe. Especially on the Internet!" 

Jonah is such a sweet boy and was telling me all about how the Bible tells us we have to love our "mnies" which was his sweet way of saying "enemies"

Selah is just a bundle of fun but has her tender moments. The other morning she woke up before anyone and then told me she prayed in every room of the house. 

Asa is a gifts boy and is always picking flowers or leaves for me. He calls them my "special presents." Anyway, I told him the other day that he was going to make his wife very happy someday with all his gift giving. He said "yeah, every time she cries I will get her a special present like grass or rocks." :) also, when he talks he isn't making his "r" sound yet. So instead of "creek" it is ceek. So cute. 

Heze's started referring to himself as Kiah. Guess he is skipping the heze nick name I gave him. He also says come on "kumon" and I love hearing it. :) 

Tommy & Fawoo

Hezekiah has a sweet little voice. I love hearing him attempt to say whatever the big kids are saying. Some of my favorites right now are how he calls Thomas the Train "Tommy" and Fireworks "Fawoo" -- he was so fun to watch on the 4th. He would run (belly out) up and down the sidewalk yelling "mama! Look! Fawoo"

Crib escape!

So this little stinker (seen here offering me a kiss) learned how to climb out of his crib today! Twice at nap time and so far four times tonight. Not this young!!! Gonna be a long night.... 

Asa's Funnies

Recently I was giving Asa a bunch of kissed. He extended his arms keeping my face away and said, "Okay, okay... That's enough!"

After we picked up Havana and Jonah from school I was asking them all about their day... Asa piped up from the back and said, "Woah, woah, woah... Too many questions. Too many questions."

Today I was snuggling with Asa and told him he would have to break free from my arms to get out. He stopped struggling and said (mainly to himself), "Focus. Focus." 

So funny!

And I don't know if I've written about it before but one night he kept getting out of his bed and I finally said, "now look..." He quickly popped up, gave me a kiss, tilted his head, and then said, "now look what?" 

Garth Brooks

Jason took me to the concert of my dreams on Saturday night!!!! Loved every minute of Garth!!!!

Hezekiah is 18 months!!!

Well, Hezekiah turned 18 months in March! He was 24 pounds and got a great report from the doctor. He still has a very restrictive diet, but the Dr. said we could try new foods soon. So, we opted to try peanut butter. BIG mistake!!! He had his worse reaction yet. 

He is saying lots of words:

Mom

Dad

Hezzy 

Nose 

Eyes

Ears

Hair

No

Milk

Please

Tucker

Woof-woof

Ribbet (for frog) 

Book 

Lovey

Sippy Cup 

Blue dude (what he tries to call his loves even though that is Asa's guys name)

Sky walker 

Car 

Choo-choo 

He still takes 2 naps a day! And I can't really believe my baby is getting so big! He is still sleeping in our recalled infant crib because I have declared he isn't big enough to move. He's a sweet thumb sucker who loves life. He does whatever his siblings are doing... Will laugh at jokes he doesn't understand... And plays chance and hide-n-seek with them  he's such a sweet boy and I'm so lucky to be his mama. 

Jonah's extra tooth

When Jonah was 2.5, he grew an extra tooth... Right in the front. We have loving called it his "extra tooth" ever since. Well, tonight (March 26th, 2016) he lost it! :) He was super pumped and very brave! 

Sleep talking

Selah and Asa have been a bit under the weather... Which means sleepless nights for us all. Asa was asleep in our bed and as Jason was giving him a breathing treatment and a nose sprayer... He started talking in his sleep and the first thing he said (while sleeping) is "where's Heze?" 

He loves Hezekiah and its so cute to watch that come through even in his sleep. 

Selah's Sayings...

I think I will need a recurring post title called "Selah's Sayings" simply because that girl makes us laugh so much. She has such a delightful (and dramatic personality). For instance, she was talking with me, but once she saw a bag from Kohls in my hand she said, "ooo, new clothes!" She LOVES fashion and shoes and I want her to pick out my outfits for the rest of my life. :) 

She loves to say she is brave and isn't scared of anything. The other night we were reading the Bible story where David kills a lion with his sling shot and Selah said she is brave and could do that, but since she doesn't have a sling shot, she would just use her hands. 

She is curious about lots of things such as how does Ariel (in costume at the zoo) walk when she only has fins. Also, the stomach bug got her thinking... 

Selah: mom, do you remember when I was sick. 
Me: yes. 
S: let's talk about the stomach bug. 
Me: okay... What do you want to know? 
S: is it the stomach bug that makes that jelly come out of your belly? 
Me: yes. 
S: that makes Jesus mad. 
Me: well, he doesn't like it when we get sick but I don't know that it makes him mad. 
S: yes it does. When that jelly comes up from your belly it goes up through your heart and Jesus lives in our hearts and he doesn't like it washing over him

Sooo cute. And funny. She makes me laugh and giggle every day. She also reminds me of me... so much! She's like a little darby running around, even our babysitter says it is freaky and she feels like I am right there with them if selah is there. ha. 

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas

Halloween 2015 was a blast... Havana dressed as Jasmine, Jonah a Stormtrooper, Selah was Dorothy, Asa was Yoda, and Hezekiah was a lion. As always, October was full of pumpkin picking (and carving), halloween at the zoo, and trick-or-treating. The weather cooperated and Jason was able to have the evening off. All and all - a great time. :)

Thanksgiving was fun this year. Jason had the entire weekend off (which never happens and will likely never happen again) so we went to Cincinnati... 

And for Christmas we stayed home (daddy had the day off again!). We spend Christmas eve at my parents and then we were heading to Jason's parents when havana puked all over the car and we ran off an incline and had to get towed. So... Christmas with that side of the family didn't happen until later. 

It was such a great few months! 

Asa's 3rd birthday letter

Dear Asa,

Earlier this month, you turned 3 years old! You requested a Bubble Guppies party which was fun to have. Sadly, I'm noticing that I'm exhausted by the time your bday rolls around from Christmas... but I'm hoping that I can learn to prepare better in advance. I never want you to feel that your birthday isn't special because it is and you are.

You've had a fun year. You enjoy anything that the older kiddos do. Over the past year with ditched your paci, which was huge for you, moved you into a toddler bed, and semi-potty trained you. You faithfully go #2 on the potty, but for some strange reason still resist peeing on the potty. You took a trip to the beach where you despised the water but loved the sand. You enjoyed a day at Holiday World. You went trick-or-treating as Yoda and really love Captain America... in fact, you ran up to meet him at the zoo.

You're a funny boy... full of personality and manipulation. :) You love to kiss me when I'm correcting you and kiss me before you obey. This is rather scary that you know how to do this, but it is hard not to wear a big smile. My favorite place for your head to be in the crook of my neck...

You are a spunky little brother who loves to smother your siblings... or tackle them. You are an awesome older brother who is constantly kissing and snuggling Hezekiah. It's fun to have you as our 4th! God has placed you there for a reason. I remember once feeling so scared about how you would react to Heze... thinking you would be bitter towards him or want nothing to do with him... but you instantly loved him and have been looking out for him ever since. My heart swells when I see that.

You are growing up, using your words and becoming such a big boy. I'm proud of you and I love you. I want nothing more for your heart to be sold out the One who created you and that you will spend your days honoring him by the way you interact with your family. Thank you for being you, Asa Joash! This mama loves you!

Havana's 7th Birthday Letter

Dear Havana,

Last year I wrote your birthday letter to you on January 15th and said I would need to be more prompt. I'm hoping January 1st counts. Eek, sorry honey. I have thought about what to say for so long, but really there is so much I want to say that it is hard for me to accurately write it down... and the thought of coming up short from what's in my heart keeps me from writing, but here I am... let's do this.

First, I just want to tell you that I love you very, very much. You told me tonight as I was tucking you in bed that you don't feel special around Selah... I talked to you about not believing the lies of Satan, but to always know that You, just as you are, are special to God, mommy and daddy. You seem to struggle with having to prove yourself... you have to be the winner of the game or you have to figure out homework problems on your own... I think it the first-born in you, but I also am praying for you as I fear it might be some pride dwelling up in  your heart. At one point this year I told you I was your mom and that I'm here to help... you sat down and wrote me a note that said, "Dear Mom, You can help me by letting me do it by myself." When we took you rollerskating for your seventh birthday date you didn't want to skate holding our hands, but figuring it out on your own. I'm praying that I will know how to direct, channel, and correct (when needed) that attitude of yours. But as I do, know that you are loved completely.

Over the past year you have continued to excel and grow. You finished Kindergarten in May and are loving going to school three days a week. You enjoyed a trip to the beach where you loved finding sea shells and we even found a sand dollar (not to mention touch a beached shark!).

You were in a ballet recital... you did awesome dancing to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and I loved watching you excel. I'm also excited that you began piano... you have such a love for music and I'm glad we are honing in on that at an early age.

You have been growing in your faith, reading the Bible and asking really great questions like how do we know God is real and not just a made up story. You have been seeking God, clinging to Him, and falling in love with his word. You are thinking about the stories... and placing yourself in them. I love it and pray that His Word is taking root in your heart and will help you throughout the rest of your life. You are saying amazing prayers! I love your faith...

You have developed a similar passion to your mama, Scrapbooking. For your 7th birthday I gave you lots of scrapbook supplies and you have been hard at work. You are very artsy and very good. I love that you will have your own books, and it is fun to spend time together doing something we both enjoy.

Over the year you have lost three teeth (maybe four?) and while you do get anxious, it is just a reminder of all the rights of passage you are about to embark in. You are getting taller... another reminder of how you are growing up. You are developing more adult tastes like Panera over Panda Express...

You had a Pluto birthday this year. Your friend party was at the dance studio and sadly not many of your classmates came, but i think that was due to it being kind of last minute on a Sunday in Indiana. You enjoyed a grandparents party on Halloween and also a date with mommy and daddy. We picked you up from school, took you to JC Pennys to buy an outfit and take photos... then we ate at Panera and went to Jammers, the roller skating rink. Such fun.

You love arts and crafts and color for hours every week. This year you made everyone a Thanksgiving place mat where you told them you were thankful for them. It was very sweet and I loved seeing your heart enjoy doing things for others.

I will be honest, I don't know how this mother/daughter relationship is suppose to work, but I pray that we are  building an unshakable bond and that you know you can trust me... I'm hoping that through the years you see a mama who is getting better at loving you because I'm loving Christ more with each passing year. You are my special girl, Havana Corynne! I love you forever!

Your mama!