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!

Sleeping Beauty Selah

When you come upstairs to bed and see your daughter has somehow crawled out of her bed and into yours and all you can think is, "wow. She's beautiful." 

Dear Hezekiah

Dear Heze,

Last month you turned one!!! In some ways, your first year was more challenging than others: baby blues, name change, and all the food allergies. When you were 7 months we removed all dairy, gluten, orange/red/yellow foods from your diet (I stuck with you for a month but the cheese was calling...). You've broken out in lots of rashes and vomited up foods that are bad for you. But through it all, you've remained such a wonderful and happy little guy. You are laid back, sweet, and funny. You are crawling and cruising and only this week began to take steps. You have four teeth and four more are emerging. You've made two trips to Cincinnati and were a trooper through one beach vacation (you LOVE the beach). You love to play ball, with a tool bench, and you love to mimick us. If we cough, you cough. We make a noise, you try to make it back. Ever since you were little you and I talk to each other in growers and clicks. It's a cute language I kind of hope we keep. 

You are such a smart boy! You clean up when you see us cleaning, you are aware of the word no, and you know when you are being left out. (We call you "an angry elf" because you scream and protest when you are left out :). you enjoy trying to color or do whatever your siblings are doing. Most of the time you sleep very well- all through the night and 2 naps a day. You can say: mama, dada, done, baba, and oh-no. You can hold up

One finger when I ask you how old you are. And you can sign: eat, more, all done, and pray. 

The other night I was praying over you before bedtime, and you threw your bottle down and made your hands into the praying sign. I was blown away thinking about how much you know that I'm not even aware of. 

My heart broke for you during your one year check-up. They had to do a blood draw for your food allergies and to check for celiac. Your lower lip sticking out broke my heart. Your results came back that you are allergic to just about everything. The dr. Said, "I've never seen a baby light up the results like he did."  We knew something was not right and now we are praying for the wisdom to know what to feed you. I also pray you grow out of these. 

You are dearly loved, Hezekiah Jason, and I love having you a part of our family. 

 

"You're the Baddest"

So, Asa's favorite comeback is "you're the baddest."  He sometimes says it when he's mad at a sibling or when he's talking about villains and super heroes. Sometimes he even says it when you say something is good just to be challenging. To me it is funny (even though he did call Jason that once and we really scolded him for that) but to his siblings it is mean and cruel. There is always lots of tears when he calls someone or something the baddest. I shouldn't laugh but part of me is glad that's the worst thing being said! Jason and I talk about how his words "cut to the quick" but we are just joking with each other. Other times when I am frustrated with all the drama over the words I will say, "no one is the baddest except Satan." Or "we are all the baddest without Jesus."  

Seabrook Island

KI In August we took a family vacation to Seabrook island. Seriously, it is my favorite place! It was a glorious week of pool fun, beach time, and lovely family time. Heze loved everything about the beach. Asa loved the sand but hated the water. The first several days he would cry if anyone got close to it. He would say, "the water bad. It get you!"  By the end of the week he would get close to the water but he would still never get in. Perhaps next time. :) here are a few of my favorite pictures. Be sure to check out my marriage blog to hear the shark story!!! 

Don't want to forget

The other day we were having a picnic at the park. A blue truck drove by and not much later a jogger passed. Selah said, "Daddy, why is that old man chasing that truck?" 

The kids then dialgued about why the ma was chasing the truck. Haha. 

We started soccer with the kids. Jason is coaching both Havana's team and selah and Jonah's team. It's been quite stressful for me... And Jonah had struggled to grasp it. He doesn't really like it. When jason tells him to go get the ball from the other team he said, "but dad, we aren't supposed to take things from other people." What a sweet boy...