Hard to believe our little C is THREE!

Christian is three today and it's hard to believe!  It feels like just yesterday our little baby joined the family.  He's not so baby anymore!  He is an energetic, enthusiastic, loving and happy boy!  He and Nicholas love eachother very much and they are the first person eachother think about each and every day (even though they may be screaming, yelling and fighting a few mintues later)!  Nicholas was so excited the day before Christian's birthday in helping me and Mimi prep for the celebrations that he almost couldn't sleep!

At three years old Christian is gradually moving away from his trash truck obsession, but still loves them!!  He can now safely function with out playing with one or seeing one, but his favorite day of the week is still Monday--trash day!  Christian cheerfully wakes the entire house bright and early on Monday mornings (around 6:45 am) to let us know that "the trash trucks are here!"  He has even gotten a candy from our local trash collector and was picked up to press the lift button by him once too!  At least his interests are becoming more developed with age; first a simple trash can his first year and a half, then trash trucks, and now he's interested in land fills!  Besides trash day, Christian loves going to the library where he gets to pick new books each week and a DVD for family movie night each weekend.  We also participate in story time there where they sing, dance, and read books.  He loves to sing his favorite song from the library, "Baby Shark," where he loudly plays "GOTCHA" and the end all the while giggling hysterically.

 Christian loves music, his favorite song is Maroon Five's, "Moves like Jagger" which he pronounces "Moos MinJagger."  He also loves the sound of a powerful woman's voice and requests, "that girl" which usually means Stevie Nicks or Adele, go figure!

He loves his crib still at three and continued to say when he's three he's going to sleep in a bigger bed but when today came around he said no way!  He loves to sleep with all of his favorite animals still and his particular favorites are Pop and George.  His latest phase is that he loves to sleep naked.  He wakes every morning with out clothes on and on nights when I check on him before I go to bed he has already shed his clothes, but I have stopped waking him to put them back on.

Christian is so brilliantly quirky!  He received birthday money from Great Grandmom DD and when asked what he was going to do with the money he said he was going to go buy some rice and beans.  Christian keeps us and himself constantly laughing.  He marches to the beat of his own drum and we love him so much for that!

Today he woke to balloons on his bedroom floor.  He was so delighted, that alone could have been his entire birthday gift!  He wanted them all in his bed with him.

Christian and his birthday buddy, Hadley celebrating each other's birthdays together tonight!  After a mellow morning play date  and library time with friends.

Practicing his number 3!

Such a busy birthday that we opened gifts in our pj's at 8pm tonight.

For future embarrassment and proof of his love of the nude, this is a typical night of sleep for C!

What a magical, wonderful boy Christian is.  How lucky is he that he has so many that love him?!

Nicholas is F I V E ! ! !

I went through pictures last night on the eve of Nicholas' fifth birthday.  I was asked by his teacher for him to bring one picture of each year of his life to school today.  It made me a little weepy to think how quickly five years has gone by.  It seems like just yesterday that he was born.  I don't remember what life was like before him, he is the center of our world and has made both Chris and I better people.

Nicholas at 5 loves super heroes and Star Wars.  His favorites are Batman, Superman, and Darth Vader.  His favorite books are super hero books, Skippy John Jones and still, Frog and Toad.  His other favorite activities are building legos, riding his bike, and playing with his Star Wars figurines.  He is a great big brother and even this morning when we got him a Voodoo birthday doughnut he let Christian blow out his candle and let Christian open one gift.

We had a very lovely morning at his school where he walked the circle 5 times holding the globe symbolizing each year of his life while his classmates sang to him.  His teacher asked if he would like the class to sing Happy Birthday in English or Spanish he chose Spanish.

Keep on living and loving life Nicholas, you bring joy to ours!

Birthday breakfast, M&M Voodoo Doughnut

School Celebration

Chris remarked at school, "Oh my God, he looks so big!"

Nicholas and his friend eating lunch.

Christian said, "Take a picture of me."  I said give me your most handsome smile and this is what he gave me.  Goofy boy :)!

What does a five year old boy want for a birthday cake?  "Chocolate and Star Wars, Mom!"  Duh!

Christian didn't want to be in this one!

Nicholas may have let Christian blow out the doughnut candle, but not his Star Wars cake!  

P.S.  No one said I was a good cake maker or even enjoy making cakes...this was my last minute attempt.  And, Nicholas insisted he help make his own cake might I add!

We love you, Nicholas!  

Happy 70th Birthday Pop-pop!

The boys just love looking at this photo of Pop-pop as a toddler!  Thank you for being the best father, father - in law, and grandfather we could ask for.  You are truly the most selfless, generous and caring man I know.  Thank you for being such a good role model for the three most important "boys" in my life.  XOXO

~Christmas 2012~

Merry Christmas to all of our friends and family.  As 2013 begins, it's a reminder for me to wrap up the holiday season and reflect on what a happy December we had and an entirely blessed year full of amazing memories.  I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for us!

 The boys at the tree farm.  Nicholas loved carrying the saw around.

Watching Daddy cut the tree.

The one!

Warming up inside with some hot chocolate.

Santa visit #1 at the tree farm.

One of Nicholas' favorite things about Christmas is the ornaments.  He loves decorating the tree and admiring the ornaments.  He is currently carefully taking down all of the ornaments off the tree as I write this blog.

Santa visit #2

I have to say, Nicholas loves all things about Christmas as I'm sure most kids do.  He loved decorating the gingerbread house, and asked us non stop when we could make one as soon as Thanksgiving ended.

 Christian was into it this year as well!

The boys were so delighted to wake one morning and see our elf, Elvis, admiring the gingerbread house!

So happy Mom-mom and Pop-pop came for Christmas this year!  Everyone enjoyed decorating sugar cookies for Santa!

Tracking Santa on Pop-pop's computer on Christmas Eve.

Leaving a note, milk, gingerbread house and cookies for Santa.  Christian was a little upset they had to share the gingerbread house with Santa, he'd been waiting to eat it for weeks.  Nicholas wanted to make antler ears for the picture!

Nicholas' first letter to Santa!

Christmas morning, opening his Hess Chopper from Uncle Christian.

"What's this one?"

Still loves trash trucks!

Showing off his big stocking, he must have been a good boy this year!

Twins!

Santa left a little piece of the gingerbread house!

Nicholas' "I'm feirce!" face with his lego batman.

Legos, legos, legos!  And, he finally got his remote control hummer too!

Chris gifted his Dad a guided fishing boat on the Willamette River here in Portland.  Pop-pop and Chris came home so happy that day and Pop-pop mentioned it was the best Christmas gift ever!  Successful fishing day is an understatement as these were not the largest sturgeon they caught.  Pop-pop caught an 8 footer too large to bring aboard and Chris caught a 6 footer.  There is already talks of Salmon fishing in the Spring.

The boys back at home were very excited to watch muffins cook in the oven!

And just in the nick' of time, we saw the zoo lights before the season ended!

Wishing you all a very happy 2013!

Happy Birthday, Mimi!

Chris got back from his Asia trip yesterday after two long weeks and Mimi got in today.  The boys are double-ly happy and excited.  They kept asking all day when Mimi's birthday "party" was going to be.  Nicholas helped me make the cake and the icing and we got to sing happy birthday to Mimi a day late, but so glad we got to celebrate with her none the less!  All that the boys need is singing happy birthday and eating cake to make it a party!  At one point today, I ran out to the market and I was told Christian got upset because he thought I left for the birthday party without him.  He is too funny, but I can't explain the warmth that their joy for life brings to me!  We love spending time with you Mom, so happy to have you out with us!

Meem with her happy boys!