Whew!

I made it another year of this birthday junk.

My last and final day of bittersweet joy and heartache. (Boy, that is quite the mixture... ;)

Miss P turned the BIG 3. I have to admit, her birthday is easiest for me to handle... Guess thats the part of being a middle child. We've already hit "3" with big sister, but she's not technically  "the baby" so its not heartache of your baby growing up. Make sense?

BUT, at the same time she IS my baby GIRL and her and we share a sweet little stay-at-home-cuddle-time,-leave-us-alone spirit that I don't share with any of my other children. Oh, and we also share a "blankie" connection. ;)

I love her,

Love, love, love her.

She is oh so very sweet.

Very quiet.

Very soft.

I adore her soft, sweet little voice.

She is a mama's girl.

Still a tiny little thing.

She loves, and takes care of her brother so wonderfully. Changes his diaper, wipes his butt, wipes his face, she is so tender with him. Puts her hand on his chest, grabs his hand and looks him in the eye when she needs to talk to him.

Still talks like a little british girl... not using her R's and L's.

We had a super fun day with her. We went shopping! She got to spend her birthday money AND pick out something from mama and daddy.

We hung out a little while at the mall, played a little, got to pushy buhley in the stroller and eat lunch together. 

Then we took her to a movie! She's been asking to see a movie for her Bday so, that we did. We've never done the 3D thing, but WOW... how neat it was. We loved it, and Payton was so entertained. She kept reaching out trying to touch the things... and she's jump and say "WAOH" it was quite adorable.

We had a great day with our 3 year old...

now excuse me while I begin my next year to re-coup from all the birthday madness. ;)

Haircut

The little man needed a cut.....

but I left  my clippers and scissors in NM... So I asked my dad if he would take Stetson with him when 

he goes for a haircut and have some Pawpaw-Stetson time.

My dad has gone to the same barber since as far back as I can remember, so I thought it would be fun for Stetson to tag along... and thankfully, my dad agreed to take my camera along. 

My little dudes first "professional" haircut... I would DIE without pictures of that.... ;)

(thanks, Dad)

I got reports that Stetson did great!!

and he turned out oh Sooooo cute!!

He looks like he's 4!!!!!

We were walking up to Nat's softball game and my sister said

"aww look at Stetson"

So I looked and looked and looked and didn't see him anywhere...

WHERE?!?!

He was right in front of me and I completely did NOT notice him.

Oops. ;)

Heeaaaven help me!!

Today was the BIG day. 

The official start to school for the next umpteen years of my life

and yes,

I cried.

and yes, I watched the clock all day long...

WAITING for 3:00 to pick up my baby girl,

and YES she had the time of her life. 

She got in the van when I picked her up and she said-

"that was fun"

my heart smiled to hear that.

Seriously, is she not precious??

My beautiful girl.

I am SO pleased that Madelynn and Cash are going to be together in this! Heaven help their poor teachers throughout the years. ;)

BTW, Is Cash not THE cutest little dude you ever saw??

Oh, I could just eat him all up!!

Sitting at her desk. 

"ok mom you can leave now, I'm a BIG girl"

Waaahhh!!!

Oh my!!

Check ups and eye doctors and hairdressers... Oh my!!
Is this really happening?!?

Party!

 We did another big, 3 kid party hoorah this year. Its just so much easier to do that than 3 separate parties... 

and... 

well...

I sucked this year.

Still feel guilty about the lack of party that I had initially wanted to do.

I know, thats stupid... they really don't care anyways... 

It was a bad time though.. I've had trouble "Settling" here with half my stuff still in NM.. I seem to think that I can't function so I keep thinking,

-when I get my stuff from NM

... hence the

 "I can't throw the party I want to cuz most of the stuff I'll need is 4 hours away... and me going out and buying the things I would need would be a waste of money, and doubling what I already had"

...spirit.

Anyways.... now that I got that outta the way... 

I just went on the kids favorite colors... and we had a Pink, blue and orange party.

It was indeed a great day of celebrating the birth of my 3 babies. 

Shout out to my lovely, oh so talented sister on making the cakes!!

It was also another very special birthday that day!! We were pleased to be able to celebrate my mom too!

The kids had soo much fun.. 

swinging..

jumping

Riding

... and riding some more

and playing new games. 

Thanks to everyone who helped me in this endeavor... and thanks to everyone who took the time out to come celebrate this special time of year with us!! 

We'll do it all again next year!!! :)

Is it time yet??

Yesterday was a big day... Officially got Madelynn enrolled in school.. and got all her school supplies bought, and uniforms washed. Her little backpack sits before me, full of school supply goodies. On one side, my heart aches... that my baby is old enough to start this "school" thing... that were actually starting this "school" thing.

On the other side, I  am thrilled beyond pieces that my prayers in the school department have been answered.. thrilled that she is so very excited to begin this journey. So very thankful that she is not going into this blindly, but will have her mimi, pawpaw, cousin and her aunties all there to protect her... 

When thinking through all this, On the homeschool/private school list one of the "cons" of going to school would be that I wouldn't be there. 

You moms know what I'm saying when I say one of the hardest parts about sending them to school is not knowing what they're doing and not seeing them all day long... like you have since the day they laid that little baby on your chest in the hospital... not being there to protect them if they needed you. Not being there, period, if they needed you. 

So, I must say that my heart is at ease knowing there will be so many people that she is familiar with...

and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't really looking forward to the break. Madelynn is, how you say, the troublemaker when it comes to her siblings. ;) So I am excited to start this little journey with Payton and Stetson also.

If you think about it, on Aug. 15th... pray for my mama soul. :)

My baby boy.

It is entirely unbelievable that my BABY is 2 years old!!!

TWO!!

I've never had a baby that old. So crazy!!

Aghh!!!

My baby boy came into this world with a bang... the scariest day of my life, turned one of the greatest. When they brought him to me, I thought -there couldn't possibly be a smaller baby than this... although he was almost 6 lbs, I just remember thinking he was so tiny.

Oh that boy. He has forever stollen my heart and he will forever be mine. ;) (or so I tell myself)

Stetson at 2:

-Is SUCH a boy. Loves to jump, climb, do dare devilish things.

-Loves trains, airplanes, cars, BIG trucks. Often stops when we are out and talks about all the "transpiration" he sees... you've lost him if he sees a trash truck. :)

-Talks in complete sentences.. but mixes up the words in the sentence... "hit me...Madelynn, mommy"

-He is sooo incredibly smart!! Wayyyy to smart for his age. I think he's definitely the smartest of the 3 at this age. We are often asked when we are in public how old he is... and people are often shocked of his age.

-Can put on clothes and shoes on his own.

-Can't quite pedal on his own, but he is trying!!

-When asked "what color is that" he responds with "that color" ... such a smart boy he is. ;)

-Copies the girls... which is sometimes not so good. Him and Payton were playing in their room during nap time... I proceed in to calm them down and he runs to his bed and says" I get my bed, mommy... I in bed..." which he learned from his sisters... Its pretty funny to hear his little 2 year old self say stuff kids  don't usually pick up till 3 or 4.

-Gives the ULTIMATELY best kisses ever. Puckers up like theres no tomorrow... and did I mention he is very generous with them. ;)

-Anytime he sees anyone he knows, he yells "MIMI HOMEEE".... "DADDY HOMEEEE" "KINSEY HOMEEE"... and so on and so on... and its not as though were at that persons house... we pull up at the park and yells that when he sees mimi.

-Loves his cousin Cash.. and they'll play the WHOLE entire time they are together!! I can definitely tell that he enjoys the "boy time" that comes with his cousins.

-We are on the verge of starting potty training. We've dabbled in that area, and he is super ready... so we are gonna try and get that done before school starts and were not able to be home as much.

-Still is very attached to his blankie.

-He is very particular on how he is covered up at bedtime. If you don't do it just right... he keeps saying "me up, me up"... which means cover me up. Has to have his sheet, his little comforter and then his buhley on top of that.

-Such a very sweet, loving boy. Loves to cuddle.

-Says "bye, see yu lateh" with his little hand raise anytime we leave somewhere.

-Loves to pretend talk on the phone. Holds it up to his ear with his shoulder and walks around talking away.

-Very often can be seen making a pouty face with his bottom lip puckered out... when he first did this I thought he was upset about something, but I've since discovered he just does it all the time!! Its pretty hilarious and cute!!!

My sweet baby boy, I love you so!! Happy 2nd Birthday little man.