Happy 4th birthday, John David

Oh Johnny, what am I going to do with you, I told you to stop growing and here we are again celebrating another birthday.  John David, you are the sweetest kid I know.  And you have quite the personality.  You always have us cracking up with your silliness. We love you so much and want to wish you a big happy 4th birthday. 

You have been so patient, you know your birthday was coming up but you didn't ask about it too much, well until now.  Now that Austin's birthday is over, you know your special day is just around the corner.  We have been crossing out the days on our calendar.

Where are you today!  Gosh, it's funny because as I'm typing this, Darius Rucker's, "It Won't Be Like This for Long" is on and boy oh boy he is correct. 

You weigh 43 pounds and are 42 inches
 

 Your most favorite foods are cheeseburgers, pickles, salad, meatballs, applesauce, monkey yogurt, and bagels.  Let's rewind for a minute, salad?  When did you start liking salad?  We were out one night and you told me you wanted salad with the orange stuff.  I played along, since you told me you eat it at school, and sure enough you ate it!  And that orange stuff, it's yummy french dressing.  I like french too!  You also love spaghetti and you get that spaghetti face that kids get.  I always wanted a baby with spaghetti face, loved those Ragu commercials and now I have my very own.  You don't like the spaghetti at school, because, and you tell me this, "it's not mommy's spaghetti"  It makes me so happy that you like my cooking.  Just like daddy, you like vanilla ice cream.

Last year, I really had to help you with your bike.  Now, you are a master at it, going up and down the street.  It's amazing how much difference a year makes.  Pretty soon, we will all be able to ride together.  We just need to get daddy a bike!

You know your letters and your numbers 1-10, how to write your name and draw amazing pictures.  You like to make us special pictures and put them in envelopes.  Mommy and daddy need to lick the envelop though, and then you make a special delivery.  One time, you even put the note in our mailbox and mad daddy go retrieve it.  We need to teach you how to address an envelop and put a stamp on so we can share your precious pictures.

You love to sing.  And of course, it's Frozen, "Let it, go"  You were doing a puzzle the other day and you were belting out Let it Go.  I thought it was super cute. When we came to your Spring Sing, you were front and center singing your songs, and at bed time you like to sing songs together.

Speaking of bedtime, you have your own system, and like last year, you like to change it up.  We never really know how its going to go. Sometimes you want to hold your blankies with the tag closest to you, other times you want them covered over you and sometimes you don't even want them in your room.  You have a special love for your teddy bear and kangaroo or bunny, whatever it is and love to cuddle with them.  You 95% of time need a sip of water before bed.  You love to hear songs, stories and you love to talk before bed.

You have a blast with daddy.  He likes to play ball with you and watch you ride your bikes.  He does his wrestling moves on you but most of the time you aren't a big fan, only because you don't like to be locked down, but you like to lock him down.  Soon, my son, you will be locking him down. When grilling season started, you needed to have your play grill outside beside daddy and you love to cuddle with him

You like to be comfy and only wear jeans sometimes, very rarely, you are much more comfortable in comfy pants and a shirt.  You are very good at dressing yourself and usually match.

If you watch TV and it's still not a lot (like your brother) you will choose, Doc McStuffins, Daniel Tiger and Henry Hugglemonster.

You are having a blast playing Spot It, Go Fish and Memory with me.  You are very good at it too. You always beat me at Memory! 

You also love the ipad just like your big brother.  It's amazing really because when we first started Despicable me, you weren't very good, but now you are awesome!  You like Sonic too.  You love to do puzzles on the ipad as well as on the floor. 

John David, we better start getting ready to call you JD because I'm sure that is what they will call you on the team.  You start your first t-ball practice when we get back from Disney and you will be a star.  I'm so impressed with your ability to HIT the ball with no tee, and you hit it hard!  I feel for the pitchers because they are going to get a lot of line drives right back at them.  Your aim is awesome.  I'm just in awe of how good you are at hitting and throwing.  I hear soccer is in the fall, if t-ball goes well maybe you'll like soccer too. It doesn't matter what kind of ball it is, you love them all.  When we go to the park, you want to bring your football, basketball or just any kind of ball.

We are so lucky because you love to make our coffee in the morning and you love to make pancakes with Grandma.  We like to call it a cup of Johnny and your pancakes are delicious.  You will set the table for us too, so helpful you are!

 You are amazing John David.  Mommy and Daddy just think you are more caring little boy out there.  We hope you have a wonderful birthday and year.  This summer should be so much fun.  Can't wait to see you jump in the pool this year!  Happy Birthday, buddy!

Happy Birthday, Austin

My dear sweet Austin, happy 5th birthday to you.  Can you believe it, it's FINALLY here!  You've had a hard time with waiting for your special day.  You know it's after mine and Mother's Day, and before John David's but the 3 weeks in between is very hard for you, you are so excited.

Happy

It's hard for me to believe that you are already 5.  And little man, you are starting Kindergarten in the fall.  You will be going to daycare in the morning and then will be bussed to school.  Such a big boy you will be.  You are starting t-ball in a few weeks and we are so excited to watch you.

Let's see what you have been up to.

You are 48 pounds and 44.5 inches.

You can't have a messy room.  We will put you to bed, get you all tucked in and then will start hearing banging and moving going on in your room.   Then you'll come out of your room with a purpose and want us to see your room.  You have no problems keeping a mess in the living room, but your room has to be clean, with the exception of under your bed, although you just told me that you want to clean it.

Loving on Buster

You have a deep love for Buster.  There are times, when you will lay on the floor with him and pet him so nicely and look into his deep brown eyes.  You have to kiss and hug him before we leave in the morning and before you to go bed.  You often tell him you love him and that you love his big brown eyes.

Mommy cuddles

You have learned that mommy loves to hear sweet things from you.  You see, buddy, I'm trying to show you what your mom and your potential girlfriends will want to hear.  It makes us feel so happy to hear nice things.  So sometimes, you will say, "oh mommy, I have a secret for you", you'll pull my hair away from my ear and whisper,  "I love you".  It melts my heart every time.  You say things like, "I will love you forever"  "I'm going to love you all day"  "I still love you"  "Oh mommy, you look so cute with your hair like that". 

Being silly before bed

You crack me up with your style.  In the winter, you would only wear jeans.  Do you know how many pairs of jeans you went through, a bazillion.  Because, while you will wear jeans every day, you will not wear ripped jeans.  But the minute we come home, you rip the jeans off and put on comfy jammy clothes, which entails, shorts and short sleeve shirt.   Now that it's warm, one might think you would wear jean shorts, but no, it must be basketball comfy shorts with no strings.  We will have to cut off the string or just remove it. You like to be cute and often ask me "Mommy am I cute?" after you choose your clothes.

 Austin, right now your favorite foods consist of pizza, but only cheese pizza, and if the cheese comes off, you have a melt down!  You like cottage cheese, monkey yogurt, oatmeal squares.  What's different about you know versus a year ago is that you are more willing to try food.  You may not like it, but you will try it.  You are definitely my child, because you like shrimp, and you take my shrimp.  Austin, you must know, that I would not give you my shrimp, if I didn't love you.  Shrimp is my favorite dish and I don't share with just anyone. I do share, but when it comes to shrimp, I gotta be selective. Good thing you chose the Lobster place for birthday dinner so you can eat shrimp. You love ice cream, chocolate ice cream, just like me.  Vanilla just won't do.

Happiest when on bike

Thank god, Daddy got your bike down, because you love to ride.  Last year, you were riding with a little help from me, now, oh my goodness, slow down!  You are giving mommy gray hairs.  You go so fast, in circles and you fall a lot, but you get right back up.  You are so determined and courageous.  Maybe, next year we will have the training wheels off, my whole head will be gray! ;-)  When you ride your bike, you have the biggest grin on your face and it just makes me so happy.  I'm sure you feel so free!

You love to play on the iPad!  And you are good at it too.  Minion Rush and Sega are favorite games, but you are known to play memory, puzzles and ant crusher.

Your favorite  shows are Henry Hugglemonster, Doc McStuffins, Up (The funny movie), I'm not sure why you call Up the funny movie, but you do.  Other shows you like, Jake, Daniel Tiger, Ella the Elephant.

I have a question for you, why do you go unbelievably crazy the minutes before and after the bath? Maybe one day, you'll be able to answer this for me as I really would like to know.  Bath time, is crazy.  There is water EVERYWHERE.  And I don't know what to do, yes, you get water all over the place, but you do clean it up afterwards, pretty good too.  Just scared that one day, you will have a nasty fall.
 
Something new the past couple of weeks.  You are freaked out by ants.  You were playing in the dirt and all of the ants appeared and some got on you and you were running and screaming, "GET THEM OFF"  Then, you had to go go inside and wouldn't come out. John David was outside with daddy and you were inside coloring because you didn't want to be by the bugs.  It's okay, Austin, mommy hates bugs too!  I'm sure you'll be over that soon.  And that you'll be bringing me your treasures and I'll be screaming.

pictures before bed

You have a blast with daddy.  You love it when daddy traps you and tickles you.  It seems as though you can't get enough.  Daddy loves getting you with the hose and hearing that contagious laugh of yours.  Recently, we have all started playing Spot It and Go Fish and it has been a blast. 

He even gave his guy a name

You have been so creative with your pictures.  It's amazing to see how much your pictures have changed in the last 6 months, especially your self portraits. They started off pretty basic and now they have hair and what looks to be glasses.  I love it.  And you are so creative with your chalk drawings outside.  When I pick you up from school, it's amazing what you have in your folder, so many fun and creative drawings.  Thankfully, I'm keeping some of them in a bin to look at.

Stopping to look at the view

You like to be the boss and tell people what to do, especially John David.  Apparently, you like to tell on people too, at school you told the teacher your friend was playing with the string on his shorts.  Silly boy.  We try to tell you to worry about yourself, but to you everything needs to be in its place.  We are working on this.

Austin, my sweet Austin, we love you so much.  You are a hoot and definitely keep us entertained.  You are wild and crazy but have a big sweet heart.  You keep us on our toes and laughing.  We look forward to another fun summer and a lot of firsts this year.  Kindergarten is in just 3 short months.  And you will rock it!  You will love riding the bus and making new friends. You will do wonderfully.  We are so proud of you, happy birthday buddy!