Judah is ONE!

Honestly, I haven't felt much like writing the past couple months.  Sometimes life's circumstances just don't leave much room for [creative] writing, at least in my experience.

Still, something pretty noteworthy happened, and truly, Judah's 1st birthday deserves some recognition! So here it goes....

February 26th, 2017 rolled around, and it was so hard to believe Judah had been with us an entire year.  This year has flown by, but each day, literally, each day, there is a moment where I am struck by the enormity of blessing that Judah is--to me, our family, and our community--and I praise God for entrusting him to us!

We had a little party, and he was a bit unsure of everything -- the presents, the cake, the singing --but we enjoyed being able to celebrate his first year with us!

For as much as Judah loves music, he really wasn't sure about everyone singing to him!

What is this?!

There was not much smashing that happened with his smash cake!

He got some help with his presents! :)

"Is he always this happy?" That's the been the number one question we've received over the course of Judah's life. While of course Judah has his moments--he is human, after all--generally, yes, he is always that happy!  Judah loves to smile and laugh, and in the past few months, has really turned into a little jokester and goofball.

He loves baths!

"Calm" has also been a word I'd use to define Judah.  From the time he was born, he was been so chill, content to wait, sit around, watch, and be patient.  This has been extra wonderful since with his two older brother often creating chaos, I've really appreciated not having a third one adding to the craziness.

Too cool for school.  

On eating...
Judah likes food (meat, eggs, vegetables, and fruit especially), but has been the first of our child to (gasp!) not really like cheese or noodles.  Actually, he pretty much hates noodles....if I can even get him to try one, he will usually spit it out.  (WHAT?!?!)  He hasn't been the enormous eater Isaiah was, but can still pack it in if he likes it. He's had [the same] 6 teeth since Christmas, and eats everything we do except for the obviously hard and crunchy things not safe for baby consumption.  He is still nursing, 4-5 times a day, and has been my easiest, least fussy nurser.  As long as we're in a dark room with a noise machine on, that is....  He is easily distracted. :)   I haven't thought much about weaning, except we will probably go 18 months +, or until a good reason comes up to wean.

We like each other a whole lot!

On sleeping...
From day 2, he was never fussy at night. Like, never (ok, ok, there was that one time at 4 months, two times at 9 months, and four times at 10 months...).  He was always great at going back to sleep once I nursed him, and believe me, I am grateful...I know that is not the case for many mamas out there! Up until around 8-9 months, when he was well established on two naps a day, he wasn't a great napper, but at six months Judah gave me a beautiful gift when he started sleeping all night.  The norm is 11-12 glorious hours a night...he is such a rockstar!  Currently, at 14 months, he takes a 1 hour nap in the morning, a 1 1/2-2 hour nap in the afternoon, and sleeps 11-12 hours at night. Because he is content and chill, he doesn't show many sleep cues, so I've settled on appropriate waketimes for his age, and put him down to sleep based on that.  We've had several bumps to his sleep patterns along the way, but thanks to a little sleep training here and there, they have smoothed out relatively quickly.

On his brothers...
It is so fun to watch him and his big brothers interact.  Judah is the recipient of many passing hugs, kisses, and spontaneous squeezes from Isaiah and Ezra. They've never shown any signs of jealousy at all towards Judah, but vary between loving on or ignoring him.  As Judah gets older and more involved he is harder to ignore though. :)   They read books to him, stack blocks for him to knock down, dance around him, make funny faces at him to make him laugh, and occasionally say, "Oh Judah, why do you get into everything!" with a big sigh. (I have no idea where they would hear those words....ahem.)

This pretty much sums it up...Ezra constantly harassing Judah and Judah making faces back at him!

This was today - "Look Mom, I'm holding Judah!" 

On toddlerhood...
In the last month, Judah has learned to walk. He now does so proficiently. It's really incredible how fast babies grow up, and how fast they learn.  With this newfound skill, Judah is also developing some other traits that are not quite as....desirable.  We have heard him starting to imitate the scream his brothers' make when frustrated or angry.  He has started to (greatly) protest diaper or clothes changes. And he most definitely is letting us know when he is not happy because he doesn't get his way. So while the first 13 months of his life were defined by "calm" and "happy", I think toddlerhood has brought out another side of our third child.

Walking outside in the dirt is AWESOME!

I seriously can't get over these sunglasses on this kid

On playtime....
It is definitely interesting to observe our third child and what playtime looks like...as a third child. Because he is constantly entertained by the activity of his brothers, I have to be very deliberate to intentionally play with him.  I have also found reading with him to be much more of a challenge.  We have made a conscientious effort from the time our boys were small to read to them a ton, and they have developed a great love for stories and book! With Judah...it's been hard.  Once he was old enough to really be mobile, he didn't like sitting for the older boys' books (which is understandable), but the big boys are not satisfied reading Judah's baby books (also understandable). All that to say, Judah has been read to waaay less at this point of his life than our other boys.  Still, all is not lost (at least that's what I keep telling myself)!  The last month or two (since I've realized this lack in his life), I've been trying to be equally conscientious to read to him.  Lately Judah's been digging through his book drawer in his room, pulling out books, looking at them, and then carrying them over to us so we can read it to him. It's very cute!

You know when you should be doing something, but you're not?  Well, there is a time when Judah is decidedly not happy, and that is when I have him do independent playtime.  I wrote a whole post a while back on what that is, the benefits of IP time, and how to do it here.  When Judah was young, he was so content to be by himself, that I didn't worry about doing consistent IP time.  However, when I did it a few months ago, when he was about 10 months, he HATED it. With a passion.  It sounded like it was the worst....5 minutes....of his life. And unfortunately, I haven't been consistent with it since--really only when I need him off the floor or it a safe contained space for a few minutes (I'm talking 15 minutes, max).  And it doesn't matter how many toys, what toys, music, or other entertainment is provided....Judah is not a fan. (*cue instantaneous loud wailing*)

This is really my fault, and I kick myself for not doing it consistently when he was young, like I did with Isaiah.  But, that is one of my goals for the summer...consistent IP time for Judah. We'll start small (probably 3-4 minutes), use a timer so he eventually knows I come when the timer goes off, and really, just try to follow my own advice so we can all experience the wonderful benefits that come from Independent Playtime!!!   I would love for him to be content for 30-45 minutes at a time, so that when Fall rolls around, it will be a great way I can do some focused school or activities with the older boys when we need a little toddler to not be underfoot.

On communicating...
Judah has not said his first word yet (that we can understand anyway).  He makes lots of word-like syllables and sounds, so I think he's pretty close.  With all of our kids, we have taught them some baby sign language, and Judah has definitely been the quickest to pick it up, and the most proficient at using what he knows.  We haven't taught him tons of signs, but there are a few key ones we use all the time. I find it such a valuable skill for them to be able to communicate before they can talk.  I mean, they already know what they want (or don't want), that is for sure! Today he was in a swing at the park, looking a little unsure after a while, and then put his hands up and signed 'all done' very timidly (I think he was afraid to let go of the tray!).  It was super cute.

Every child in a family brings such different joys, challenges, and contributions to the family dynamic, and we feel incredibly blessed that the Lord saw fit to add this precious child into our family!

We love you Judah!

He's Five!

At the end of December we celebrated Isaiah's fifth birthday.  It kinda seemed like a big deal; I mean, five is so much older and mature sounding than four.  It also means five years of being experimented on by his parents (only with parental tactics, mind you), five years of blazing the trail as the firstborn, and five years of filling our lives with more love and joy than we ever imagined we'd have as parents.

Isaiah's Birthday breakfast!

 And so, in light of all that awesomeness, I thought Isaiah deserved a post of his own!

It's pretty amazing at how much of their personality comes out while they are very young--as I reflect on who Isaiah is today, I realize we saw so many of these same traits by the time he was 18 months.

Isaiah is a sensitive little soul..  He doesn't like to be teased, tickled, or man-handled.  As a baby he hated being thrown up in the air, and still to this day doesn't like to be grabbed and tosssed around (while Ezra thrives on it!). Isaiah feels strong emotions for people who are hurting or suffering, and often initiates thoughtful gestures like making cards for people, or wanting to gift them with his toys to make them feel better. He is very responsive to discipline, and is generally very obedient. Considering that Ezra follows almost everything that Isaiah does, I am oh-so thankful that Isaiah, the eldest, is our most obedient one!

This kid loves structure. If something is out of line, he notices, and wants it to be corrected.  He is observant and interested about what's happening around him--noticing minute details relating to people, landscape, and circumstances.  It's fun to watch him converse with others so much older than him (often times the Bible school students we work with), because he can be so interested in others and will initiate dialogue with them about their day, experiences, etc.

Isaiah also tends to get frustrated easily when learning a new skill. Perfectionism maaaaaay run in his blood a little bit, so when he doesn't do something just right the first time, or the task seems overwhelming to him, he breaks down. It's something we've worked on/struggled with him for a couple years now, and it's been really neat in the last year to see him start to gain the ability to get self-control after the start of a complete melt-down. He is also definitely an introvert.  If he gets hurt, or upset, or has a bad attitude, his bed is his go-to place for comfort.  It could range from 5 seconds to 5 minutes of alone time, and he usually pops out back to normal and all okay.

Last week he went skiing for the first time and did great!

He is also sensitive to the things of God.  This is something we've noticed since he was probably two or so.  He loves loves loves to read his children's Bible, and as we talk through the things we read about, and the ways that we see God at work in and around us, it's humbling to see Isaiah's faith and trust in Jesus grow.  A couple months ago he was sitting at the kitchen table, and out of the blue said, "Mom, I wonder where Jesus will want me to go when I'm an adult?"  As he continuing talking about the different options he was considering that Jesus may choose for him, I was really encouraged. If at the age of four our son is already learning and thinking about that the best place to be is where ever Jesus wants him to be, then somehow we are communicating what's truly important--even in the midst of our mistakes and parental errors.

A few fun facts:
If you ask Isaiah his favorite food, he will say "Candy".  Since our children are restricted to 12 small pieces of candy a year (only kidding...except not really....doesn't that seem like too much??....ha!), that won't go very far to fill his belly.  So if you ask him what his second favorite food is he will probably respond "Nachos!". (To which we say: "Atta boy!"  Seriously, tortilla chips, refried beans, melty cheese, salsa and sour cream...what more could you for in delicious flavor combinations?!?!?!) Veggies and Hummus are also extremely high on his list of favorites.

Isaiah can EAT.  He is a solid tank of child, packed into a frame that does not look anywhere near as sturdy as he is. He often will sit down to a meal and say, 'Wow, this is a FEAST!'.  It's fun to cook for him. ;)

He will sit for hours on end if someone will read to him.  Books are the best!  (He has started to read small words by himself, and the delight on his face is incredibly rewarding!)

He loves Legos, and following the building directions.

Working on a new set after Christmas with dad and cousin Brody

Isaiah is a super straightener.  While he actually hates cleaning things that are dirty (Ezra's dream jobs!), he loves to tidy up and pick up rooms. And wow, is he amazing at it.  Last week I asked him what kind of activity he thought he should do (during the quiet time in the afternoon), and he thought he should definitely clean the living room, since it was pretty messy.  Well yes, son, go right ahead - what an excellent idea! :)

He sleeps solidly 11-12 hours a night, and takes a 'rest' time every afternoon. I usually have him lay in his bed or on the couch for 30-45 minutes (he very rarely sleeps, but is supposed to be still and quiet), and then he does another 45-60 minutes of quiet independent playtime, while his two little brothers nap.  We also get to enjoy some one-on-one time together, which is great.  During our time together, he will often say things like, "It's so great we can spend time with just us." Or, "It's so nice to be with you, Mommy."  It's always great for a self-esteem boost. :)

Playing outside together while the little boys nap.

Isaiah is a super, super, super big brother!  He is so careful and gentle with Judah, and a great helper to me.  He is becoming my go-to 'babysitter'.  I put Judah in his crib with a few toys, and Isaiah sits outside the crib in Judah's room, showing him books, singing him songs, and keeping him entertained when there's something I have to get done without Judah around.  Isaiah usually responds to my requests for help with Judah by saying, "Oh boy, you betcha!" or, "Of course, Mom, of course!", or "Oh boy, you know I will!"

our trio of cuteness

Aaaah....Judah is trying to escape! 

We are so thankful for Isaiah.  He is such a blessing to us and our family, and it's a privilege to be his parents!

One final note - we celebrated his birthday with his cousin Brody (they are 11 days apart!) while we on our Christmas vacation.  Isaiah wanted a banana split cake this year, so.....tada!

It started with 3 layers of banana cake, with a cool whip/cream cheese frosting and sliced bananas.

Finished with more frosting, a layer of fudge, strawberries, bananas, cool whip, and sprinkles. Yum!

Happy Birthday to you!

Classic Isaiah face: "Seriously Mom, can you stop with the pictures?!"

On Three and Thirty

As the year 2016 is wrapping up, I’ve been thinking back on some of the significant milestones that happened in life. For both, I felt trepidation, and walked into them with no small amount of uncertainty. Now, as I enjoy the reality of both, I am filled with gratefulness at how God has met me in each area.

The first—having three children!  It seemed overwhelming, and truth be told, I dreaded the early months of a newborn and toddlers, especially when remembering how hard the early months were with Ezra, when Isaiah was barely two.  Over a recent (and lovely) conversation and cup of tea with a wise mom of six, she said something that has stayed with me:  Each child is born into a different family than the one before.  (What?!)  But it’s so true. We are not the same family now as we were when Isaiah was one.  Or as we were when Ezra was born.  Or as we were last Christmas, with a 3 year old, 2 year old, and me being 8 months pregnant.  The kids grow, mature, and develop; thankfully, so do the parents! 

Judah’s early months have not been anything like it was with the other two boys in terms of difficulty.   Of course the days still have plenty of difficult moments, and there are days when I check the clock every 10 minutes to see when Daddy is coming home from work.....but the transition to having three kids has been waaaaay easier than I anticipated. The ‘big’ boys play together better every month, and can entertain themselves for a while when needed.  They go potty by themselves, can get their own snack, put on their own shoes, and tidy up the house when company’s coming.  They still need Mommy, but the way they need me is changing as they themselves are changing from toddlers, to preschoolers, to kids.

I am also continually amazed at the amount of JOY Judah brings to our family.  From day one he has been calm, quiet, and content to observe the world around him. He loves to smile at anyone who will smile at him, and loves to giggle and be tickled.  He has been a terrific night-time sleeper from day three of his life onward—giving me the beautiful gift of sleep. J Though his day-time naps haven’t always been great, he started sleeping 11-12 hours straight each night around 6 months. (Glory hallelujah!)   He puts up with his brothers’ roughhousing, and loves to interact and play with him.  In every way this little boy has been a blessing to us.  We continually thank the Lord for this precious gift of Judah.  When I look at our three wonderful, unique, and beautiful boys, I am more in love every day with our family of five!

Now on to the second milestone: This summer I turned 30! Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrty.   For some reason, I was really dreading this occasion.  My twenties seemed to have zoomed by, and thirty seemed like a leap over the edge of a big cliff to growing old.  I mean, there’s no going back now! (Not that there was before but.....work with me here.)

However, after the first couple days of adjusting to the new number, I have actually been enjoying my new age.  It’s been surprising but great.  Having been married so young (at 19), and now having kids, I haven’t really ‘felt’ a certain age for a long time.  However, as I’ve been thirty, I realize that maybe I am finally nearing the age I’ve been feeling for a long time. There is nothing in me that wants to be back in my early twenties.  I have been realizing that God has done so much in my heart, mind, life, and family over the past several years that I am thankful to not be who I was back then. 

I have also been realizing a few benefits that have developed over my aging years.

At 20, I felt the pressure to impress, to hold a certain appearance and persona.  I struggled, to a degree, to know myself and who I was. 

At 30, I feel secure in myself.  I don’t feel the need to be anything or anyone but who I am.  God has taught me so much about my identity being found only in Christ, and that in Him I can rest securely.

At 20, my body image was in a constant state of flux, staying mostly in a more negative view of myself.  I wouldn’t say I had a whole lot of love for my body, feeling like it was never quite pretty or thin enough.

At 30, I am proud of all that my body has done!  It has birthed three babies-- toughing it out through two births without medication, recovered from a c-section with one, and provided nutritious milk for all three.  It now bears a scar and stretch marks, and is more saggy and lumpy in different places that it was 10 years ago.  But, I now have a huge appreciation of all that God has made this body to do, and all that it has accomplished.

At 25, motherhood was brand new, as was Isaiah.  I struggled with the transition of working full-time to being at home with this tiny infant who constantly needed me. So many people asked me in that first year, ‘Don’t you love being a mom?!’  Oh, I loved Isaiah with my whole heart, and I loved being his mom, but I didn’t love being a mom.  It was hard—so hard. 

At 30, I look back over the last five years and am incredibly thankful at all God has taught me through motherhood.  He has taught me about being selfless rather than selfish.  He has taught me the value of play and being silly, just because.  He has taught me about my desperate need to depend on Christ for wisdom, strength, joy, and patience throughout the days.  He has shown me that Christ sustains me, and that His grace is sufficient for me. 

At 30, I love being a mom.  I don’t have it all figured out, and there are many situations with our boys where I have no idea what to do.  But, this year especially, there has been a noticeable switch in my own heart where I am truly enjoying my days being a mommy to our boys. 

When I really reflect on all that God has done in me over the past several years—and all He continues to do—it actually makes this year of being 30 pretty exciting. 

And for that, I am truly thankful.

Judah, 9 months

Working on gingerbread houses with Daddy!

Frosting, candy, sticky, oh my!

Working on his Lego magazine

We like to smile together!

Pajama snuggles

We love these three!

   

More Than Happiness

Now that we are professional parents with 4.75 years (combined 9.5 years) of child-rearing experience under our belts....we have noticed an alarming trend.

As our kids have gotten older, parenting has gotten more, not less, difficult!  *GASP*  THIS WAS NOT WHAT THEY TOLD US!  (Whoever they are that told us "it would get easier" as we slogged through long days and sleepless nights with a newborn.)

Instead, it has moved from the overwhelming challenges of a newborn--bringing home a new human being from the hospital and having no idea how to take care of him--to having emotional preschoolers and needing to teach them moral standards and godly values.

It is a constant learning process for us as parents as we face new situations with our kids and their behaviors; we need to continually determine what it is we want our children to learn. After all, it is now--as they learn that actions have consequences, that some behavior is right and some behavior is wrong, and that maybe, just maybe, the world does not always revolve around them--that they begin to develop the foundation for the set of values they will carry into adulthood. No pressure, parents.  Yeah, right.

In all actuality, I do feel pressure.  Not in a negative sense, but in the sense that I (we) feel the weight of responsibility and care that has been given by God, to us, to raise our children in His ways.  A responsibility to teach them how to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.  To show them what it means to love others above themselves, and to live with honesty and integrity.  These kids of ours are smart--if we teach them one thing but live another way, they see it, and they know.

As we get older, the consequences and ramifications to our actions generally get bigger.  A three year old doesn't get sent to jail for taking a candy bar from a store, right?  We have a great opportunity and responsibility, then, to teach our children important lessons while they are young.  Lessons that may be hard in the moment, for them and for us, but will serve them well in their future.

However, what I notice in myself, and see in the vast majority of parents, is that we don't want our kids to be unhappy.  Well, yeah, of course.  I love my children, and want nothing but good things for them.  The question I have to ask though is this: at what cost am I willing to keep my kids 'happy'? Will I sacrifice the opportunities to learn through natural consequences or situations, just because I don't want to see a tear shed, or because I'm afraid of the tantrum they might throw?  Will I cave to the pressure I feel from the world that I shouldn't deny my kids anything?  Will I give into complaints, whining, or manipulation just so my kids don't make a 'scene' out in public?  (Because we all know that is uncomfortable!)

Here's the thing: Andrew and I want more for our children than just happiness.

Happiness is fickle.  Happiness will come and go with the circumstances of life and with the emotions of the day.

No, what we desire for our children is not happiness, but JOY.  The deep, abiding, lasting joy that comes from knowing and walking with Jesus Christ.  The joy that comes from loving God and trusting in Him, regardless of the circumstances that surround us, and the trials that we face.  The joy that comes from walking in truth, and in obedience--doing what God has called us to do, and living how He has called us to live.

With that in mind, we can recognize that giving in to every uncomfortable parenting situation just to 'keep them happy' is not serving them well. It does not prepare them for the reality of adulthood in this world, teach them to be thankful for what they have, or teach them how to put the needs of another above their own.  Ultimately, it will not help them to learn how to obey Jesus if we aren't even willing to teach them how to obey us.

Obedience is often not easy, because it means setting ourselves aside and trusting in one over us.  We want our three boys to wholeheartedly live their lives for Jesus, obeying and trusting Him in everything, and as their parents, we get to be the training ground for obedience.  The ones who teach them to submit to their authorities--and to Jesus--with a soft heart and willing attitude.

Why? Because we love them. Because we want more for them in life than just happiness.

Our children are still little, and so it will be the little lessons, the ones with small consequences and ramifications, that are so important to teach. Now, before our children grow up big and the issues get bigger along with them.

When we keep these goals in mind--to teach our children how to love God, and to love one another more than themselves--it helps guide the new and often uncertain parenting situations we face.

And it helps remind us that the soggy plate of salad from supper the night before that our three year old is eating--at 7:30 am the next morning before breakfast--is actually going to help him learn something important.

Something of more value than his current state of happiness.

the picture of innocence... :)

We love these boys!

Cutie!

Highlights of Summer

I'm a little bit saddened to see how much time has gone by since I have blogged!  It means there have been so many things that have happened over the past four (!!!!) months that will very likely not be remembered...because I didn't write them down!  There is only so much this brain is retaining these days...

Summer flew by as quickly as the leaves are falling off the big tree in our front yard right now.  Previous summers have tended to drag on for me, but with three little ones this year to care for/referee/manage, a larger house to spread out in, and two boys old enough to play out on our lawn by themselves...wow, what a difference. It was fun and full.

Family pictures with four three little kids are no joke! (Just keep smiling, just keep smiling....)

I also spent a fair amount of time cooking, enjoying Whole30 compliant meals for much of summer.  [Yes, the Whole30 program was a bit challenging, but in different ways than I expected.  The food was great, and I loved how amazing I felt eating like that that I kept it up, only slightly modified, for almost a whole extra month and then some.]  We enjoyed many meals cooked on the grill, and lots of fresh produce from Andrew's garden.

A wonderful chicken salad (drizzled with balsamic vinegar) on a hot summer evening.  Clearly I suffered.... :)

A typical breakfast -egg in ham cups, orange roasted carrots, sliced avocado.  Yum!

Apart from that, summer contained much of what it should:  Boys in dirt, boys in grass, boys in the pool, boys on bikes, boys with sticks, boys at the park, boys in the sand pit, boys playing SuperHeros! Here are some pictures to prove it...

Ezra having a blast at the beach

we enjoyed several campfire right in our front yard

Ezra getting a ride on Andrew's unicycle / Isaiah practicing on his pedal bike

Camping with Daddy!  I don't think there was a whole lot of sleeping done, but they sure had fun!

This little guy loves his 'pouch'.  Together we ran around all summer after his big brothers!

Judah at 6 months.  What a cutie!

Judah at 4 months...the smiles never stop.

7 months. Oh my goodness. We can't get enough of this kid.

We also had a visit from my parents in July - a great highlight of our summer!

Oh yeah, and it was a big summer for Andrew and I:  we celebrated our 10th anniversary in June, and the big 3-0 in July!  Whew.  I was less than excited to turn 30, but I've come to grips with it...I think. Haha!  Andrew has been sporting distinguished patches of [rapidly multiplying] gray hairs for quite some time, and he continues to look forward to being an old man.  (No really, he does.)

Our 10th Anniversary....we enjoyed a wonderful ( kid-free) steak dinner and quality time together

Blowing out all 30 candles on our birthday.  We shared an ice cream cake:  Andrew's side was Oreo/Peanut Butter, and my side was Vanilla with lemon curd and fresh raspberry sauce.   Both were delicious! :)

I also 'enjoyed' taking up running this summer in preparation to run in the annual cross-country race that is hosted by the Bible school where we work.  It felt like a slow and painful journey to fitness after over a year of non-strenuous physical activity--apart from child-growing and birth!--but I really loved being outside and challenging myself.  Last Saturday I ran the race, not as fast as I'd hoped but still a personal best! With three little ones to care for and my part-time work to be done each week, I am proud of where I've come so far in my quest towards strength and fitness.

After the race with my friends Laura and Melissa. 

A big first for our family has also been...school!  After much prayer and consideration, we decided to have Isaiah start kindergarten. I am using a full curriculum that lays everything out clearly and has pretty much everything included in the kit, which is great because otherwise I think it would be way too overwhelming--for me!  Our goal during this year is to encourage his love of learning, have fun, explore new things, and still have plenty of time to wrestle with his brother, build Legos, and play outside.

I wasn't quite sure what to call it...but he sure wanted his picture taken too!

What a beautiful family the Lord has given us!
We live in constant thankfulness for God's care over us.