Isaac at 4.5

Talkative, silly, curious, observant, persistent, and so sweet...these are all words that come to mind when I think of my Isaac.  Many times a day I wonder how he grew so fast, is that big boy really my baby boy?  Gosh, he's growing fast physically and mentally!  I cannot believe kindergarten is only a semester away, it just doesn't seem possible.  He is loving this year of preschool, he learns so many great things every day (academically, socially, and spritually).  This year he communicates the things he's learning more than he did in the past and I can tell he is soaking it all up!  He has two fabulous teachers, for which we are so thankful!  Isaac has always loved music, singing, and "playing" his guitar, so we decided to enroll him in his school's Christmas Choir Camp.  He has gone every Wednesday for this past month, for 2 hours in the evening, and he has a blast!  He is a bit nervous to go every week, but once he's there he's fine, and he leaves the church giddy and bouncing from excitement!  Of course at home he still loves to be outside, really he prefers to be outside.  From the moment he gets up until he goes to bed at night, he is asking to go play outside.  His favorite activity is now a toss up between riding his "motorcycle" (aka bicycle) or driving a power wheels vehicle.  He also really enjoys swinging and jumping on the trampoline.  He and Luke play so well together and often drive off through the yard together going to do different things...it makes me so happy to see them enjoying those moments together.  Isaac ADORES his sister, he takes such good care of her!  Sometimes he hesitates when I ask him to do things for me, but when I ask him to do something that involves helping or taking care of Hannah he does it immediately.  He would feed her, change her, and even bathe her if I allowed it...he is such a great big brother!  Isaac's newest infatuation is with jeans and belts....he wants to wear a pair of jeans with his belt every day!  If the jeans are dirty or if it's too hot, he chooses shorts with belt loops, he can't leave the belt at home.   A couple of weeks ago I let him wear a tie to church, now that's a daily battle, too!  Oops, I should have known that would happen.  Of course, Isaac is SO excited and anxious about Christmas!  He has made many Christmas crafts at home and school, he talks about it all the time, and demands that we listen to Christmas music in the car.  I love hearing him sing the songs, it's a precious sound...even the millionth time.  Ha!  I mentioned at the beginning that he is talkative...oh my, the boy's mouth is never closed!  He cannot let a second go by without a word...Carl is sure that behavior was passed down from me...I've apologized to my parents for the nonstop talking I'm sure I did as a kid, which may or may not have driven them a bit crazy.  :-)

My Isaac is keeps me entertained and keeps me thinking...I'm thankful for his deep thoughts, silly thoughts, and sweet heart.

Big Changes

Luke has changed so much in the last couple of months!  He is talking up a storm, which is the biggest change, and he is so much happier and more social.  People tell me all the time how much he has changed and grown up.  I love hearing him talk because I feel like I'm really getting to know his thoughts now.  He amazed us daily with his talking, he went from saying a couple of words at a time to saying full sentences!  One of my favorite things he has said recently was when we were looking at Christmas lights...he kept saying, "Mama, look!  Those lights so so SO petty!!!"  Luke is such a joyful boy, which we always knew and saw, but others didn't see it often because of his shyness, but now everyone sees it!  Luke has a new love, a love for driving power wheels.  The boy started driving one day and hasn't stopped, and he drives perfectly!  Now when we go outside all he wants to do is drive and swing on the swingset.  If I tell him it's time to go in before he's had a chance to swing he tells me, "Please swing a minute."  Luke also loves to just play independently, he will play quietly with his trains or cars for so long, and sometimes I sneak in to just watch him play so sweetly.  Now that he's talking I enjoy listening to his descriptions as he plays. 

Luke loves his sister and brother so much!!!  He can't wait to pick Isaac up from school, he says with such excitement, "I see Isaac!!!" as soon as Isaac walks out of the building.  And he brings Hannah toys all day long, and loves to hug on her.  He has lately started getting nervous about her getting his toys though.  Sometimes when he's pushing around a car or train she will look his way and he just flips out, cries and calls for me.  It's sad and cute at the same time. 

Luke is my sweet peanut, he is full of energy, joy, and love!

Baby Girl is 9 months!

Sweet Hannah is now 9 months old!  I keep telling her to stop growing, to slow down, but she isn't listening to me.  :-)  Hannah is so fun!  She is much different than the boys, the boys were always pretty content with the toys we put in front of them, even once they learned to crawl they were still content.  Hannah on the other hand is into EVERYTHING!  She is such a girl, she wants to check everything out, she wants to play with everything, and she gets upset when we tell her no.  Oh goodness, she keeps me on my toes!   She started crawling at around 8 months, and started pulling up on things this week, so right around 9 months.  She gets more stable when standing everyday, it's really neat to see it.  She loves this new perspective and the new world that has opened up to her.  Hannah talks up a storm, she's always making noise.  She has learned to say "UH-OH."  I couldn't believe it the first time she said it, but now she says it all the time.  She will even say it as she holds up a cup or toy, and then she drops it and says it again.  The girl is so silly.  She also started waving this past month, it's the most precious beauty queen wave.  She also claps now, and she gets the biggest smile on her face while she does it!  Hannah has quite a personality.  She now makes a cute scrunchy nose face when I get the camera out...she throws her head back and makes this silly face.  She is quite the ham!  She laughs the most at her brothers, oh how she loves those boys!  Her face lights up when she sees them!  She is eating really well, she wants lots of solids.  Today at Target we were picking up some food for her and she went crazy, she wanted to eat it right then!  She is Miss Social, she loves to play with other kids and babies.  However, she has developed quite the stranger anxiety, she does not enjoy being away from me.  I hate that because it makes many situations difficult, but at the same time I'm trying to enjoy this time with her and give her all the extra hugs and cuddles she needs.

Hannah Baby is so special...she brings us so much joy, we are so blessed!

A Special Visit

We are very blessed by an amazing man, Robert Kohler, aka Carl's Grandpa.  I am so thankful that my kids are getting the chance to know their great grandpa, a man of God who loves like the Lord calls us to, and lives his life with God as His focus.  He is a wonderful example to us, he encourages us every time we speak and even through his precious cards he mails to us.  Over Thanksgiving we had the chance to spend an afternoon with him, and it was such a blessing to us as a family.  We drove down to his house where we spent some time visiting and catching up before heading out to lunch.  Isaac and Luke had a great time listening to grandpa's stories, checking out his pet birds, and even putting bird seed out for the birds outside.  Grandpa also took us out to "the beach" so the boys could run and play, he couldn't have picked a better thing for them to do, they loved it!  It was a park on the bay in La Porte, the city put sand down by the water to make a beach, so the boys had a blast playing in the sand and on the water's edge.  It was so sweet to see the kids playing alongside their great grandpa.  Sadie, one of Carl's cousins, was able to join us at the beach, it was great catching up with her.  She is so great with the kids and they adore her.  We were sad to leave, but eventually had to head home.  The boys had a great time playing with grandpa, getting to know him a little more, and spending time as a family.  I am so thankful for the man we call grandpa, and so thankful for his love.

Thanksgiving 2012

Every year Isaac's school does a Thanksgiving program and feast.  It always a special time to support my big boy in his efforts and watch him as he joyfully sings his little heart out.  This year Carl was not able to go with me because he had to work, and Luke and Hannah were both sick, so it was just me and my boy.  They did a great program, during which they sang a few songs (This Little Light of Mine, Hello Mr. Turkey, If You're Thankful and You Know It, and He's Got the Whole World) and they shared a few of their memory verses.  Isaac sang every song and did many of the hand motions as well.  He seemed to really enjoy being up there on the stage.  After the program we all enjoyed a Thanksgiving Feast, it was fun to visit with some of his classmates and their parents.  Each child had made a placemat on which they wrote their name and on the bottom completed the sentence, I am Thankful for..., Isaac finished it with, "my whole family."  My heart melted when I saw that.  He truly has a heart of gold!

8 months...it can't be!

Today our Hannah turned 8 months...it just can't be, how did that happen!?!  She needs to stop growing so fast!  I just asked Carl to tell me about Hannah and he said, "She's a go getter; when she wants something she goes after it and makes sure she gets it."  He is so right, that is my girl...she's very aware of her surroundings and knows what she wants when she sees something.  I love her determination and spunk.  My girl is so fun, always ready for some fun and always moving.  She's not crawling yet, but she is rolling and scooting her way around the room.  The girl is loud, she is a talker and wants to tell everyone what's on her mind...kind of like her mama, I guess.  ;-)  Hannah LOVES her brothers, her face lights up when they come in the room, and she immediately starts "talking" to them.  She is eating well, she's really started enjoying solids and is becoming less picky.  Her favorites are avocado and banana.  She hasn't mastered drinking out of the sippy cup, but she likes to chew on it.  She has started to get more weary of strangers, but it's hard to figure out when she will get upset and when she will be fine.  I think the more tired or hungry she is the less she likes strangers, but again, it's very unpredictable.  She has started going to the church nursery, and it went well the first 2 times, but this past week she did not want to be there, it broke my heart.  I hope this phase doesn't stay too long.  So I know I posted last month that she had her first tooth, but I think I was wrong, it sure felt like it was through, but we can't see anything, so I guess not yet.  We're still waiting.  This month we took a trip to Dallas to visit friends, we did it in one day, but it was a fun day!  Hannah did great in the car and enjoyed visiting with everyone. 
Life these days are hectic, chaotic at times, but I wouldn't change a thing.  My kids have taught me to slow down a little, not worry so much about being right on time or making sure the house is perfect, life is more about having fun and enjoying each other. These days will be gone in a blink and I want to make sure we've lived life well.  I'm so thankful for our sweet girl and the way she has changed us...for the better!

Halloween 2012

 Ready to go Trick or Treating!

 Driving from house to house to trick or treat...there's no better way.

 Taylor and Isaac at gymnastics...best friends!

 Cubby and Jake ready for the school Halloween party.

 Pumpkin Patch!

Halloween 2012 was a fun time!  We had a few different celebrations leading up to the actual day, which was extra fun for the kids because it meant they got to dress up multiple times.  It all started with a party with Isaac's school friends, there was lunch, a bounce house, and pumpkin decorating...plus everyone in costume!  Oh speaking of costumes, this year we had Jake (from Jake and the Neverland Pirates), aka Isaac, and his buddy Cubby, aka Luke.  Hannah was none other than the sweet Minnie Mouse.  The next party was a birthday party for one of Isaac's best friends, and again they got to go in costume.  Isaac's Jake hair was a hit everywhere he went, and he loved wearing it!  The birthday party was fun, turns out Spiderman is a huge hit with Isaac's buddies at school, it was the theme of the party and 4 of the kids were dressed up as him!  The boys had a blast running, jumping in the bounce house, and just playing with all their friends.  The day before Halloween Isaac got to wear his costume again, to gymnastics this time.  It was a great Halloween themed day of fun.  Finally, it was Halloween!  I told Isaac the day before that it would be Halloween the next day and he couldn't believe it!  He was thrilled and so anxious for the day to come.  On Halloween day Isaac had a Pumpkin Patch day at school.  Thankfully, I was able to go volunteer and get in on some of the fun.  I love watching him with his friends and seeing him in that environment.  I started the morning helping the PE teacher with games, I got to help with the 3 and 4 year olds.  It was a blast!  Isaac was more outgoing than I expected, he really enjoys his school!  After that Isaac and his class was headed to chapel, so I snuck in there...they've always said parents are welcome to attend, but because of the little ones I have never been able to do that.  It was a special time, and I'm so grateful that I got to experience that with him.  That day they happened to be learning about Hannah and her prayer.  What a great day for me to be there!  Isaac was over the moon to see me there, I sat behind him, he could hardly focus he was so excited.  Later I helped out with crafts in a couple of classes, then headed out to the pumpkin patch to help Isaac decorate a pumpkin and watch him play with his friends on the playground.  He was really into the sandbox that day, so I helped him build a sandcastle.  I love seeing the kids play, there are so many different personalities!  After school we tried to take it easy and relax a little to get ready for the evening fun.  The Stocktons came over for a pizza dinner, which was a fun treat for all of us.  Then we all got ready to head out!  Isaac and Taylor were so excited!  Taylor was dressed as a Texans cheerleader, and I must say she was the cutest one I've ever seen!  Luke was ready to go, too, even though he didn't really understand what was ahead of him.  Our friends from the neighborhood, the Parkers, came over to trick or treat with us...and to our suprise Ella (Isaac's friend) was dressed up as Izzy (from Jake and the Neverland Pirates)!  We had the whole gang!  After a little photoshoot, the kids loaded up in Isaac's Jeep and Ella's Gator and we headed out for some fun!  Daddy put a light on the Jeep so Isaac could see, it was the coolest thing in Isaac's world!  The kids did great driving around, we stayed out for an hour and a half, stopping at every house that had their porchlight on!  Luke started saying, "Happy Halloween!" that night, and he told everyone!  Hearing him say that was my favorite part of the night...I still ask him daily to say it.