Potty Training is NO FUN!

Oh sweet Luke...doesn't he make a precious Cowboy Woody (from Toy Story)?  I love this picture of him, he was SO excited the day I pulled these out of the box of Isaac's old clothes.  He thought it was the best thing ever!  We had some friends over that night, but he had to go down to show daddy that he was Woody!  It was adorable, so the next morning I snapped this picture of him right as he came down stairs. 

This sweet boy has quite the stubborn streak, and potty training has been a true test for us both.  The boy has not decided that he wants to be fully potty trained.  He will go on the potty when I make him every hour or so, but if I forget so does he.  Ugh!  I cannot figure out how to make him want to do it.  I've tried rewards, punishments, encouraging, and even getting upset with him.  Nothing is working!  On Monday, Luke pooped on the potty for the first time since starting the potty training, we made a big deal, had an ice cream party and all.  I thought it was a turning point, I felt such relief, thinking we had turned a corner.  But yesterday and today were back to the same, he forgets when I does, and all the poop in the pull up.  What a bummer! 

Adding two other kids to the mix when potty training sure makes it harder.  It was so easy to potty train Isaac, he was more into it, but also I was not near as distracted.  Now trying to take care of all three, while remembering to take Luke to the bathroom every hour or less, well needless to say I am often too distracted to remember.  Fail.  I apologize now, my boy may be 5 before he's potty trained.  Any and all advice is appreciated.  :-)

Beach Weekend

As you can see we took a trip to the beach.  I am a few weeks behind, as this trip was Memorial Day weekend, but oh well, better late than never.  We were invited down to Galveston with some sweet friends, and it was a wonderful weekend!  The boys have been begging to go to the beach for months, so this trip was something they were very exctied about!  We were there with two of their best friends, a boy from Isaac's class and his little sister who is Luke's age.  The 4 of them get along so well!  And Hannah was trying her best to keep up with the big kids.  Isaac loved playing in the sand, but was not too sure about the water.  The first day we went to the bay side, the water was so calm and not deep, so it was perfect.  Isaac did well at first, but after some hermit crab hunting he realized that he didn't really want to be surrounded by these crabs.  The ocean side, the next day, was a little too rough for him.  He was nervous about the waves, and even with daddy's attempts to calm him down and assure him that it was fine, he never quite got comfortable.  Luke was pretty happy in the bay once he warmed up to it.  After some time playing in the sand he eventually started to venture into the water and play.  The beach was fun for him, too, and although he got a little more comfortable in the water than Isaac did, he didn't totally love it.  Hannah had a blast in the bay!  She had no fear and even sat down and spalshed in the water some.  She was too cute out there.  She did not like the ocean water at all, it was too much for her, but she did enjoy walking around freely and playing in the sand.  The weekend was so fun, such a simple, yet perfect get away.  We are so thankful for these sweet friends and the great memories we made.

5 years old!!!

Our big boy is 5!  I can't even believe it, 5 just seems so old.  Even though it's hard to accept that he's growing up and he's not my baby any more, it's also so fun to watch him grow and become his own little person.  I love seeing how the Lord is working in him; He's given Isaac such a big heart and a love for others.  Isaac is so sweet, and I'd say that is how most people would describe him, but lately he's also starting to test our limits.  He is learning and in that process he is trying to find the real boundaries, how far he can push us, what's really okay and what's not.  Sometimes it's very frustrating to experience, but I know it's his way of learning and growing.  Isaac is also so silly lately, he likes to tell jokes and to tease, the boy loves to laugh!  He is an awesome big brother!  He tries so hard to take care of his sister and brother, sometimes a little too much for their liking, but he means well.  He loves to hug on Hannah and tickle her to make her laugh.  Isaac is very determined, but also a bit lazy.  Funny combination, but that's our boy.  When he wants to accomplish something, he will work his little tail off to learn...like swimming or riding his bike.  But when he's in a certain mood or it's something he's not interested in he can be so lazy.  He is not into writing, he often just doesn't even put forth the effort.  I've noticed that with reading, too, sometimes he will try to so hard to sound out the words, other times he just says whatever he wants.  Oh that boy!  Gross motor skills are definitely his thing, he will bike and swim all day long!  Yesterday we went for a bike ride for over 2 miles...that's a long way for his little legs!  He loved it and didn't want to stop.  Our boy loves to dress up, he is really into wearing a tie and slacks lately, he wears them any chance he gets.  Isaac is so excited to start kindergarten and go to the big school.  He talks about it all the time.  Although he did tell me the other day that he wanted me to homeschool him because if he goes to school all day he won't have time to play with his friends and ride his bike.  Oh goodness, he's always coming up with something. 

I asked Isaac the annual questions, some of his answers were so predictable, but others really surpised me.  Enjoy these!

Favorite Toy:  the new 4 wheeler and bicycle
Favorite thing to learn:  how to work on cars with daddy
Favorite snack:  cake
Favorite TV show:  Jake and the Neverland Pirates
My teacher says:  She wishes she could have a class full of Isaacs because he is so sweet and well behaved.
My favorite activity:  draw in his journal
Favorite food:  pancakes with Emmy's jelly (Mayhaw jelly)
Food I dislike the most:  broccoli
Favorite color:  orange!!!
I love to go outside: to drive the 4 wheeler
Favorite song:  Yankee Doodle
With Mama and Daddy I like to:  play outside and go for bike rides
What I think everyone should know:  Jesus loves you!
Best Friend:  Colson and Taylor
What I love to do with Luke:  drive the 4 wheeler and splash in the mud
Favorite thing to do with Hannah:  hug her!
Favorite animal:  tiger because they are orange
When I grow up I ant to be:  a worker that drives an orange truck
Favorite place to go:  Pump it Up

 Isaac with his new big boy bicycle!

 He got his face painted like a tiger at Taylor's birthday party.

" Driving" the firetruck at his birthday party.

 Eating his birthday breakfast, yogurt with sprinkles.

His all time favorite thing, the new fast 4 wheeler!

I am so proud of Isaac, he is a fun loving, hard working, big hearted 5 year old! I am thankful for the things he has taught us in the last 5 years, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead as we all start this new chapter.

Pre-K Graduation

His teacher Ms. Wendy giving him his "diploma."

All the pre-k graduates singing us some sweet songs.

Isaac is now officially a graduate, well a Pre-Kindergarten graduate.  He was very excited about the ceremony and talked all about how they practiced at school.  He was thrilled to get to dress up, he loves wearing his shirt, tie, and dress slacks.  It was a wonderful ceremony, they sang a few songs for us..."Bubble Over," "Hallelu," and "Jesus in the morning."  He sang them all for me ahead of time, but was very shy during the performance.  He had his own fan club there supporting him and celebrating this big event, we are so thankful for our precious family and the support they provide us and our kids.

These past two and a half years at his preschool have been wonderful.  I remember his first day so well, I was so nervous about it all, and I couldn't wait to pick him up.  Now his time there is over and I cannot believe it!  We have both made so many great friends along the way, and so many memories that we will cherish for life!  There have been so many amazing people who have poured into him, sharing Christ's love with him, and teaching him so many important things.  I know he is more than prepared for kindergarten, academically, but he also has a great knowlege of the Word, Christ, and His love for us.  I pray that the Lord continues to be with Isaac and put Christ loving educators in his life as he moves on to this next phase.

Congratulations, Isaac, we are so proud of you and the little man that you are!  We cannot wait to continue this journey with you and see what big things the Lord has planned for you!

How can he be 3!?!

Good morning birthday boy!

Ready to open his presents!

Enjoying his cupcake at his fire station birthday party!

Sitting on the truck at their party at the fire station!

Driving in the mud...his current favorite activity!  After the rain he cannot wait to get out there and check out the mud!

Our little Luke turned 3 this month.  Yes, I'm a little behind, but this month has been jam packed with fun and not much time to blog.  I'm going to try to catch up soon, so we'll start right now with Luke's birthday.  Luke has grown up SO much in this past year.  It's so hard to believe he's 3, but at the same time he sometimes acts even older.

Three words I would use to describe Luke are: sneaky, sweet, and fun loving.  He has a little bit of a rebel streak in him, but he is very sneaky about it...most don't believe it's true.  He is also so sweet, he loves to cuddle, he is so caring of others, and he loves animals!  Isaac is his best friend, he wants to be just like him and do everything that he does, but he considers himself Hannah's protector.  He is always looking out for her and making sure she's safe.  The other day while we were in the pool Hannah started walking towards to the pool by the deep end, he got so nervous, and immediately started to yell to us, "Hannah, mama get Hannah!  Hannah no!"  She was still a few feet away from the edge, but he knew it was dangerous.  In the mornings they always find each other for their morning hug, and they both light up when seeing the other.  Now don't get me wrong, he also has moments of taking her toys and being a typical brother to her, but his need to protect her is always there.  Luke LOVES to have fun!  Like I said, he wants to do everything Isaac does, including driving the fast 4 wheeler, swinging high, and being silly!  Luke's smile is contagious and his laughter is the best.  He is also very focused and serious when he gets into things.  His attention span for things impresses so many, including myself.  He loves to listen to books, even chapter books, but educational books about trains, trucks, or cars are his favorite.  He wants to learn and soaks it all in.  He has an amazing patience for puzzles, he will work hard to complete it and not get frustrated when he can't get it.  He is a thinker.

Luke is still a peanut, he only weighs in at 25 pounds, but the boy is strong, so don't be fooled by his small stature.  Isaac should be thankful he's so small because he often tackles Isaac and puts his full weight on him....that would hurt a lot more if he was an average size or big 3 year old.  :-)

Luke still enjoys playing with his trains, but will really play with anything with wheels.  He knows a lot about cars, and his current obsession is exhaust pipes.  He points out how many a car has, whether or not it smokes, and if it's shiny or not.  When we're driving his often tells me, "Mama push the pedal all the way down!"  Carl has taught him that driving fast is fun, so needless to say he enjoys riding in Carl's camaro, or camomo as Luke says.

Luke is still shy around new people, but not nearly like he used to be.  He opens up much faster than he used to, and he now loves going to Sunday School!  His 3 year check up was his first well check with no tears, it was a big day!  He didn't even cry after the shot, I was so proud of him for being so tough!  Luke is an amazing little boy, I'm so proud of him, and so thankful for who he is and who he makes me.  I love watching him learn and grow...I can't wait to see what this year holds for him!

Here are the answers to his 3 year questionare:

Favorite toy:  4 wheeler and Gator

Favorite Snack:  Nilla Wafers

Favorite TV show:  After much thought he said, "Jake and the Neverland Pirates"

Favorite Activity:  Splashing through the mud

Favorite Food:  Yogurt, which he eats for breakfast every morning

Favorite color:  Red

Favorite thing to do outside:  Driving in the mud

Favorite Song:  "I've been working on the railroad"

Favorite thing to do with Mama and Daddy:  play trains and go for bike rides

Best friend:  Isaac, Colton and Carson, and Colson and Carsyn

Favorite thing to do with Isaac:  Play in the mud

Favorite thing to do with Hannah:  Play in her bed with her

Favorite Animal:  Giraffe...he loves all animals!

What he wants to do when he grows up:  Race car driver

Favorite place to go:  the park

Swim Lessons

The little ones are all smiles in these pictures, but don't be fooled...their swim lessons are serious business.  It took some bribery to get Luke there each day, but it paid off!  We decided to get serious with our swim lessons this year, they are doing the survivor lessons, which teach them to float on their back and then roll over to swim, and float again when tired.  Obviously Hannah is not swimming yet, but she has learned to float on her back.  This is so comforting for us, even though we are so careful around the pool, there is always that chance that she could have an accident.  Unfortunately, they both cried during their lessons and did not enjoy them at all, which I don't blame them, the lessons were intense.  Each lesson was 10 minutes long with constant swimming.  Luke did not cry the last few lessons and for that I was so proud of him!  Hannah did cry every time and even cries now when she goes in the pool, but like I said, I feel it was worth it!  I never would have guessed Luke would learn to swim before he turned 3!  I'm so proud of them for their hard work and perseverance.  Oh, poor Hannah has one more week at the beginning of June...I'm hoping by some miracle she will learn to love floating in the pool.  :-)

Pillow Talk

The boys have shared a room for well over a year now, and they really enjoy it!  I had many hesitations at first, some have come true, but overall it's been great!  They do sometimes wake each other up in the morning, they also talk and keep each other up at night sometimes, but they love their room and their time together. 
Now that Luke is really talking and able to have conversations it's fun to listen to them.  Friday night they were particularly talkative for some reason.  Carl was gone hunting, so I stood outside their door to listen for a minute, then listened more through the monitor.  A portion of their conversation went like this...
Isaac:  "Luke, when you go hunting, you hav to be quiet.  When the animal comes by you shoot it!  Bang!  Then get it and take out the meat.  Even if the animal is going to a party, just shoot it, bang!"
Luke:   "Is there cake at the party?"
Isaac:  "Yes, but you still shoot it.  Did you know that Ella didn't get one bite of her cake at her birthday party?  Her own cake at her own party, not one bite."
Luke:  "Oh, not one bite.  It make her sick?"

Ha ha!  I love the hunting explanation!  And then the way they go from one subject to another, it cracks me up!  These are precious times, full of sweet moments that I want to always remember!  I am so thankful that for right now, at this moment, they are the best of friends...I pray that they always keep this tight bond.