This Girl!

Hannah will be 2 and a half in just a couple short weeks, and I think she's 2.5 going on 5!  She is talking up a storm, not just random things, but full out conversations!  She blows me away with her understanding of everything around her and her understanding when we talk about things.  She is a silly girl, she loves to tease and play jokes.  The last couple of months have brought about so many changes in her...

her swimming continues to improve, and her fear is still non existent.  She thinks she can swim, and is not afraid to try.  She is doing better, but definitely cannot swim alone yet.  She loves to jump in, go under water, and even go down water slides.

 

Since moving up here we have gone to the park or Isaac's school playground many times.  She's really enjoying that!  She thinks she's as big as the boys and tries to do everything they do - sliding and climbing.

 

A week ago Tante Soo Jin came to town and we went to a hot air balloon festival here in town.  It was so fun!  Hannah was not a fan of the balloon noise when we first got there, but thankfully she warmed up to it and loved it by the end.  She of course zoned in on the pink balloon and decided it was hers.  She still talks about her pink hot air balloon..."Can we go get it, please?"

(I love this picture because it captures her drama face...the girl has mastered the drama.)

 

Yes, she's biking!!!  Okay, I know she still has her training wheels on there, but the girl is doing great!  She's been begging to ride that bike since we moved in, but it didn't have the training wheels on it.  During one of Oma and Opa's visits Opa put the training wheels on it for her.  She got on it and immediately took off down the driveway!  She has barely pedaled her tricycle, so this really surprised me!  We headed over to the school parking lot (across from our house), so the boys could ride with their cousin, Carson, and Hannah just joined right in!  I am still amazed when I watch her ride, she is fast and brave!

 

We've spent many hours in the pool this summer...my kids are fish...they love the water!

 

Isaac started school this week, and it's been an adjustment for us all.  Hannah misses him like crazy!  He's her buddy, she loves to play with him, they pretend he is her daddy and she is a baby.  He carries her around and takes care of her.  When we go shopping and I put her in the stroller, I am not allowed to push her, only Isaac.  When walking in a parking lot I will reach for her hand, but she gets mad and will only hold Isaac's hand.  Like I said, him being gone has been an adjustment.  Today she told me, "I don't want Isaac to go to school anymore!"  And this afternoon after he got off the bus she told me, "Mama, you can drop me off, too, I'll ride the bus with Isaac."  I told her she wasn't ready for 1st grade, she had a little more to learn, to which she quickly responded, "It's okay, I will go to kindergarten."

 

She loves the new swing daddy put up in the back yard!  We laugh at ourselves all the time...we would have NEVER put our first born, Isaac, on a swing like this when he was 2!  There's no way!  But this girl, well we couldn't keep her off of it if we wanted to.  It's amazing how much you relax and change as you have more kids.

 

Doing her starfish and floating with Opa. 

Swimming on her back has become her new favorite way to swim.

 

DADDY'S GIRL!  She's got him wrapped around her little finger...can you see it in his eyes?

I love their special relationship, Hannah truly loves her daddy and really misses him when he's gone.  It's a precious relationship, and I am so thankful for their love.

 

Hannah has always shown an interest in gymnastics, but after taking the kids to watch at a local gym (in an attempt to help Luke feel comfortable enough to try a class again), Hannah's interest has grown even more!  She loves to wear her leotard around the house, and when I put gymnastics on TV she cannot take her eyes off of it!  While she watches she says, "Mama, I do gymnastics, I do that!  I do that, too!!!  Mama, will you watch me do gymnastics?  Can I be on TV and do gymnastics?"  I think it's time to sign her up...and I'll admit, I am as excited as she is!  We will start with a mommy and me class in a week or so!

 

2 years old has brought with it the typical 2 year old behaviors...the girl can throw a fit with the best of them.  But it has also brought so much fun!  I am enjoying the interactions, the sweet play time, and watching her develop and grow.  It's amazing how every child is different...she challenges us in ways the boys never did, but she also fills us with a new kind of joy.  I'm so thankful the Lord chose to give us this sweet and sassy girl...we LOVE her!

1st Grade for our Big Guy!

 

Getting on the bus!  He was so ready, he didn't hesitate for even a second!  Luke was out waiting with us, and when the bus pulled up he gave Isaac a big hug and said, "Bye Isaac.  I love you!"  Oh how I'm so thankful for their sweet relationship.

 

I cannot believe he's in 1st grade...wasn't he just born!?!  I am denial that he's getting so big, but everyday he reminds me that he is growing up by the way he acts and handles things.

 

One day this will fit...I am excited to have a picture of him wearing it every year!

 

I gave in and let him get a new backpack this year...he loves it because it lights up.

 

He insisted on a picture with his sweet buddy, Tex.

 

And he wanted a picture in front of the mailbox, too.  Haha!

 

I'm so proud of this guy!  I was a nervous wreck, so anxious about him going to a new school...he was totally chill like it was no big deal.  Wow, so thankful for The Lord's strength in him.

 

He has a locker in his classroom!  So fun!

 

Waiting to get started...

 

And he's home!!!!  Oh how they missed him while he was gone!  These three are precious...Isaac is Luke's best friend, and Hannah adores Isaac.

 

So HAPPY!!!

 

So leading up to this first day of school I was pretty nervous...I mean starting at a new school where he does not know a singles person and nobody knows him.  That's hard to handle as a mama.  Thankfully we were able to go take a tour of the school and meet his teacher one day last week.  That definitely helped me, and I know it helped Isaac so much!  He was a little nervous when we first got there that day, but by the time we left he was talking to everyone and skipping down the hall!  On the morning of the first day (yesterday), he was completely relaxed!  I was a nervous wreck (on the inside), but trying my best to be calm and normal for him.  He was so chill, just getting ready like it was any other school day back at his old school.  He was so excited to get out to the bus stop...our driveway!  And as that bus pulled up he just walked right on!  I'll admit, I was shocked by his calm demeanor!  After he pulled away I ran in, got my keys, and jumped in my truck to head to the school.  I got there after him, but was able to help him get his bag in his locker and get a few pictures of him.  I got a picture of him and his sweet teacher, too.  Then after a few kisses, I reluctantly left.  Haha!  Really, I was the nervous one, he was fine!  I could sense a little uneasiness in him at the school, but not much at all, he was happy.

When I got home Hannah came running to me, "Mama's home!  Isaac's home!"  I had to tell her no, he's at school.  She did not like that answer.

It was a long day, but we all survived, and I think Luke really enjoyed his one on one time with me while Hannah napped.  As soon as Hannah woke up from her nap she asked for Isaac.  She wanted to go wait for his bus immediately.

We got out on the driveway a little early due to our anxiousness to see him, but also because I had no idea what time to expect the bus.  After what seemed like forever the bus finally pulled up.  Hannah and Luke could not contain themselves, they both ran up and gave Isaac a big hug!!!

Isaac came off the bus all smiles.  He had an awesome day, and I could tell that right away when I saw his face.  My heart felt so much better as I saw his joy.  I didn't get a lot of information out of him, but he did say the bus was really hot this afternoon.  Heehee.  He made two friends on the bus, but he didn't know their names.  And he said they didn't do any work.  He was also pretty bummed that they have to walk or run two laps on the track outside before they can play at recess.  I like that...way to get them moving!  I didn't get much else out of him, he just wanted to play with his brother and sister, not talk about his day.

 

Day 2, today, went great as well!  He again left without any hesitation.  Luke was funny though...I told Isaac to go put on his shoes, and Luke looked at me so confused, "Why?  Where is he going?"  I said, "School."  Luke then so sadly replied, "No, not again."  The poor guy sure loves his big brother, even if they don't always act like it.  Isaac came home happy again, full of energy, and excited about his day.

 

To say I am proud of him is an understatement, this boy has amazed me!  He has always had a shy and timid personality, and I thought this transition would be so hard on him.  He has handled it all so well, and truly was so brave as he started this new chapter.  I hope this is the start to an amazing  year for him!!!

Luke - Summer 2014

 

Luke has matured so much in the last few months, I sometimes forget that he's 4, a Pre-K kid now...but everyday he reminds me by his behavior.  He is saying the silliest things lately, and he truly understands so much more.  He has always been opinionated, but these days it's different, he has an opinion about things, but also has a reason for that opinion.  Does that make sense?  His imagination is growing by the day, and I love that!  He and Isaac had so much fun this summer playing together and making up different scenarios and things.  He loves for me to read to him.  This summer we've gotten into the Magic Treehouse series, which has been so fun!  These are chapter books, and the boys will beg me to read the entire book in one sitting!  They just cannot get enough!  It amazed me that he will sit for that long at 4 years old, and listen to me read to him.  Each book is a different story...dinosaurs, on the moon, in the rainforest, the wild west, etc.  These books have truly helped their imaginations grow as well.  Luke has handled the move so well!  I don't know that he totally understands the distance from our old house and friends, but he has taken to this new life like a champ!  He has asked me multiple times if his cousins can come over the next day to bike with him.  That makes me sad when he asks since I have to say no, but thankfully he handles it well each time.   One of his favorite things to do here is to go for bike rides in the new neighborhood.  Luke even made a 4 mile bike ride!!!  I was so impressed by his determination and ability!  He's also really enjoying the playgrounds and parks that are nearby...we have been regulars at Isaac's school playground.  Another thing he's really enjoyed since the move, is the steady flow of visitors...we've all enjoyed that!  We've had a great time with Oma and Opa, Emmy and Gumby, Uncle Rudi and family, Tante Soo Jin, the Henderson girls, and the Stocktons!  It's been such a blessing to us to have so many people come see us...I feel this has helped the children so much, and I am so thankful for everyone taking the time and making the effort to do that for us!  Back to Luke...he is very social, and loves to play with friends.  Thankfully, I have a very good friend here, who has a son his age...perfect!  They've hit it off so well!  We've had three playdates with them, and they've all had so much fun together.  I am excited to watch that friendship grow!  After our first playdate with him Luke said, "Mama, I like Jonah, but I'm not sure if I love him yet."  Haha, I have no idea where that came from...but it sure made me laugh!  After the next playdate I asked him how he felt about Jonah, and he said he did love him now.  Ha!  One day while shopping at Target the cashier was extra chatty.  The kids loved that and really soaked up all of the attention.  When we walked away Luke said, "Mama, I think I love that lady that we just payed for our groceries."  Heehee!  The boy has a lot of love to give. 

Another funny thing he's said recently...a week or so after moving to the new house he was playing on the stairs, kind of studying the carpet or something.  He said to me, "Mama, our new house does not seem very new, it seems like an old house."  After a quiet giggle I replied, "You're right Luke, it's not a new house, but it's new to us."

 

Our Luke is something special, he is my peanut, my strong willed boy with so much love!  This summer has been so fun with him...I love watching him grow!

A new journey!

 

Our first swim at the new house!

 

Moving boxes are so fun!

 

This July brought many changes for our family.  We have closed one chapter and opened another as we moved from Magnolia to Double Oak, Tx!  It was a big decision, one we did not take lightly, but after much prayer and discussion, we knew that this was right for our family.  Carl has started a new job, it's a great opportunity for him, so we are all embarking on a new adventure together.  It was hard to leave our home in Magnolia, as it was where we brought all of our kids home, where they learned to walk, swim, talk, ride their bikes, and experienced so many firsts.  Oh the memories we have!  I am thankful for the years we had there, we made lifelong friends, who we miss dearly.  The Lord blessed us in many ways during those 8 years we were there.  It is a season of our lives that I will treasure forever.  Now, we are here, only a few miles from the house where Carl and I started our married life.  It is crazy to be back, but also a lot of fun.  It still feels so comfortable here.  The kids have handled the move very well!  Luke and Hannah have just transitioned right into this new life.  Isaac has had a harder time, he is emotional and sensitive, but overall he's doing great!  We've tried our best to make this house feel like home to them, we've done lots of fun things, and are spending a lot of time playing on the awesome new playground at Isaac's new school. 

 

We closed on both houses on Thursday, July 24, so it was a hectic day.  There were some bumps in the closing of our new house, but it all worked out just fine.  We were fortunate to have the company pay for the move, which meant movers to pack our things and bring them up.  Unfortunately, that did not go as well as we'd envisioned.  The movers packed horribly!  Sadly, they broke a few of our things, severely damaged a bridge in our old neighborhood, and made a mess of everything.  We just have to focus on the positives, everything is here, we are here and safe, and life will go on.  Heehee.  It was an experience we will not soon forget.  My parents kept the kids down there for a few days, so we could start unpacking and getting the house settled.  That was SO helpful!  They drove up on Sunday, and due to a ton of terrible traffic, it took them 8.5 hours to get here!  It was crazy!  Once here the kids just jumped right into life here in north Texas!  My parents stayed for a few days, to hang out and help out.  This was wonderful because it was so helpful for us and I think it helped the kids adjust, too.  While here my dad worked on the sprinkler system and painted my yucky/stinky pantry.  Once he finished it was beautiful!  Mom helped me clean and clean, and of course helped a lot with the kids.  A few days later Emmy and Gumby made their first trip up!  Gumby had an appointment with his doctor in Dallas, so they were able to combine a visit with us with the doctor appointment.  They stayed with us a few days as well, which again was so helpful and so fun!  The kids loved having them here!  I loved it because they kept the kids busy while I got a lot done around the house!

 

I cannot express in words how thankful we are for the support of our family and friends during this transition in our lives.  It's not easy for anyone, but we believe it is where the Lord wants us.  We are excited to see what lies ahead for us in this new journey!

Summer!

Swimming with Taylor.

 

Hannah and Luke both started the summer in their puddle jumpers, but now in July Luke is swimming completely on his own and Hannah is in a training vest.

 

Father's Day...we love you, Daddy!

 

Fun at the park for Mariah's birthday!

 

The diving board is a big attraction this summer...the kids all love it!

 

 

The World Cup was a big hit for our family this summer...the kids really enjoyed watching it, and of course we were all in orange for every Holland game!

 

Cousins

 

On July 5 we went to Oma and Opa's house to watch the world cup game and we finished the evening with some left over fireworks.  Luke enjoyed them, but they were a bit loud.  Isaac had a blast lighting them with the help of daddy and his cousins.

 

This summer has been a lot of fun!  We have not gone anywhere too special, but we've had a lot of fun spending quality time with friends and family.  The last week and half has been booked solid with playdates with all of our friends!  We've been swimming at our house, at a couple of friends' houses, and we even took a day trip to the beach with the Hendersons.  It was a blast!  When we first got there Hannah was a little nervous.  As I went to put her in the water for the first time she said, "No, Mama, not in the chocolate milk!"  That girl cracks me up!  She warmed up to it quickly, and eventually I couldn't get her out of the water.  Luke and Isaac did not hesitate, they really enjoyed their time in the water and playing in the sand.

 

Yesterday, I took the kids on a bike ride around the neighborhood.  During the ride we stopped at the neighborhood beach for a little swinging and playtime.  It was a special time!

 

VBS - we all attended VBS this year, and it was great!  The kids all enjoyed it, and I really enjoyed teaching Luke's 4 year old class.

 

All dressed up for Carl's cousin's wedding!  Hannah danced the night away and had so much fun!

 

Beach day!

 

Swinging and playing at the neighborhood beach.

 

We spend our down time at home just trying to relax a little, pack a little for the move, go for bike rides, and do some school work with the boys.  I'm trying to make sure they are both fully prepared for the school year ahead.  With Isaac I've focused on 1st grade sight words, hand writing, and some addition/subtraction.  I've been working with Luke on letter sounds and beginning reading.  He really enjoys that.  We've also started reading The Magic Treehouse series of books, and the kids love them!  The books are 10 chapters each, we have finished the first two in 2 or 3 days each!  The kids never want me to stop reading!  I love that!  We started the third book this evening, all three listened intently as we read 4 chapters!  I am so thankful that they enjoy reading so much!!!

 

I'm really loving summer break; trying so hard to soak up every minute with my sweet kids and make great memories!

Our silly girl...

 

Hannah and Daddy while at lunch with Mama and Luke.

 

This girl loves to dress up and accessorize, and the outfits are interesting when you add in your brother's accessories...super hero cape, safety glasses, pretend gun, and high heels.

 

Hannah adores Grandpa, and she had a great time visiting with him on Father's Day.

 

Our three fish...Hannah feels she needs to keep up with them in all they do, including swimming...

 

jumping off the diving board is her newest favorite!  The girl is fearless!  She tells us, "Don't catch me, I go under all by myself!  1, 2, 3...Here I go!!!"

 

Hannah has always been and continues to be a firecracker.  She keeps us on our toes all day and keeps us laughing, too.  Hannah has matured and grown so fast because she has to do all that her big brothers do.  She talks nonstop and so well!  She is a social butterfly, she talks to everyone she sees, everywhere we go.  This past week she went to VBS all week, well it was technically just childcare, but she went the same amount of time as the boys because I was teaching VBS.  She really enjoyed it, every day when I went to get her she'd say, "Hi Mama!  I had fun!!!"  Then she'd tell me all about what they did, and finish by telling her teachers, "Bye-bye, I have to go."

 

Her favorite activity is swimming, the girl is truly fearless in the water.  She loves to go under the water, and she thinks she can swim!  Luckily she is doing really well, she kicks well and is learning to use her arms a little more consistently.  She started taking her puddle jumper off, so we switched her to this vest thing, which she cannot get off alone.  It works well for her, and it forces her to practice her swimming in order to stay upright. 

 

Hannah is obsessed with the movie, Frozen...obsessed!  She even pretends to be the princesses.  One day last week I was walking away and this happened...
Hannah:  "Elsa, Elsa wait."
Mama:  "Am I Elsa?"
Hannah:  "Yes."
Mama:  "Are you Anna?"
Hannah:  "Yes.  Please don't shut me out again."

I just laughed and laughed, this girl is so silly and so fun!  I love her imagination and her understanding of the things around her is so impressive! 

 

Just this evening we were out to dinner and she was in a super silly mood.  She was very talkative, flirty with our waiter, which is quite normal.  Well, at one point he asked how old she was, so I answered for her, then she had to tell him, too.  He commented on how cute she was.  After he walked away Hannah said, "I be a pretty girl."  Oh. My. Gosh!  Where does she get this stuff!?!

 

One day after Carl had been gone for a few days we were getting ready for dinner, and it was a bit chaotic (which is normal), but as I was washing her hands she said, "Boys, you stressin' me out!"  I laughed so hard at that...apparently I had said that a few times that week.

 

She seems to be getting some people confused.  For example, she has her nephews Carson and Colton mixed up.  And our friend Mr. Henderson she refers to as Mr. Addy (his daughter is Addy).  After spending a day with our friends the Brooks, she later referred to their house as Ms. Titus' house.

 

Our Hannah has her crazy mood swings as all 2 year olds do, but she keeps us laughing more than that.  She is a sweet girl who loves her baby dolls, her brothers, and her dog.  Watching her grow into her own little person is so fun, and I'm so thankful for her joyful, sassy personality!