Caleb is 6!

Caleb the Birthday King at school!

Caleb with Mrs. Connor!

Can I open my presents now?

My birthday brownie!

My baby boy turned 6 on March 31st! I can't believe it has been 6 years. Where has the time gone? This past year was a big one! He started Kindergarten! Started playing soccer! Learned how to ride a motorized dirt bike! Learned to read!

He is such a sweet and tender boy. He is very compassionate and really gets upset if others are hurt. He is learning to be a gentleman and really sticks up for the girls that are picked on. He is learning the true meaning of friendship. He is finding the power of prayer. His love for God and Jesus makes my momma's heart happy. I love seeing him grow in the Lord.

He is also 100% boy. He can be rough and tumble with his brothers. He loves GI Joe and all things that blow up and makes lots of noise. He loves to play with his Nerf guns. He and Scott will play hide and seek with the guns. They have so much fun. He loves all sports and loves to play football with Scott. He finally learned to keep his eye on the ball after being hit in the face a couple hundred times!

I love the fact he still loves to cuddle with his mommy. I also cherish every time he calls me mommy. I know the day is close when he will stop calling me mommy. I love the way he will pick "flowers" for me because he knows it makes me happy. I love the way he will tell me he loves me just because. I love the way he wants to take care of me because he is a "man" and that is what men do.

Caleb, you are the best son a mommy could have. I am so proud of the young man you are becoming. I see the way the Lord works in your heart. Even at such a young age I can see you letting the Holy Spirit guide you. Keep up the good work. I love you more than all the stars in the sky. You are my heart!

Love,

Mommy

Lazy Days

Caleb squishing Maddie Claire
I love my baby sister

Caleb and Maddie Claire love to watch tv together. Maddie Claire will do pretty much whatever Caleb does. If he's on the couch then she is too. If he is playing with cars and trucks then she is too. I love weekends that we have nothing planned. We can lay around in our pj's and do nothing. Lazy days are the best!

Happy Birthday Luke!

Here we are at Incahoots
Me and Maddie Claire
Daddy and the birthday boy
Luke blowing out his candle
My 3 boys

Luke turned 6. I can't believe he is so old now. To celebrate we went to Incahoots and sat on the patio. The kids love to listen and look at the waterfall. It was so hot it almost wasn't worth it. We had a good time being together. Maddie at one point decided to paint her face with ketchup. It was pretty funny. Luke enjoyed his dinner and his cake. Happy Birthday Luke! We are so proud of the young man you are turning into. We love you!

Playday

Maddie Claire and Caleb at McDonald's
Maddie Claire loves to slide
The best big brother in the world!

I took Caleb and Maddie Claire to McDonald's one afternoon to play. They shared a Coke and fries and played for an hour and a half. Maddie Claire really loves playplaces now. She is now big enough to go up with a little help from her big brother. We had a good time and it was good way to let them use their energy (you know wear them out to take a nap).

Happy 5th Birthday Caleb!

Five years ago today at 8:03 am my first born son came into the world. All 7 pounds and 15 ounces of him. He was so little and cute and I was in love immediately. I remember the joy and pride I felt when I looked at him. All 10 fingers and all 10 toes. Cute little button nose, beautiful pouty lips, big brown eyes and his angel kiss in between his eyes that really showed when he was mad! He finally made my dream come true. My dream to be a mother. That day is one of the happiest in my life.

Caleb, I love you. You are one of the funniest people I know. You are smart, handsome and genuinely a good boy. You take care of your mommy and baby sister. I have dreaded this birthday more than any other. This birthday is the one that takes you from being my little boy who gets to stay home to my big boy who will start school soon. I have 4 more months with you all to myself before I have to start letting go to see how you fly. You have made me so proud. Keep letting Jesus guide your life. Never forget the desire to know Jesus more. As I have prayed for you since you were in my womb I pray for you to fall head over heels in love with your Maker. I pray He will guide your thoughts and steps. You have such a sweet spirit and I know God will use you for His own work. This is a big year for you. You start school and start a new chapter in your life. You are on your way to growing up. Never forget you are still my baby and I love you to the moon and back!

Thomas the Train Day

Thomas the Tank Engine!
My kiddos
Tiger Woods look out!
Happy Birthday Caleb!
All Aboard!

Friday we went to the Thomas the train day in Calera. We met our playgroup friends there and had a day full of fun. There were clowns doing balloon puppets, tattoos, mini golf, bounce houses, Sir Toppemhat and much more. We decided to ride the smaller steam engine and had a blast. Caleb loves riding trains and this one was a fun ride as well. We had a birthday party for Caleb there and ate cupcakes and he opened his gifts. It was a full day of fun!

Rest and Relaxation

This is about the only time Caleb laid down after his surgery. He was so full of energy (aka Loritab). He had no pain at all. I am so thankful everything went well. I prayed for a quick recovery and painless days and nights. God answered all my prayers. Isn't He good!

September 13 Luke turned 5! Happy birthday Luke! You are growing up so fast. You have really turned out to be such a sweet, fun and smart big boy. I am so glad we became a family. I can't imagine my life without you in it. You know how to make me smile and laugh. I love to hear your jokes and especially love to hear you sing Joy To The World! You are the biggest brother and have alot of responsibility and you carry it well. You are a great role model for your younger siblings. They will be able to look up at you and see the example you set. Keep being the sweet boy you are. I hope this year is your best year yet! Happy Birthday my Lukie!

Birthday Party Fun

The boys had a birthday party to go to. It was a bouncehouse party and they had a blast. Even Madeleine got to bounce until daddy got too tired. It was a fun day. Parker was too scared to try the big, big slide. Luke and Caleb would run up the slides then jump and fall down. They had so much fun. Of course the cake was the best part.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

I love bath nights. The kids all love getting baths and are in a good mood. It is also nice because they usually take baths separately and I get some one on one time with them. I love getting to ask them about their day and see it from their perspective. I learned from Luke that Ethan is his best friend when he isn't being mean and Ms. Celia is the best teacher in "all of the land!" I learned from Parker that he wants to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle when he grows up. Raphael if you're wondering which one. I learned from Caleb that he wants to be a teacher when he grows up. Because he wants to help little kids learn cool stuff. These tidbits into the inner workings of our kids minds really lets us see them for who they are. I wouldn't trade bath night for anything. Okay, maybe a margarita once or twice a year!

My Boot Scootin Superman!

Caleb loves dressing himself now. While usually he does pretty good every now and then he will wear something like this. I thought this was too good to pass up. And yes, he does have a cape on. At least he does wear clothes, right?

Neighborhood BBQ

We had a barbeque with our cul-de-sac. It was so much fun. There are 5 little boys, including my 3, and they have a blast. We had a swimming pool and sprinklers out and the boys played for hours. There was so much food and it was delicious. We love our neighbors. It is a great little place to live.

My buddies!

Today we met a good friend of mine, Jamie, and let the boys play together. Tres, Bryant and Caleb love getting together and playing. They love when we go to Chick-fil-A and play in the playarea. They pretend they are Star Wars characters and blast off into the galaxy. This little girl kept kicking Caleb and instead of hitting back he came and told me. I was very proud. We saw her trying to find Caleb and Tres, who were hiding from her, and she kicked them right in front of us. Jamie went and told her in the nicest mommy voice not to kick anymore. That didn't stop her and I finally went around and found who she was with. She was there with someone other tham her parents. The lady was very sorry and very embarrassed. Thankfully they left right after that. We learned something that day. Don't go to a fast food restaraunt near an interstate that is the only route to the beach unless you want a chaotic lunch. Lesson learned!

Batter Up!

ME AND MADELEINE

LUKE, CALEB & PARKER

DADDY AND HIS BOYS

We took the boys to a Birmingham Barons game Friday night and had a blast. We had Pressbox seats and the best seats in the stadium. The boys loved it. It was a long game and we lost but we didn't care. We stayed for the fireworks show at the end and it was amazing. The boys loved every bit of it. Madeleine had her first baseball game and first fireworks that night. The way she just stared at the fireworks made me look at them like I was seeing them for the first time. It was a great night for us as a family.

My three sons and a princess!

We have all the boys this week and I love it. Caleb has his brothers to play with and isn't bored all day. The boys begged to stay home today and we are going to the pool and have a picnic. I can't believe how much they are growing up and changing everyday. Parker is no longer a baby. He couldn't even talk when I met him, now he is too big. Luke is changning from a toddler into a nice young man. He will be 5 in September. He starts kindergarten this fall. Caleb is so outgoing and independent. He is such a big help and doesn't need his mommy much anymore. Last night there was a thunder storm and he came running into the room scared and asked to sleep with me for a while. I laid there awake for an hour holding him. It is the only time he lets me hold him. When did my little boy grow? Where was I? It just isn't right. I know people tell me all the time to cherish this time with them, and I try to , but it goes by too fast. Alright, I have 3 boys waiting for a trip to the pool. Bye for now.

Yours, Mine and Ours!

YOURS!

Now we get to the kids. Scott has two kids from before. Luke, who is now 4, and Parker, who is now 3, are two of the sweetest boys. Luke is very smart and very much an in charge kind of boy. He is high strung at times but always wants to please you. He loves trains and being the boss. Luke is just now finding his independence and isn't much for snuggling anymore. Scott isn't liking that too much. Parker is the baby boy of the family. He is the most laid back of the boys. He loves to talk and to watch tv with daddy. He is a lovey boy and tells you he loves you all the time. He is very sensitive and does not like getting into trouble.

MINE!

Caleb is mine from before. He is now 4 and very much the athlete and daredevil. He is the most active of the boys and loves anything to do with the outdoors. He skateboards and rides bikes. He plays baseball and soccer. He is the one who will help out with anything. He is also the one who will test your limits.

OURS!

We have 1 child together. We got pregnant on the honeymoon. We tell everyone, "What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas!" We were hoping for a girl because we already had 3 boys. We found out we were having a girl on August 14th and we were so excited. We had already come up with a name. After a long and difficult pregnancy Madeleine Claire was born on January 5, 2007 at 12:43 pm.