In Case They Ever Wonder

This year rather than have a big birthday party to celebrate Lillie's second birthday, Tori suggested that Lillie might enjoy a trip to the circus. So we decided to have a family dinner on Lillie's actual birthday and then celebrate with a special trip to the circus the next week! Lillie's special day began with the traditional Roden doughnut breakfast and a special poster made by Daddy. And we also gave our Lillie a lily of her own! Even though she wouldn't eat her doughnut, ( she just stroked it like it was a fuzzy kitty), she was so excited that the focus was all on her! After a day eating in at Chick-Fil-A, (a real treat for us) and an outing at Brilliant Sky picking out a birthday treat(a wooden apple pie set for our Lilie Pie), she was ready to come home for a quick nap and a big birthday dinner! I can't say Lillie ate much dinner, but I've never seen a child light up anymore over a birthday cake! After cake, she was more than ready for presents, and ...

Well, "the boy" has turned four, and though his birthday began with him waking up with a stomach virus, we finally had the big Cars party (more about that later) yesterday, and I believe, in the end, his fourth birthday was a great one! Actually, Matt says that if I understood guys, I would realize that his actual birthday was a dream come true because even though he threw up right after he woke up, because I felt so sorry for him being sick on his birthday, I gave him unlimited screen time and let his stay in pjs all day! He raced Mario Karts, raced on the ipad with his new Cars Appmates, and got to watch his beloved Jungle Junction whenever he tired of the racing! It was not the day I had in mind for my boy, but it may have been the day he's always dreamed of! Will has matured so much in this last year. As Patti-Grams likes to say, he has really "come into his own." Not only is he more off the growth charts physically, than he was at his three year ol...

My Lillie Pie is turning two tomorrow. This was her lullaby tonight. Your little hand's wrapped around my finger And it's so quiet in the world tonight Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light To you everything's funny, you got nothing to regret I'd give all I have, honey If you could stay like that Oh darling, don't you ever grow up Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little Oh darling, don't you ever grow up Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart And no one will desert you Just try to never grow up Oh darling, don't you ever grow up Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple Won't let nobody hurt you Won't let no one break your heart And even though you want to, please try to never grow up Som...

I n an attempt to blog a little more this year, but also realizing that I will be even less capable of coherent thought than I've been thus far, I want to take some "snapshots" of who the kids are and how they are changing throughout the year. Even though this is a crazy-busy time of our lives, there are times when I look at my four and wish (even if just for a moment) that I could freeze time and keep them at exactly the stage they are now. Truth be told, I want them to keep growing and changing, and I wouldn't survive it anyway if Lillie was a toddler forever, but I do want to remember this stage of life. (And I have a sneaking suspicion, that I may wind up a bit fuzzy on the years 2010-2012!) So, in addition to taking way too many pictures, these are my "snapshots" of Sophie, Will, Lillie, and Lucie. Sophie: I am learning so much about Soph right now. Always my child who, like the little girl with a "little curl, right in the middle of her forehead,...