Ford's 1st Birthday

Back in June, we headed north to spend time with Big Un and Misa, and to celebrate some very special birthdays for both my boys. We started the day with Ford's 1st birthday party. With loads of help, we pulled off a sweet little shindig for the baby.

the uninvited guest was taken care of by Midway

 

this child will not eat anything of color, so he inspected the cake closely

before realizing that he does like colored sugar

 

Ford did not realize that with a smash cake it should be all over his face and clothes.

Instead, he made sure it only went into his mouth.

 

Thanks to Off the Square Photography for the pictures, Edgar's Bakery in Birmingham for the birthday and smash cakes, Amanda Roberson Art for the invitations, the paper cups and push pops came from Sweet Lulu (of course that's not all I bought from this adorable site), the ballons we hung on fishing line (instead of buying 12 helium tanks) came from Amazon, the buckets came from Target over two years ago and all the other items came from my mom's building (yes, she has a building full of party stuff).

Why do I bother?



I toyed with the idea of going a whole year between blog posts, but I thought that inconsiderate of the two people that read this thing. And, since neither of them are related to me, that really counts as like 20 people, right? So, as a thank you to me loyal readers, I'll tell you what's been happening: a whole lot of the same; my boys are getting bigger every single day. 

And, without further ado and in no particular order!

 Happy 1st Birthday, Ford!

 Happy 4th Birthday, Cole!

 We went here, and it really was magical!

 They started wrestling with one another. It always ends in tears because Ford pulls Cole's hair.

 40 straight days of rain.

 Backyard pool fun until somebody gets sprayed in the face.

 Day in the bay learning a new trick.

 Loves the water and has no fear of it...this can be good or bad.

Lake fun with great friends!

This pretty much caps off our summer. It's been so much fun, and we're ready for school. Cole will be going 5 days a week, and it's bittersweet. You would think it would help with my blogging, but I wouldn't bet on it.

What's Going On...

I know I should be posting more on this blog for those handful of readers, but then it might take me away from things like this:

my boys playing in the yard

Cole and Ford becoming interested in each other

watching the kite surfers with friends

school field trips

grand opening of the 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin AFB

(the first time a US military base has been open to the public in 80 years)

pumpkin pickin'

I hope y'all understand the reasons for my sporadic posts. I think it's a pretty good one.

Our New Normal

Nine weeks in, and we're all adjusting to our new family of four. Ford is still waking me up once at night to eat, but he's a growing boy. After all, he did grow a whopping three inches in a month's time. He has a huge smile and cackles when he laughs. Cole's beginning to warm up to Ford...a little. The picture below tells the story of the two of them, so far.

We attended Cole's preschool orientation, and are looking forward to the school year. He will be surrounded by a wonderful group of teachers and students again. I am sad to already think about moving in a few short weeks.

Moving, you ask? Yes, Wade's job is finishing up here at Eglin Air Force Base. Next location: unknown. And yes, I'm a wee bit stressed about having no idea where we're going next or when we'll go. 

The Baby...

...is good, but taking all our time. Please stick around for a more formal introduction to our newest blessing.

Last Day of School

Yesterday was Cole's last day of school. It was so bittersweet.

It took Cole a few weeks to get use to going to school, and being away from me. But, you can see these two ladies helped to make the transition as seemless and easy as possible. Each day they welcomed Cole with a warm smile. And each day, they went above and beyond to make sure their class was learning, growing and having fun. 

I will cherish the memories from Cole's first year at preschool. And am thankful we were lead to such a wonderful group of people.

Water Day

Each year Cole's school has Water Day! To say it was fun is an understatement. Cole loved all 3 hours of it, and woke up after his nap asking for more 'wat day.' After testing things out on the small slide, he braved the big slide and within a few minutes he was going down the big one head first. This from the kid that a few weeks ago decided a bounce house full of children was no longer his cup of tea. Of course, this means we really do have to take him to the water park this summer.  

Feeling Alright

Ever had one of those times that you just feel down? Well, for the last few weeks, I've been like that. I suppose that between our living situation (a beautiful place that we generously get to live in, but still is not our 'home'), uncertainty about Wade's next work assignment and the pending arrival of a new baby, it's easy to get down in the dumps.

But, it's funny how a few simple things can pull you out of your slump so quickly! A visit from some good friends and kind words from a former coworker can do wonders for the soul! A quick thanks to those people that had no idea they made such a difference. Thank you!

Our Spring Break

....in pictures!