Whew!!! After all the counting down, its finally here - its your birthday!!!! Happy 5th Birthday, Camden Isaiah Ball!!! You have been eagerly anticipating this day for a very LONG time!! When we got to the one-month-out mark, you didn't think you could stand it any longer. And, oh boy, the last 10 days when you've been able to count down each day have been fun. And now that its today, I hope its a super day filled with lots of fun just for you!!
We have a full agenda with swimming and a special lunch and then your request of homemade pizza for dinner and no bake cookies for dessert. Oh, and there may be a present to open, too. ;) But, for just a minute, let me think about how big you've gotten over the last year.
You are so stinkin' funny....still! You still make silly faces, you still say silly things, and you still have a one-of-kind inflection in your voice. You are sweet and kind and ornery and all-boy. You laugh and cry and snuggle and build and imagine. The other day you blew me away with a truck you built out of blocks, and nearly everyday you and your brothers put on self-created costumes and act out Pirates of the Caribbean or Star Wars.
You are so excited to start Kindergarten this year. I know that you will just blossom because you are already a very smart boy. Last week, your brothers showed you how you can add numbers on your fingers and you haven't missed an opportunity to practice.
You are still super attached to your "night-night" which makes me smile. Even though you're such a big kid now, there's something sweet about seeing you wrap up in your night-night (soft side to you, of course), suck your thumb, and crawl into bed (or mine and Daddy's bed in the wee hours).
You are a rough and tumble boy and your legs always have the bruises to prove it. You love to play outside and to help in the garden. You absolutely loved your first year of t-ball and were so fun to watch.
You like to dance and sing and you don't tell me to stop (yet) when I join in. We love the Happy song and I may or may not have added it to our iTunes just for you and Landon. You also love to sing songs about Jesus. Yesterday, we were listening to the radio in the car and I heard you say to Landon, "Oh, Landon, I really like this song, don't you? Its about the Lord!" I just smiled and turned it up a little louder. You are hilarious to watch dance. Sometimes you just spin around and act crazy, but others you try to do the robot and it cracks me up every.single.time. I guess you get your dance moves from your Mama. Sorry about that. ;)
You are pretty crazy about your big brothers and your baby sister...and your mom and dad and the rest of your family. You are almost always the one to initiate "High-Low" at dinnertime....which means you determine the order in which we all go....and then you have a bunch of highs and lows every day.
You are so much fun, Cams. I'm so glad that God made you a part of our family. I am praying for all the great big things He is going to do in you and through you as you grow. I love you times infinity, buddy.
Mom
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Happy Birthday, Laney Kate!!
Laney Kate,
Oh my goodness, sweet girl - you are 2 years old today!!! I can't believe how fast the last 2 years have gone. Your Daddy, brothers, and I love you so very much and we are all looking forward to celebrating today! You were our little surprise and a bright spot during a hard time for our family. Your big brothers have been in love with you from the very beginning (well, mostly ;)) and they still are. I think they were more excited to tell you "Happy Birthday" this morning than they were for their own birthdays. They do, however, still call you "Goo" or "Baby Goo" a lot of the time....I apologize now for time when you hear this and do not find any humor.
I think the craziest thing for me is how much you have changed since your last birthday. Last year you were just starting to stand and take a few wobbly steps, and now you run all over the place...and climb....everywhere. Last year you still just had a little peach fuzz and the only way you could wear a bow was to clip it to a headband that you nearly always pulled off your head. Last year you were just starting to say a few words and now you have a whole arsenal of them.
Here are my favorites right now:
-You very rarely call your brothers by their names, but instead refer to them all as "boy" or "boys". This is especially true when you are tattling on them. ;)
-You will.not. say Caleb...you just call him Rylee and he does NOT think its funny...and you do...
-"Daddy" and "Mama" are two of my favorites, especially since your brothers almost always call us "Dad" and "Mom" now.
-You call your paci your "papi" and anytime sleep is mentioned you ask for it. Thats getting ready to end soon though, as Operation Break LK of Her Paci begins next week when the school year ends and schedules no longer matter.
Here are some of your favorite things right now: your family (including aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents), Kord, sweet tea, Doc McStuffins, Ariel, your "Down on the Farm" board book, baby dolls that you push in baby strollers or your toy cart, your paci, pestering your brothers, kisses, and outside.
My prayer for you this year is that as you continue to learn and grow and develop, you will begin to understand that Jesus loves you even more than we do. That you will continue to grow and learn and develop your personality - which, by the way, is the perfect blend of mischevious, stinker, and sweet.
I love you, Laney Kate!! You are my girl and I am thankful beyond words that the Lord placed you in our family. You were and are the perfect addition. I hope you feel special and know how loved you are today.
Happy 2nd Birthday!
Love,
Mama
Oh my goodness, sweet girl - you are 2 years old today!!! I can't believe how fast the last 2 years have gone. Your Daddy, brothers, and I love you so very much and we are all looking forward to celebrating today! You were our little surprise and a bright spot during a hard time for our family. Your big brothers have been in love with you from the very beginning (well, mostly ;)) and they still are. I think they were more excited to tell you "Happy Birthday" this morning than they were for their own birthdays. They do, however, still call you "Goo" or "Baby Goo" a lot of the time....I apologize now for time when you hear this and do not find any humor.
I think the craziest thing for me is how much you have changed since your last birthday. Last year you were just starting to stand and take a few wobbly steps, and now you run all over the place...and climb....everywhere. Last year you still just had a little peach fuzz and the only way you could wear a bow was to clip it to a headband that you nearly always pulled off your head. Last year you were just starting to say a few words and now you have a whole arsenal of them.
Here are my favorites right now:
-You very rarely call your brothers by their names, but instead refer to them all as "boy" or "boys". This is especially true when you are tattling on them. ;)
-You will.not. say Caleb...you just call him Rylee and he does NOT think its funny...and you do...
-"Daddy" and "Mama" are two of my favorites, especially since your brothers almost always call us "Dad" and "Mom" now.
-You call your paci your "papi" and anytime sleep is mentioned you ask for it. Thats getting ready to end soon though, as Operation Break LK of Her Paci begins next week when the school year ends and schedules no longer matter.
Here are some of your favorite things right now: your family (including aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents), Kord, sweet tea, Doc McStuffins, Ariel, your "Down on the Farm" board book, baby dolls that you push in baby strollers or your toy cart, your paci, pestering your brothers, kisses, and outside.
My prayer for you this year is that as you continue to learn and grow and develop, you will begin to understand that Jesus loves you even more than we do. That you will continue to grow and learn and develop your personality - which, by the way, is the perfect blend of mischevious, stinker, and sweet.
I love you, Laney Kate!! You are my girl and I am thankful beyond words that the Lord placed you in our family. You were and are the perfect addition. I hope you feel special and know how loved you are today.
Happy 2nd Birthday!
Love,
Mama
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Landon's 6th Birthday
Dear Landy,
Holy Birthday, Batman!! You are SIX years old today!!!! Can you believe it?! Can I still call you Landy? You've jumped on the Ayden train and call me Mom about 80% of the time now, but so far you haven't told me that you don't want to be called Landy anymore. Don't grow up too fast...take it easy on this Mama!!
My little blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy. You probably look the most like your Daddy. You have a lot of his personality, too. You like to make people laugh. You get frustrated quickly. You love big. You are so smart.
This has been a big year for you, starting Kindergarten. I laugh at myself now...at how worried I was that you would struggle learning to read because you were a late talker and developed your language a little later. I had NOTHING to worry about! You are an amazing little reader!! Its been so fun to watch you this year as you've worked on it and become better and better. Now you can read stories to yourself or your brothers or sister. I loved it last week when you were reading your library book to me and Ayden kept inching closer to hear you. You did a great job!!
You are great at drawing!! Daddy and I are NOT, so I'm not sure where you came up with that talent, but you are a natural. Your pictures tell stories lots of times. My refrigerator is always full of your artwork. Its so cool to see you work at it. You make it look easy! ;)
You are a sweet brother, especially to Laney Kate. You still kiss her on the head as much now as you did when she was a newborn. You and your brothers fight a lot, but you also play together and laugh together a lot. Usually, the times you are laughing the most and getting along the best, you guys are doing something you shouldn't, BUT, you still have lots of fun together.
You are my Mr. Independent. I know its important to teach you to do things for yourself, but sometimes I just want to jump in and help when I see you struggling with something, but you won't have it. You like to do things all by yourself. Its a good character trait for you to have to be diligent and hardworking and to persevere.
Its been a year of loss, most notably for you, Poppa. How many conversations have we had about how Poppa is now in heaven with Jesus and has no more cancer and no more pain? You boys have been so curious. I love that we can all walk with the certainty that he really is with the Lord at this very moment.
Ah, Landy, what does this year hold for us? You are starting to understand more and more about Jesus, and Daddy and I continue to pray for the day that you decide to follow Him always. Maybe it will be this year. You are looking forward to playing baseball again. Now that we're through all 20 snow days we've had this year, we are looking forward to spring...and then summer!! No school!! Whoop Whoop!! Then 1st grade -what?! Ah, I don't want to think about all that growing up just yet.
Not today. Because today you are six. We will celebrate with a Batman party tomorrow night with our family...and missing some special people, too. In a few hours I'll be in your classroom with cupcakes and juice boxes for your friends. Tonight we'll feast on "chicken and pasta" per your request and you can use the birthday plate and our special birthday chair (remember, Mrs. Megan??). And at some point today, I'm going to curl you up into a little Landy-ball and smooch you and snuggle you and smooch you some more.....and then I'll rub them in to be sure you can't wipe them off.
I love you sweet boy. Have a fun day!!
Love,
Mama
Holy Birthday, Batman!! You are SIX years old today!!!! Can you believe it?! Can I still call you Landy? You've jumped on the Ayden train and call me Mom about 80% of the time now, but so far you haven't told me that you don't want to be called Landy anymore. Don't grow up too fast...take it easy on this Mama!!
My little blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy. You probably look the most like your Daddy. You have a lot of his personality, too. You like to make people laugh. You get frustrated quickly. You love big. You are so smart.
This has been a big year for you, starting Kindergarten. I laugh at myself now...at how worried I was that you would struggle learning to read because you were a late talker and developed your language a little later. I had NOTHING to worry about! You are an amazing little reader!! Its been so fun to watch you this year as you've worked on it and become better and better. Now you can read stories to yourself or your brothers or sister. I loved it last week when you were reading your library book to me and Ayden kept inching closer to hear you. You did a great job!!
You are great at drawing!! Daddy and I are NOT, so I'm not sure where you came up with that talent, but you are a natural. Your pictures tell stories lots of times. My refrigerator is always full of your artwork. Its so cool to see you work at it. You make it look easy! ;)
You are a sweet brother, especially to Laney Kate. You still kiss her on the head as much now as you did when she was a newborn. You and your brothers fight a lot, but you also play together and laugh together a lot. Usually, the times you are laughing the most and getting along the best, you guys are doing something you shouldn't, BUT, you still have lots of fun together.
You are my Mr. Independent. I know its important to teach you to do things for yourself, but sometimes I just want to jump in and help when I see you struggling with something, but you won't have it. You like to do things all by yourself. Its a good character trait for you to have to be diligent and hardworking and to persevere.
Its been a year of loss, most notably for you, Poppa. How many conversations have we had about how Poppa is now in heaven with Jesus and has no more cancer and no more pain? You boys have been so curious. I love that we can all walk with the certainty that he really is with the Lord at this very moment.
Ah, Landy, what does this year hold for us? You are starting to understand more and more about Jesus, and Daddy and I continue to pray for the day that you decide to follow Him always. Maybe it will be this year. You are looking forward to playing baseball again. Now that we're through all 20 snow days we've had this year, we are looking forward to spring...and then summer!! No school!! Whoop Whoop!! Then 1st grade -what?! Ah, I don't want to think about all that growing up just yet.
Not today. Because today you are six. We will celebrate with a Batman party tomorrow night with our family...and missing some special people, too. In a few hours I'll be in your classroom with cupcakes and juice boxes for your friends. Tonight we'll feast on "chicken and pasta" per your request and you can use the birthday plate and our special birthday chair (remember, Mrs. Megan??). And at some point today, I'm going to curl you up into a little Landy-ball and smooch you and snuggle you and smooch you some more.....and then I'll rub them in to be sure you can't wipe them off.
I love you sweet boy. Have a fun day!!
Love,
Mama
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Ayden
Dear Ayden,
How can it be that you are 8 years old? Weren't you just a newborn snuggled up in my arms just a few days ago? Time is marching by so quickly. It seems like you are just growing up so fast! It cracked me up how you watched the clock all.day.long. Your Lego Ninjago party was super fun and a big hit, I think.
The last year has been the best one yet. In April, you gave your heart to Jesus. Enough said. Even if nothing else happened all year, I would count it a success. At Christmas time this year, we worked the Truth in the Tinsel for the first time. About halfway through, you told me it was really fun and we should do it every year. Be still my heart. My prayer (you know because you hear it at night) is that you will learn to love Jesus more every day and that you will have a love for God's Word.
You continue to be one of the most amazing big brothers. Despite your "moments," more times than not you are kind, patient, forgiving, and encouraging. Anytime I want Laney Kate to say something, I just ask you to ask her, since she won't talk for me. You've worked with her to call you "Bubba" and I wonder if thats what she will grow up calling you.
You have sweet, good friends. You were so excited to have Cooper and Lane come to your birthday party. And, everyone here kept saying what sweet boys they are. Daddy said how thankful he is that you have them as friends, because we have spent lots of time praying that you would have sweet, good-influence friends.
I love that you still aren't too old to snuggle - and you actually like to!! Physical touch is definitely your love language. I love your creativity - the way you draw, build Legos, and see the world, in general. I am blown away by how smart you are and how easily you remember information. And your reading? Whoa. You read an entire Magic Tree House chapter book in 45 min. No big deal. ;) I also love that you are learning how to handle life when things are harder...even though I wish it wasn't so. Some things with school have been a struggle this year, and you maintain a sweet attitude. I love how funny you are. By the time you were just a few weeks old, we all said to each other, "What did we do for entertainment before he was born?" We just watched you all the time. And, still, you bring your share of laughter to our house.
Buddy, I can feel the subtle shift of a change coming. You are no longer a baby, a toddler, or a little boy. You are in full-blown boyhood now. Part of me wishes that I could keep you little forever. But, another part of me can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for you and your future...and I'm enjoying the present with you, too.
I love you so much, Ayden Parker.
How can it be that you are 8 years old? Weren't you just a newborn snuggled up in my arms just a few days ago? Time is marching by so quickly. It seems like you are just growing up so fast! It cracked me up how you watched the clock all.day.long. Your Lego Ninjago party was super fun and a big hit, I think.
The last year has been the best one yet. In April, you gave your heart to Jesus. Enough said. Even if nothing else happened all year, I would count it a success. At Christmas time this year, we worked the Truth in the Tinsel for the first time. About halfway through, you told me it was really fun and we should do it every year. Be still my heart. My prayer (you know because you hear it at night) is that you will learn to love Jesus more every day and that you will have a love for God's Word.
You continue to be one of the most amazing big brothers. Despite your "moments," more times than not you are kind, patient, forgiving, and encouraging. Anytime I want Laney Kate to say something, I just ask you to ask her, since she won't talk for me. You've worked with her to call you "Bubba" and I wonder if thats what she will grow up calling you.
You have sweet, good friends. You were so excited to have Cooper and Lane come to your birthday party. And, everyone here kept saying what sweet boys they are. Daddy said how thankful he is that you have them as friends, because we have spent lots of time praying that you would have sweet, good-influence friends.
I love that you still aren't too old to snuggle - and you actually like to!! Physical touch is definitely your love language. I love your creativity - the way you draw, build Legos, and see the world, in general. I am blown away by how smart you are and how easily you remember information. And your reading? Whoa. You read an entire Magic Tree House chapter book in 45 min. No big deal. ;) I also love that you are learning how to handle life when things are harder...even though I wish it wasn't so. Some things with school have been a struggle this year, and you maintain a sweet attitude. I love how funny you are. By the time you were just a few weeks old, we all said to each other, "What did we do for entertainment before he was born?" We just watched you all the time. And, still, you bring your share of laughter to our house.
Buddy, I can feel the subtle shift of a change coming. You are no longer a baby, a toddler, or a little boy. You are in full-blown boyhood now. Part of me wishes that I could keep you little forever. But, another part of me can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for you and your future...and I'm enjoying the present with you, too.
I love you so much, Ayden Parker.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
