Soaking You Up: Mary Colette

I want to soak up:

Your bubbly self.

You are dramatic, in the most funny way and you charge through the day with intensity that can only be match be a fully stocked locomotive.

Your love to gather and make little families all over the place. Downstairs in now a small animal family village.

How you and George play so well together and how you call him "Dad". 

How excited you are to get a new house even though there is no concept of time.

I want to soak up your enthusiasm for this new chapter in our lives, I draw on it when times are tough for me.

I want to soak up your middleness right now...you aren't little and you aren't quite bit just middle and it's tough.

I want to soak up the last of your four year and remember that you are just four...you are so capable and mature, however you are still just four and we need to remember that. Even when you frighten your eight year old brother because you almost out ran him or when you tramp down to the barn by yourself to play shop or when you set the table you are still my four year old girl, who is packed so tightly with maturity, physical capabilities and personality in a tiny little body. 

Soaking You Up: Avery

I want to soak up:

How sweet you have been lately, you have been so sweet to offer our daily rosary up for a dear cousin friend and seem to be deeply concerned about him.

How you are enamored with your other "A" that is Annie. Now you guys are the A team and are so precious together.

I want to soak up the toughness of this transition...it's hard and you are feeling it and well like a true newly minted seven year old there is just so much feeling and not enough age to process it all.

I want to soak up your fun, your bounce, your boyness. 

I want to soak up your need to create, your enjoyment of art and passion for little found treasures.

Avery you are so much fun, watching you encounter the world is one of my favorite hobbies.

I want to soak up every bit of your seventh year.

Soaking You Up: Paul Thomas

I want to soak up your maturity these past few weeks.

These last few weeks have been nothing short of chaotic. We accepted a new job in a new state and had to begin the process of packing up and readying our house to sell...it has been a big upheaval and you have stepped up and dealt with everything so well. You have articulated beautifully the emotions that are flooding your young body and have sought out companionship in handling them. You have risen to the occasion and cheerfully help with the littles more than before. You made your list of what was most important to say goodbye to and your friends topped it. You get what is most important in life. Paul Thomas you have done so well in handling let down and put offs during these past few weeks. We haven't given you credit that it can be so utterly frustrating to watch your whole world turned around and you have no control, no say and must just wait to be told what will happen and when. You haven't let any of that frustration over run your life or your actions. You really have been amazing. 

Friday Photo Favorites

Have you heard?

We are moving...to the Saint Louis...soon.

We will miss the glorious days here and our great backyard with the absolute best tree filled with kiddos. 

Blurry fun.

This is Anastasia's favorite swing...she looks so tiny and big all at the same time swing endlessly on it.

I will miss this view so, so much! Most evenings are filled with dinner prep and a view of the swings gleefully swinging and bikes running circles catching bad guys and dump trucks hauling loads here and there and shovels and front-end loaders moving more dirt than you thought was possible and most of the time three, then four, then five happy, dirty, beautiful children conducting it all. 

Our house may have only 3 bedrooms, but it had the biggest and best playroom of all.

Soaking You Up: Anastasia

I want to soak up:

How delicate you look at the world and at the same time how excited you get about everything.

Your "oooo"s. 

You are the first to notice anything new and different.

How you have learned to pester your brothers in the most adorable way.

How fearless you are and how you love being one of the kids now...no longer are you a baby.

I want to soak up your little finger point and your babbling mama through the house.

I want to soak up your sweet baby kisses and best baby hugs.

I want to soak up your mischief and impish self.

The way you run to your Daddy everyday after work plant a wet open mouth kiss on him, then me, then him.

Your love for swinging, even in the cold wind.

Anastasia, I want to soak up every bit of you and your ways as everyday you grow so much.

Friday Photo Favorites

Cowpokes.

Soaking You Up: George

I want to soak up:

your need to be loved, cuddled and held,

your need to love, cuddle and hold me,

your ability to play for hours by yourself,

your ability to communicate with little to no words just intense eyes,

your love for dirt, dump trucks and trains,

how you play so well with Mary Colette and enjoy being part of the gang,

your new found freedom on your balance bike and how when we go on walks you gabber away as you ride,

your love for pjs,

how you seek me out to tell me that really important tidbit afterwards scampering off to continue your play,

your self directed jobs you give yourself.

your sheer goofiness and sweet little songs you sing when you think no one is listening

George, I want to soak up every bit of you. You melt my heart and make me giggle everyday. I love you.