2

Happy Birthday Henry

Dear Henry,

2 years. It is pretty hard to believe that you have only been a part of our lives for 2 years, because it feels like so much longer. From the moment you were placed in my arms you have held such a special and dear spot in my heart. I don't know how you did it, but you changed the way I felt about being a mother, in an incredible wonderful way.
You were the most wonderful, calm, sweet baby. We were constantly asked if you ever cried. So happy.



You still are one of the happiest children I have ever found, but there are just so many other adjectives I could use to describe you.




You are curious. You watch how something works and then you go ahead and replicate it. A typical 3rd born you refuse to be left behind. So you are fast on everyone's heels.You are so sweet. A really really sweet little boy. So incredibly intuitive at such a young age. If any of your siblings are crying you are so quick to look for their binky or their "nigh nigh" and you bring it right to them.


Helpful, you are very helpful. And quite the giver. If something is on the coffee table you pride yourself in being the one to want to hand anything to anybody. Whether it be a magazine or a coffee mug full of coffee.


Your favorite things? Your binky, but only used upside down. I can't remember how old you were when you discovered that you could flip it upside down using only your tongue.
Balls. You love to throw anything.




Sand and Dirt. It is fairly ironic to me and your dad that we named you after a copy of Thoreau's On Walden's Pond, because you would rather be outside than pretty much anything else.
Except the iPad. You are fairly addicted to the "bapad" and its embarrassing to admit just how good you are at using it. I can take a little comfort in knowing that once the front door opens you quickly throw the iPad down and try to escape to the outside.





Your baby brother. You have taken a lot of ownership over him. There hasn't been an ounce of jealousy in your little heart, but complete awe and attentiveness to him. If he's awake and around you want to be around him. I cannot wait to see the two of you grow as friends and brothers.

oh Henry. you still don't talk much, but you do sing out my name whenever you want me. you like to play peek a boo, you love to jump, you are always up for a run, and if anyone is on the ground you immediately dog pile all over them.
oh son, i hope and pray that you will continue to grow into the sweet boy that you are and that you grow to be a strong man who seeks the Lord.
i don't exactly have the right words to tell you just how much i love you, how you have changed my life profoundly and how i cannot even imagine this family without you in it.
happy birthday to my little one.

lost cause.

2011 (i think)

there seems to be no chance i will "catch" up on old posts. simply because i have no idea where half of my pictures are stored on this computer.
so, these are all recent photos.
enjoy.

seriously, how cute is he?


and seriously, how cute is he???
brothers.
warning, pictures below will make you hungry.
and angry at me.

but you can't stay angry at that face? can you? and really, you should be angry at my sister. she made those cupcakes. and they were unbelievable. like, i get a sugar rush just thinking about them.
come back, Ash, and make more.
oh my sweetness.
and the face that always makes me smile.

hmmmm

not the best pictures to compare. but when henry was a baby we thought he looked just like his big brother, when he was a baby.


but now, he's not quite a baby anymore.

there's still a resemblance in the grins, but i think they are starting too look so very different.
what do you think?

Resemblance

i think the boys are starting to look a little different from each other.




what do you think?

so hard to catch up

i might just have to stop trying to catch up, but as i sort through my pictures i keep coming across great shots, that i cannot resist sharing.
like these:





i don't think any of the kids love being outside as much as Henry does :)

we gave thanks.

last year (or two months ago) the kids and i went up to Portland and then to Puyallup to spend thanksgiving with my family. my dad was crazy, i mean generous, and flew down to Sacramento and helped drive the 5 of us up. we left Sam behind as starbucks is a busy busy time and he needs to be in his store.
we made it up, in oh what felt like 18 hours, but was really less. seriously, someone MUST have been praying for us because at about 50 minutes to destination the fear of total meltdown was upon us, but 5 minutes later ALL of the kids fell asleep for the last of the journey.
that was friday. saturday, my sister joined us in Portland and my dad continued the journey with 3 of the kids to the cabin in Government Camp.
thank you dad.
those 3 days with just my little baby and my little sister were UN-BE-LIEVABLE!
these are some pics my sister took saturday morning before the kids went with my dad.






now, i have no pictures from the kids time at the cabin. i wasn't there. but i don't even have that many pictures from the trip, and that's really because i was having such a good time relaxing :)
up at the cabin the kids were introduced to hot chocolate.
which they now love.




and we made sugar cookies.









and my sister made a lot of food.
including this beautiful turkey.

thanksgiving. it was wonderful. my parents were exhausted by the time i left, mainly because i basically handed them my kids and then took a nice long break!