On Monday we started another week of school and work.
Since my sweet baby boy turns 1 tomorrow, I attempted some 12-month-pictures.
This is the best shot.
And after about 10 minutes, we were all done.
***
On Tuesday, we celebrated Sam's FIRST birthday!
When I was growing up, I always thought my younger siblings were so spoiled... but I've come to realize how hard it is to have a younger sibling with older kids.
I feel like all I do is haul Sam around, squeezing in feedings and playing time when I can.
So, maybe the younger ones are a bit spoiled, but they also have to deal with a lot of waiting and driving and older-kid drama that they deserve to be spoiled.
Sam's birthday was no different.
Among basketball practice, projects, picking up Mike from work (and before meetings), we squeezed in this guy's birthday celebration.
I remember spending weeks thinking of Adam's first birthday.
Notsomuch when you're the 4th child.
Luckily, right after Sam was born, I pinned a cute lion birthday cake that was simple enough to quickly make. The kids insisted that pizza was his favorite meal (he DOES like it), so we threw some pizza together quickly and let him enjoy a slice of cake.
And right after those photos, because it was 8:30 at that point, I bathed and nursed him, and he went to sleep.
We'll have to do presents another day.
Sam LOVES playing "pat-a-cake," adores playing with his older siblings, is a content, happy, easy-going guy who loves to eat and make messes and play peek-a-boo. He is so sweet! He is very fast at crawling, and is starting to stand, but refuses to walk (unless you catch him when he doesn't realize it... then he will take a step or two).
We adore our Sam the Man!
Happy 1st Birthday, buddy!
***
The next morning, Sam opened his gifts: he got a book and money from the Rice family, cute pajamas and clothes from Nano, a card and $2 bill from the Wilkins, money from Great-Granny and a linking toy from us.
We attempted some balloon pictures after we got the kids off to school.
They were notsogood.
Mike had mutual that evening and Adam had a basketball game.
He is #25 and is getting better with each game.
I love the effort he puts in... he is not the fastest runner, BUT he is the first down the court each time because he tries so hard.
LOVE him.
I am so incredibly, insanely thankful that I was able to exculsively nurse Sam the entire first year. And it was so not easy. I had to pump every 6 hours and feed him every 3 (setting my cell phone alarm for 3:00am each day even) just to keep up my supply. And it seems crazy, but I so wanted to nurse one the entire first year without supplementing and we. made. it.
He has been so healthy and nursing has been so good for me. He's probably my last, and with the older kids being so crazy and busy, I loved that it was something that I could do JUST with him and for him.
I am SO grateful.
But, I'm done with the every-3-hour thing.
It's hard.
We are going to nurse every morning and evening for as long as my body will let me, and then be done.
***
Way back in October, our sweet friends asked Mike to try to sell their car (and fix a few things on it).
So, we've been able to use it for several months and it has been THE biggest blessing.
Having 2 cars is pretty amazing.
The stress of having our van break down (we would have to take the bus to school and work and activities) is always in the back of my mind, and being able to borrow their car alleviated that stress.
Plus, Mike brought them to school each day, while I stayed home with the boys and got a little extra rest, which was HEAVENLY.
But, they moved and needed to sell it.
So, we did.
So thankful to them for letting us use it.
Mike had the day off on Thursday, so we headed to a government building to get Josh's birth certificate.
Truthfully, I never bothered getting it because those things are $30 and I have better things to do with $30.
I know.
But, he needed it to be registered for school, so we did.
The mall happens to be next door to the building, so after getting his birth certificate, we headed there for a little indoor play + a few See's suckers.
And then went to register my Josh for kindergarten.
How is he THAT old?
I just had him.
To say he was excited to go to school would be a lie.
But, it'll be so good for him.
And once Grace spotted him and introduced him to the kindergarten teacher, he was a little more excited.
She's darling.
***
On Friday we opened the last of our Christmas gifts: the cousin gifts!
We like to s-t-r-e-t-c-h out the holidays 'round here.
Josh got an awesome airplane that shoots and makes fun noises:
Grace got some Jamberry nail covers (that are too cute):
And then my battery died.
Adam got an awesome watercolor pencil set and Sam got a cute farm puzzle.
Thank you to all of our sweet Wilkins' cousins for the fun gifts!
The kids loved them!
***
Saturday and Sunday were spent doing piano, homework, playing games, going to church, having pizza night, and being so busy that I forgot to take pictures.
It happens.
;)
No comments:
Post a Comment