Grace 18-20 months

Gracie,
I haven't forgotten you. Your transition to a toddler has been an enjoyable one. You are the most changed child since birth. You look nothing like we anticipated. We thought you would be my little Arabian look a-like, but you are starting to look more like daddy, just like the others. Your black hair is gone, and I have another kid turning blonde on me. I didn't think it was possible, but you may be more strong willed and persistnet than your sister.  You can demand so much without even communicating. Your favorite words are "E-I" (Eli), and Wawa (Noah)." Chloe understands her name is a bit more difficult. Everything else is screaming "Mama" typically at my feet. You want to be held all the time, and it's hard to resist you knowing it won't be for much longer. You won't let me put your clothes on until you have tried, and you love to try to put your shoes and everyones else's shoes on. You like to play "da, da" goose, ball and babies with me. You love every opportunity to play with your siblings, but with mama is where you prefer to be. I am grateful for all you snuggles and all your smiles (and even your little grunts). We love you!

cute & snuggly

             our little "wild thing"

                 sporty and sophisticated 

                     sweet & messy

Elijah is 4

Smiley,

Your toddler days are gone, and I miss my 3 year old already.  You have let everyone know that you are now 4.  I am so thankful that since you were a baby, that smile of yours has not changed. It is so contagious and brightens up many of my days. This past year you have become very eager. You enjoy trying and learning new things, and you are so teachable. Daddy has thoroughly enjoyed teaching you how to swim. You don't give up, and you love seeing your progress.  You really want to do swim team with Noah and Chloe this summer, so you are working really hard. It helps that Noah has gone ahead of you, and that you want to learn everything that he is doing.  Just a few days ago, Chloe asked you why you always copy Noah, to which you quickly responded, "because I like him, he's my brother."  And just like Noah, you eat almost everything, and you enjoy it all! Right now you are really loving celery and peanut butter as your favorite snack. It delights me when you ask for veggies:)

You loved learning all your letters and pick up things quickly. You love to pray before meal times and love to pray for everything, so we usually have to wrap it up for you. You also LOVE to sing. Recently we were eating dinner and you excused yourself to go to the bathroom, and we heard your singing in the bathroom the whole time. (It was number 2). The door was left open so it echoed into the foyer while we ate. Your favorite songs to sing are, "He who is Mighty," "Jesus I come," and "He Will Hold Me Fast." You also ask me to play "Jesus loves me" for Gracie in the car, because you know she likes it and just can't tell us. Which by the way, you are very sweet to her. You are learning though, that she doesn't mean to destroy the things you work hard on making. Typically I try to fix it, and regardless you get sad and say, "thats not how it goes."  We know its hard to rebuild all your creativity.

You are very into Fire trucks, Paw Patrol, legos, and anything that Noah and Chloe do. Oh, and puzzles! You are already doing 100 piece ones. Lately you have enjoyed playing Candyland, Uno and Dominoes. I love our fleeting time together when its just you and me. You still love to snuggle and read books, and when I ask if you want to do anything you say "Oooookay..."   One morning I was tidying up in Chloe's room, you followed me in and hopped on her bed. Then you reached up to open her curtains, and as the sun broke through shouted, "Glory to God and peace by earth!" You are so precious and so delightful.  It is our hope and prayer that your life would be one that glorifies God, and we are thrilled that we get to have you as our son.  Happy birthday sweet boy. We love you!

Love,
Mom & Dad

 I have this same picture of Noah reaching out to Chloe to comfort her, and now you comfort Grace.

Seed butter and jelly dipped in butternut squash soup. Sorry I didn't have time to make you a grilled cheese, but this is was what you requested.

 big helper

This picture is one of my favorites. Chloe made you the birthday crown and you loved it. Noah and her have prepared your present from a couple weeks ago and have spent HOURS writing you sweet cards and collecting random things that they found around the house they thought you would re-enjoy such as a bouncy balls, fidget spinner, stickers, crafts they made, and other things you now treasure. 

Birthday party with just the family and then with your buddies...

Another Merry Christmas

This Christmas was one of my favorites to remember. It was very relaxed and fun.  We did do a few advent activities when we were up for it as opposed to trying to do 24 and just kept life a simple and steady through the season. I think our favorite activity was the Christmas light scavenger hunt. We found almost everything thanks to your optimism, persistence, and a full tank of gas. We just had a wonderful time making memories with our family as we celebrated our Saviors birth. And the bonus- no one was sick.

 I told Daddy that I didn't want any"thing" for Christmas and I wanted more of our gift giving to become focused on doing fun and new things together. So daddy took me to the new Bible Museum and we saw a broadway musical,  "Amazing Grace".  I'll start the tradition of the experience next year, because dad really needed a new pair of sweatpants this year:)

 We got everyone dolled up for once.

 yummmm

 Gingerbread house making with our special guest, Auntie Mace

 The cutest wise man!

This robe paired with a back scratcher from Tayta might have been Noah's favorite gift 

And my 18 month old loving her new dress. 

Noah is 8

Noah,

I (and Dad) am so amazed at how much you've grown in the past year. And yes, I am actually talking about your height. I'm not ready for your face to be at my eye level, but you are quickly getting there. It makes me sad you are getting so big, but I love that you still love to curl up next to me and have me scratch your back. Teta got you a backscratcher for your birthday and you love it! Now I need one for everyone else in the family. You are still a Star Wars fanatic, and you still enjoy playing and building endless things with your legos. I love to see all your creativity in that. You are excited to be playing basketball again, and you are doing really well playing the piano.  You are doing really well in school and have become more confident in the work that you do. Once you pick things up you run with it. And speaking of confidence, you are working hard on your dance moves. It drives us crazy, but dad and I will often go and check on you after 15 minutes of you being" in the shower" only to find a steaming bathroom and a half naked boy dancing in front of the mirror. Your sense of humor is on the rise too. I'm not sure if you know how funny you are. Your teacher just told me you had a very"sophisticated sense of humor". Hmm I'm not sure where you get that from!

You are really a joy to be with, and your friends love you because you are a sweet and considerate friend. This year you earned an award at school for being the child who most exemplified serving others in your class. We are really grateful for how you excel at this at home too. You love mowing the yard, and you respond immediately when I ask you to do things. You are very kind to Eli and Chloe. Eli loves doing big boy things with you. Everything he wants or likes is "like Noahs" and the thrill on his face when he inherits all your hand me downs! As for Gracie, it is very evident that she adores you the most right now. You are so sweet and gentle with her and it is noticed by many. I love how you help me care for her and love her. Have I mentioned how sweet you are?!

Noah, we love that you are our oldest son. We love the blessing you've been to all of us. Our prayer is that you would live a life of serving the One who perfectly designed you and ordained all your days, and the one who loves you more than we ever will. May Jesus soften your heart and be glorified in the life you live. We love you a lot!

Love, Mom & Dad

A poem we wrote to share with your class on your birthday...

I'm glad to have another chocolate lover in the fam!

Charleston, SC & Sugarloaf

I recently had a fun and relaxing weekend with just the man I love. Charleston is now one of my favorite towns that we’ve visited, and I’m ready to go back. This was our first getaway alone since Grace was born. It was so peaceful. We enjoyed being outside strolling through market street, our tour of Middleton place, our carriage ride and honestly every bite we ate. We made sure to continue our workouts, so we didn't come home that much heavier. We both caught up on reading and renewing our minds with Gods word, and although these times are much needed and wonderful, we are always happy to come home to our kiddos.


I am enjoying history more as I get older, maybe because I'm slowly becoming history. Middleton Place was such a beautiful plantation and we learned so much. I feel like I'm slowly recharging whats left of my brain. This is the view from whats left of Middleton place and behind us are the wings of the Butterfly Pond.

Our adventurous carriage ride. I actually thought we were going to flip over because the horse got scared at one point and decided to make a quick U-turn on a one lane street. 

Fried green tomatoes! YUM!

We went to Sugarloaf Mountain looking for a short hike, but we blew through our snacks within our first 5 minutes and ended up with a short walk playing with sticks instead.

                                  

                         

A post of many posts

I was reviewing the posts from this year, and there was so much not captured. We have had some memorable times. I'm so exhausted most nights that sleep wins vs. blogging. But I went to bed at 8 last night, and and my Christmas shopping is done before December :) I'm feeling pretty good, so here's some things I missed...

Our Bethany Beach trip is always a highlight especially when the Averills join in. It felt like deja vu seeing Grace on the rides for the first time. Just a few years ago, this was Noah and Chloe.

  

And speaking of Grace, she's getting cuter and more fierce!

Father-Son camping trip

Hershey park with the Devries!

Daddy did his first sprint triathlon with Dave Devries. This was an adventure for all of us. Dad had no idea that we were doing our own little race on public transportation at the same time.  Ms. Hannah and I thought we would bless the dads by taking all 8 of you down to D.C. for the finish.  (This homebody really loves your dad.)  If only we knew (or paid closer attention to one additional sign instead of 8 needy children), before we hopped on the metro that it was out of service for 5 stops, this story could have had a happier ending.  However, we went for the more memorable story.  So after our car ride to the metro, the metro to Twinbrook, the bus to Friendship Heights, and back on the metro to Smithsonian, we arrived about 30 minutes late just in time to grab a quick bite and hop back on the metro to do it all over again, this time heading home.

 They had an outstanding finish! 

 And so did we!

 

A special date with Dad. Eli looks forward to joining next year.

It's been a long time, but our entire family camped both nights this time around! It was the first time in a long time that the weather cooperated, and I wasn't pregnant or with a newborn. So yes, I still like to camp under comfortable conditions, but your dad put us all to work...

We made it to the top of the falls

Gaver Farm...

 First apple cider donut

Go Alexa! 

Then my little cousin, your Auntie Lema, got married

Chloe Helen is named after my grandmother. She went rejoicing at the Saviors feet before I got married, but I still keep in touch with her sister who always reminds me of how much she loved me. I miss her so much!

 Church Hayride! Thanks to Ying who takes better picture of my family than I ever will. We are so grateful and love our neighbors who have become such dear friends! Grace had the largest apple, and by the end of our 45 minute ride, she had devoured it.

I love our church and I love how hands on it is for everyone. It just couldn't be done with out the many faithful servants who show up every week. We are so blessed! This past Sunday Noah & Chloe helped with greeting and collecting the offering. When both Dad and I serve the same Sunday, you all like to play with Grace and help her get adjusted. Then she cries when you leave, even though I'm still there!

 

Eli started pre school, had his first field trip and had his first school picture taken that melts my heart...

More Fall fun...

And then there's just every day life...

And your love for selfies :)