AJ's 2nd Birthday

Happy 2nd Birthday my sweet AJ!

How is it possible that you are already two years old? You have grown so much in so many ways this past year. Before I start with that, let me just share my favorite picture of you. While it hurt to cut those baby curls of hair, your new Justin Bieber look makes you look even more adorable, who knew?



If you were a part of our small guest list for AJ's birthday party, then you received an invitation with that smiling face on it. We presented AJ with his birthday boy outfit and were immediately met with "I wear dat, I wear dat". He loved having such a cool shirt. So we thought, lets go outside and see if we can get at least one picture. Little did we know that our little "Bieber" was all about posing like a big boy with his baby blue eyes and toothy little smile. So adorable! Here are a few more outtakes from our impromptu photo shoot in our yard. Even KK joined in:


Its hard to know where to begin with my little man. It just doesn't seem that long ago that you were this tiny little bundle, so quiet and content to sit back and watch. Those days are gone. Your are small but your personality is mighty AJ! We never have a doubt about what you are thinking or feeling. Getting to watch you learn to talk is so much fun, I wish there was a way to capture you as you hear something and immediately repeat it. Usually as a question to me followed by a quick little smile to show me you know how awesome you are at learning things.

Thank you KK, as you teach AJ the joys of singing. My favorite, hearing AJ singing "Oh Baby baby baby oooohhhh" while playing in the playroom alone. And yes, sometimes you hit that high note and only dogs can hear you. When you were a baby, the nurses were shocked at how loud and high you would scream/cry. It seems that this has transcended your singing little man....

While you are the little brother, you make sure KK knows she can't push you around. More times than not, you push back or push first... but I am so thankful that you and your sissy love each other so very much and don't fight often. Your favorite time is time spent playing together, usually in KK's room playing Barbie or dress-up (that is after playing any kind of ball or lining up your matchbox cars over and over again or playing trains - all things you can do for hours on end). Listening to you and KK talking to one another, such fun little conversations between brother and sister that Daddy and I love to listen to when you think we aren't around... it warms my heart more than I can explain. Some of those conversations drive us a little crazy or to uncontrollable laughter. AJ, you are quite the contrary little man. If KK looks out and says its very sunny today, you will undoubtedly respond immediately with "It's not sunny". You love to rile her up and it doesn't take you long to do it.

Soccer is still your favorite game ever. There are still days in which only clothes with soccer on it will do. But we have branched out. We now have a Mav's jersey and shorts that you refuse to take off. You have come home some many times covered with sand and dirt, and while Mommy tries to bath you and put clean PJ's on, you demand ever so forcefully to wear that dirty "baskball" shirt to bed and again the next morning. Convincing you to do something you don't want to do is such a challenge. You are such a stubborn boy sometimes, but I say that with nothing but love as I only have to look in the mirror to see who taught you that. There are times I laugh as I have no idea what else to do with you. Like when you were in time out for throwing something at your sister. You sat there, looking so defiant and when I made you chose between more time out or saying sorry, you immediately sat back down in that time out chair and didn't crack a smile. I had to leave the room I was laughing so hard. Oh sweet AJ, you bring such joy to our lives, even when we don't expect it.

Sorry for the rambling... part of me is trying to write down these moments and memories as they will be gone soon. I will focus now on your big day! You were all smiles, loving every minute. Of course we wore our birthday boy shirt. Mommy made, per your adamant request, a soccer ball cake! Thomas the train and McQueen were they decorates, again per your request and who can blame you - why pick only one of your best friends?



As tradition in our home - the day was celebrated with our cousins in style: pizza, cake and presents! The cake was a big hit and the night was perfect. The kids had fun together!



Of course everyone joined in to blow out the candle!


Before presents were finished, the kids discovered that all they need is tissue paper to party




AJ was given so many wonderful gifts from our families. They were all perfect for AJ, Thomas and McQueen were the theme for gifts and everything had to be inspected and played with before opening the next gift.



So Happy 2nd Birthday my sweet AJ! Daddy, KK and I have been so blessed by you ~ we love you so much! We can't wait to see what tomorrow brings with you :-)

Ida's Baptism

My sweet niece Ida decided to let God into her heart, what an amazing thing for someone so small to do such a big thing in her life. Praises! I pray for her that He lives in her heart and that she grows and learns to walk with Him all the days of her life.

Such an important decision should always be celebrated with family - and so we hit the road to Missouri with our cousins to share and be a part of her day!



Our Ida ready for the day to begin (and for the pictures to stop, just like her Momma, she doesn't like to hold a smile for long).



KK was so excited to spend the weekend with her cousin!



Please don't take this shot for granted... it took 15 shots to get one in which all the kiddos were looking in the general direction of the camera. How special to have KK, Gracie & Ida all together. They haven't all been together in months!

Ida with her mom, Oma and Opa (her godparents)! I was waiting for lightning to strike the church, but we all made it out alive, huh Pops? Teasing!





While Oma & Opa had to leave town right after the baptism, our family was able to spend the rest of the weekend with our Aunt and cousin/niece. It was a fun weekend, we had a lot of laughs and good times! Some good memories: Ida has a little puppy named Lily. Well Lilly must have thought AJ was just her size, and showed her joy by jumping on him and licking his ears. You could hear him yelling every few minutes while playing "No Lily No" and then running away from her. It was so cute. There was also AJ stripping down to his diaper for the neighbors. If you can't sit back with a (baby) bottle in your underwear at night, there is something wrong I guess. There was also the disapearing peach pie I brought up... My sister swears we all ate it, but I do remember leftovers that never saw the light of the fridge thanks to her late night cravings hehe. Like I said, it was fun and I hope we do it again soon.



The girls posing together - they played so well together!

Green Slime Soccer - Game 1

The time has come... the time you are all waiting for.... GREEN SLIME SOCCER! That's right, Coach Carl is back and our team is better than ever this spring. We are so blessed to have such an amazing team this season filled with all of our friends. The kids love playing with each other (the parents love chit chatting with each other on the side lines), it makes for a great season.

Now game 1 had it all - well except for uniforms. Those didn't make it in time... But we had frigid temperates, interesting clothing pulled on last minute to keep the players warm, crazy plays and moves by each player... it was a great game. KK even scored her first ever goal!!! I wish I had a picture of it, we were too busy cheering her on to think to capture her moment. But what a moment it was, she kicked the ball in and then looked back and just beamed. She ran over for some high fives and then ran back onto the field to keep playing. We are so proud of you KK! Way to go!



I thought I would bring the game to life in pictures as my video's aren't downloaded yet. First (above) we have KK with her bestest friend KJ. Striking a pose and trying to stay warm. They did attempt jumping in place at one point to stay warm.

Poor Kenz is yelling to share her thoughts on the cold winds that were hitting us :-) That isn't a team huddle, that is our pledge before the game.. KK was in the middle of that enjoying the warm.



Cody and C-bug were all smiles, at least for that moment before the ball was kicked. And there goes Gracie after the ball with her extra long sleeves hehe.



Gracie showing us her moves... and the GREEN SLIME waiting for our turn to kick the ball. We look fierce (or frigid depending on your vantage point).



It was so cold even our little cheerleader wasn't in the mood to jump onto the field and cause chaos...



Finally, here is KK, going through the tunnel at the end of the game all smiles... it definitely looks like we are going to have a great season ahead of us! GO GREEN SLIME!

AJ's First Haircut

Our sweet little boy is getting big. He is talking more, being more independent... and his hair is out of control. The joke at the holidays was he was bring back the mullet (and what a cute mullet it was)... but the past few weeks, the cute little curls at the back of his head have grown and grown. I knew it was time for our first haircut, I just didn't want to clip those sweet curls.

Before shots:

Goodbye sweet curls, hello big boy haircut (Mommy almost requested it be a Bieber cut - totally kidding)! AJ did great in the chair... for the first minute. Mommy had to hold him at the end to finish the cut. Lessons learned: don't try to eat a sucker during a haircut. It doesn't end well!

AFTER SHOTS: OUR BIG BOY!

What a cutie! He looks so big, but so beautiful too. Granted I am biased.... Sweet dreams everyone!

Texas Snow Storm

Once a year we get a snowfall that maybe keeps us home for a day. Last year, we got a beautiful white Christmas. This year, we didn't know what hit us. Snow and ice that lasted four days, with temperatures never going above 20 degrees. It was strange - but gave us a great reason to explore the snow!

As you can see - after just a few minutes outside, sweet AJ was ready to call it quits. He is Texas born and bred, snow is just not what we do... KK had a bit more fun running around, but she barely lasted ten minutes.

Three days into the snow week, we got more fluffy snow... we went outside to play in it one more time with our friends and to see if AJ would change his mind about it. The last picture answers that question very clearly!

So did little man change his mind on the snow, you tell me:


Ha-Ha! KK had fun making snow angels and attempting some snowballs before calling it quits on the cold. She knew she wouldn't see the snow again for another year - it was sweet watching her play. Until next year Madame Winter!