Family bluebonnet pics

We went back to the bluebonnets and did a family picture last week.  Matthew wasn't crazy about smiling for pics.  And he DEFINITELY did not want to take pictures with his brothers when I wasn't holding him.  But at least we got our annual picture!

This brothers picture was Matthew's least unhappy face.  Most of the others were him wailing.

But he turned on the charm later.  What a cutie!

Photo-a-day: day 31

My Nathan.  My charmer.  My sunshine.  This boy just can't do anything but make me smile.  I love that he needs me.  He needs my presence, my touch, my conversation.  He's always up for a snuggle.  He comes up randomly and says, "Mommy, I love you."  Even if they're watching TV, he'll come find me in the house and say he misses me.  But not clingy, just sweet.  For a three-year-old, he's so mature.  He understands, articulates, and behaves so well.  Sometimes I expect the same out of him as I do Caleb because I forget he's two years younger.  He has such a loyal heart too.  He might fight with his brothers, but he will protect them from everyone else!  When Matthew was being handled roughly by a little boy, Nathan stepped in and tried to save Matthew.  And when we had friends come over to play while Caleb was at preschool, Nathan tried to make sure nobody messed up Caleb's toys.  So sweet.  He brings the laughter to our dinner table each night.  My child who was so serious as a baby, is the family comedian now.  I know as long as we have Nathan around, my arms, my lap, and my heart will never be empty.  I can't imagine our family without him!

Photo-a-day: day 30

Oh, this kid.  He has my heart.  When we came into the house today after church, he said shyly, "Mommy, you're beautiful.  You look so pretty with that necklace."  Melt.  There is an intangible God-given quality this boy has.  Just so special.  Sweet, tender, strong sense of responsibility, loving, cares for his brothers, funny, thinker.  When we go on family walks, he holds my hand and kisses it.  Will he ever know how he touches this part of me I never knew could overflow with such love?  I don't know.  Can't I keep him like this forever?  I guess not.  But it's a joy to watch him to grow up. 

Photo-a-day: day 29

It was a great day today!  The boys went to opening day for t-ball.  It's our first experience getting the boys into sports.  And it's great they get to be on the same team.  Nathan was a little apprehensive.  But he warmed up and did great catching and going up to bat.  Caleb had some great hits.

Photo-a-day: day 28

Play-doh time!  :)

Photo-a-day: day 27

Three pictures of Matthew today!  I can't help myself.  :)  He has been sick and teething, and today was the first time he seemed like himself again, actually smiling and playing. 

He was being a ham for the camera.

And I had to get in a picture of those curls.

Photo-a-day: day 26

Well, I didn't get to take a picture today, but my friend Jaclyn did for us!  Our playgroup gathered together for bluebonnet pictures.  It's always a challenge trying to wrangle 11 kids for a picture!  And it was chilly, windy, and on a pretty steep hill!!

Photo-a-day: day 25

Nathan busy concentrating on the LeapPad.

Photo-a-day: day 24

There are times I look at Caleb, and just think, "Wow, he's beautiful."

Photo-a-day: day 23

Whoops!  Shame on me.  Didn't get to take another photo today.  2 out of 3 boys are sick, and David still isn't 100%, so my arms have been busy holding kiddos.  So I'll use a picture from another day.  :)

My cute little Buc-ee Beaver at the playground.  He loves climbing up the steps and going down the slide by himself!  What??  I have to scramble around the sides to make sure I can get there to spot him.  I'm pretty sure neither of my other boys did this at one year.

Photo-a-day: day 22

I didn't get any pictures I liked today, so I'm using one I took yesterday.  I love this outfit Matthew has on.  I bought it for Nathan when he was this age, and was excited for Matthew to be able to wear it.  I don't know why I like it so much, I just do.  And he's a cutie in it!

Photo-a-day: day 21

These boys are good friends.  And they know how to make each other laugh.  They were giving me fake smiles, until I asked them to make each other laugh.  And then then couldn't stop.  :)

Photo-a-day: day 20

When Caleb's at school and Matthew is napping, I get to Go Fishin'! with my favorite 3-year-old.

Photo-a-day: day 19

David got out a jigsaw puzzle for the boys last night and set it up on the dining table.  They got a kick out of it.  Especially Caleb.  It's a 3D puzzle, so it's a little blurry, but Caleb is actually pretty good at hunting for pieces and putting them together.  I worked on it a little bit with the boys today, and I have to say, it's quite addicting!  I wanted to keep doing it.  And I may have been on the verge of saying, "stop messing up my puzzle!" when the boys would move pieces around.  :)

Photo-a-day: day 18

Matthew was sticking his tongue out of his mouth all day today.  I'm not sure if it is because it just feels funny and is something new, or if it's because he's teething.  But either way, it made me smile.  :)

Photo-a-day: day 17

Most days I think he's getting so big.  And then there are times I look at him and realize he's still so small.  :)

Photo-a-day: day 16

Book buddies!

Photo-a-day: day 15

Thanks, Aunt Sarah, for our cool shirts!  

100% Awesome Dude!

Photo-a-day: day 14

Well, I couldn't decide again which of these pictures to post.  So I'm posting all three! 

Caleb pretty much had his nose buried in his activity workbook all day today.  He wanted me to read every single page and all of the instructions.  He had already gone through it before and did it all just figuring out what he was supposed to do from the pictures.  But now he wanted to really know what it said to do.  So he colored a lot.  And he asked me to help him with a few drawings.

I liked his cute concentration in this picture.

I liked his cute little finger grip in this one.

And of course I love to see his proud smile.

And, yes, I totally drew that brontosaurus for him.  Freehand.  Boom.

Photo-a-day: day 13

I had to pick two pictures to post of Matthew today.  I couldn't decide.  I liked the one of him climbing down the bench because it was so cute to see him slide down and see his little reaching toes, but I also liked seeing his cute little face in the first one.  You might not be able to tell much, but he was making the car engine sound with his lips while riding it, "brrrrmmmmm."

Photo-a-day: day 12

Cutie-pie Nathan.  It's hard to get him to look at the camera.  He's definitely in the 3-year-old stage now.  There is no denying he's so sweet, but he's started to get mopey and whiny about things.  We remember when Caleb went through that stage.  At that time, Caleb's complaining or arguing would drive us crazy, and Nathan was just a year-and-a-half and could do no wrong.  Now it's his turn.  But we know it's just a phase.  And it helps that he's so stinkin' cute. 

Sometimes he does things that I think, "Why would you do that?"  Or, "I would never do that."  Or, "Caleb didn't do that."  But I just remember to appreciate him for who God made him to be.  I like to sing the Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood song to him, "I like you, I like you, I like you, just the way you are."  He loves when I sing that to him.  And I want him to know that will always be true!

Photo-a-day: day 11

When we went to the playground today, the boys found a big hole in the fence to our neighbor's yard where some kids were playing basketball.  Doesn't this look like it could be made into a Norman Rockwell painting?  I have to laugh thinking about what their faces looked like from the other side.  hehe.  They think they can't be seen when they're staring at people.  :)

Photo-a-day: day 10

Caleb loves to play games.  We got Aunt Sarah a game for her birthday.  She played it all day with the boys today.  Then Caleb played it by himself for about an hour when everyone went down for naps.  He likes to play all of the pieces.  He assigns everyone to a piece.  Then he'll tell me who wins.  Usually he wins first, then me, then Nathan, then Daddy.  :)

Photo-a-day: day 9

The boys love watching David make waffles for breakfast.  What a treat!

He's wearing his World's Best Dad shirt, and it's true!  These three little boys have a great dad to look up to.

Photo-a-day: day 8

Oh, just cruising around town, pickin' up some chicks in my hot ride.

Photo-a-day: day 7

Matthew loves being a part of this brotherhood.  He's so eager to be included in all they do.

Photo-a-day: day 6

Oh, I could just eat those cheeks!

It looks like a peaceful moment, but really he was running back and forth between all of the windows and banging on the blinds.  :)

Photo-a-day: day 5

How appropriate.  He's wearing his Amazing Spider-Man shirt, as I catch him climbing up the wall.  :)

Photo-a-day: day 4

Caleb was moping in the playroom, but he had to smile when I stuck my head in to take a picture. 

Photo-a-day: day 3

Caleb was being silly and going upside-down on the couch.  

Matthew's like, "Hey!  What are we doing?"

Photo-a-day: day 2

Sundays are good for screen time.

Photo-a-day: day 1

It's that time again!  When my poor little neglected blog will get some love for a month.  Yay!  I love spending a whole month taking pics of my family and documenting our life during the same time every year. 

Can't promise pics will be great.  I might have to throw in some phone pics here and there to stay caught up.  But hopefully I'll catch some great moments to treasure now and for years to come!

This first picture is not in focus at all.  But I still love it.  I probably like seeing myself out of focus better anyway!  Ha!  David has been traveling for the last two weeks, so I've been doing bedtime for the boys.  I set up the camera on the timer to capture our Bible story time.  Ahhh!  I love my boys!!!  Caleb's always leaning in close to hear the story...even if he's heard it a millions times.  Nathan's perched next to me interjecting his funny little comments, sometimes bouncing on the bed and being silly.  Tonight when I asked them what they wanted to pray for, Caleb said he wanted to pray for no bad dreams.  When I asked what he was thankful for, he said he was thankful for his two good dreams.  Yes, he's only had two good dreams ever, that he remembers.  And he remembers them.  He still thinks they're funny.  Nathan said he wanted to pray and give Jesus a hug.