Davin's Birthday(s)

So, I am finally getting around to writing about Davin's 2nd birthday party.  AND in doing so I realized I never blogged about his 1st birthday party.  How in the world??  So here are photo highlights from Davin's 2nd birthday.  Next post we'll revisit his first birthday.  Poor second child.  

We chose a Monsters Inc/University theme because Davin took over Brenna's obsession with them not long before his birthday.  It was such a fun theme - and easy because there were actually some Monsters things in store to buy.  (Not so much the case with Peter Pan!)

We had Mike and Sully balloons - they were super cute. 

Admittedly my "Smores Doors" weren't too successful.  Pinterest fail? 

Another fail - we totally forgot about the ice cream sundaes.  Like didn't even take it out of the freezer.  Party stress does something to me, apparently. 

 This matches his room colors - which was an added bonus.

I absolutely loved these cupcakes! 

 Monsters Inc hats were a hit!

 If you haven't seen the movies, I'm sure you have no idea what any of these things mean.  

  

 happy birthday boy

  

silly James 

Molly the scare student 

sweet Libby 

 We got him a basketball goal for his birthday.  He was thrilled. 

piñata fun 

Go Claire!  

 never too old for a Monster hat

 party guests

silly monster-loving boy 

 big sis was a good gift-helper

Jayla  

saying goodbye :( 

the backdrop gave us photo ops for days

Brenna's 4th Birthday in Neverland

(I know these are 7 months late.  Better late than never.)

Brenna decided she wanted a Peter Pan birthday.  I was apprehensive at first, but it turned out so awesome.  I'm so glad we pulled it off for her.  

 gift bags - Hook, Peter, Tiger Lily, and Think

 pat on the back for Jonathan for making this awesome sign (I did at least paint the words)

walking the plank 

 the food table was in a Neverland theme

the dessert table was in a pirate theme 

 B was so excited to have Jayla there - these two cousins are seriously best friends

creative Daddy 

 Guests signed the book for Brenna (and since I'm writing this in October - I can now tell you that I took this to Disney and Peter Pan himself signed it for Brenna!!)

 cupcake loving kid

 chocolate hook

 overwhelmed by gifts

fun piñata 

Brenna had so much fun with her friends and family.

And just like that, our baby turned 4.  The party was so much fun!

23 Months Old

Davin,

It is so hard to believe - but this is our last monthly letter before you turn the big TWO!  It honestly doesn't seem possible - you still seem like my baby.  But the signs all point to you growing and changing by leaps and bounds!  Everytime we see family that hasn't seen you in a few weeks (or even a month or two) they can't believe how much you've changed.

You cut all four of your canine teeth a couple of weeks ago (around the beginning of May).  They gave you a fit but now you have quite the toothy smile.  You've been eating pretty well - still loving fruits, tolerating meats, and trying to avoid meats a good amount of the time.  You tolerate having your teeth brushed a little more now - but still not a huge fan.  I am worried you may be prone to cavities (like me) so we work very hard to keep them as clean as possible.

Some of your favorite activities these days are playing soccer/golf/baseball outside in the yard, riding your plasma car, trying to ride your tricycle, reading books, being tickled, being held, watching Monsters and Frozen, running around Brenna's school, climbing and playing on playgrounds, sitting on laps, making music, playing with your Thomas train set, working puzzles, coloring "pi-tures", painting with watercolors, helping sweep/load the dishwasher/clean/throw trash away, and jumping.  You still prefer to be outside whenever possible, but you aren't a fan of bugs and bees.  Luckily you are tough because it seems like you skin your knee several times a week.

You are starting to talk a lot more - a mix of words we can understand and words that are still a bit of babble.  You will say "uh huh" to almost any question we ask you.  We are working on your manners and you also like to say (or more often, repeat) prayers at bedtime, nap time, and meals.  You like to sing - a favorite song right now is "Let it Go" from the Frozen movie.

We spent the past weekend in Virginia and you had fun with Brady, Bren, and Jayla.  You skipped your nap on Sunday and did surprisingly well without it.  You have made up with it with extra sleep the past couple of days though.  You didn't love the pack n play at Nanie's house, but tolerated your little mini crib at Neena's a little better.  I can tell you're glad to be back home in your crib though.  You were pretty clingy to me when lots of people were around this weekend - but as soon as we were home you were right back to preferring Daddy over me.  So sad for me!

You do well at church now that you've moved up to Brenna's class.  You like having more things to do and play with.  You also enjoy the Y now - especially when they let you play ball in child watch.  You are over-the-moon thrilled when we can stay and play basketball in the gym sometimes.  You also really loved playing soccer on the sidelines during Brenna's games this spring.  The guy who organizes the Y sports was impressed with your skills - and said you could even play in the fall if you are still as interested in it as you are now.  Such a sporty little guy you are!

I can't believe the next letter I write to you will be when you are TWO.  These have been two of the best, most exhausting, most fun, most challenging, and most complete years of my life.  You and your sister make life so fun - it's going to get better and better from here!

I love you, big boy Spud!
Love, Mommy

22 Months Old

Dear Davin,

You continue to grow into a fun, adventurous, rambunctious little toddler.  Our friends comment a lot about how much older you are looking every time they see you.  It's fun to watch but it makes my mama heart so sad to see your baby traits slipping away.  Luckily for me you are still pretty cuddly before you sleep.  You are still a daddy's boy all the way - but anytime I've been gone you come running to me to pick you up.  And you love to walk (demanding "I walk") but when you see strangers or are in somewhere new, you ask "hold hand?"  Sweetest thing ever.  Oh, and speaking of growing up - last week you got moved to the preschool class at church.  You are much happier there!

You are becoming more physically active.  You love to jump - namely on the couch and in your crib.  You are running around the yard anytime we are outside.  You enjoy swinging, riding on your tractor, playing ball of any kind, playing in sand, playing with bubbles, using sidewalk chalk, and anything involving golf clubs and/or golf balls.

You are starting to develop a love of art - you enjoy painting, coloring with markers and crayons, and playing with stickers.  I am trying to teach you colors but I'm not sure any of them have clicked yet.  You still LOVE Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University and have recently developed a new love of the movie Frozen, too.  You are a big, big fan of the iPad, which makes us really have to limit your screen time.

You love, love, love your sister.  She drives you batty - bossing you around, playing too rough, and stealing your toys at times.  But you still ask for her first thing every morning and ask for her when she is at school.  She is now really into playing school - and of course you are her pupil every day!  I hope you guys will start arguing less and continue to become best friends.

You are eating well and aren't too picky.  You don't love a lot of meat still, but will eat vegetables and fruits and bread all the time.  You already have a sweet tooth - asking for donuts out of the blue some days.  You had a week of TERRIBLE diaper rash that I'm suspecting had to do with teeth.  It was absolutely awful and hurt you so bad.  Luckily you are over it.  I haven't seen your canine teeth break through yet, but they are oh-so close!  You hate brushing your teeth - I think it tickles you and you put up a terrible fight every time.  You have been healthy other than a little bit of allergy-related stuffiness.  You screamed your face off when we went to the ENT to check your hearing and tubes - so we aren't sure if your hearing is improving or not, but the tubes are still in and working.

You're a blast to be around.  It can be exhausting when you are being clingy or whiney - and also equally exhausting during your before-bedtime wild time....but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  You love to make us laugh and your smile lights up a room.

I love you, sweet Spud!
Love, Mommy

21 Months Old

Dear Davin,

You are becoming more and more of a little boy and less of a baby - although I admit we are hanging on to a few "baby" things longer than we did with your sister probably.  You are a great mix of boy and baby, which is such a blessing since you will probably be our baby forever.

You love to talk and learn new words every single day.  We are able to communicate with you more.  Some examples are:
I told you we were having pancakes for breakfast and you started asking for "chup" (syrup).
I went to get you out of your bed and you greeted me with "Hello".
We will tell you some random thing and you respond with "ohhh".
You are constantly looking for "Bremma", especially when you wake up.
You love to say your prayers and start asking "Dear? Dear?" before we even start.
You request "help me" and "hold me" many times a day.
You try to Skype with people a lot and I think your favorite person you've skyped with yet is Jayla -  You kept requesting "Jeeeela, Jeeeela".

You've been on a bit of an eating strike.  It's subsiding now but you really weren't eating too well for a couple of weeks.  I think you may have had a touch of a stomach bug but you seem much better now.  I think your favorite food is "peeeeeza" and you request it often.  You also ask for juice and much prefer it over milk (boo).  You love pancakes, string cheese, any fruit you can get your hands on (you eat apples!  entire apples!  without me even cutting them for you!), Ritz crackers, macaroni and cheese, broccoli in small amounts, cookies, and chips with salsa.  You love to dip things - you saw ketchup at the restaurant the other day and said "ketup" which we didn't even know you knew how to say!  When you're in an eating mood, you put away more food than I do at dinner.  I dread my grocery bill as you grow older!

Your favorite activity is hands down playing basketball.  You beg to play at the Y every time we go.  You also are good at kicking the ball while Brenna plays soccer.  Pretty much anything involving a ball is your favorite - and it's a bonus if it's outside.  You love to climb on the playground at Brenna's school and your swing set here.  You are warming up to the trampoline and you love to ride in your stroller for walks.  You actually ask to ride in a "buggy" when I tell you we are going to a store.  You are fairly good in public, although you will run all over a store if we let you walk.  You run the halls of Brenna's school when we pick her up and have plenty of smiles for the people there.  When asked a question that starts with "Why...?" you almost always answer "Cause."  When asked a question that starts with "Where..." you almost always answer "Church."  I laugh every.single.time!

You are a Daddy's boy through-and-through.  If he's not around, you love to cling to me - but you would pick him almost every time over me.  I try not to let this bother me, but sometimes it's kind of sad.  I went to Honduras on a mission trip for a week so you got lots and lots of time with Daddy (and Neena) that week.  I missed you like crazy and had fun Facetiming with you a few mornings that week.  I still love rocking you to sleep and giving you some extra cuddles when you're tired.  You like to have some screen time on the iPad or my iPhone when you're tired (actually you'd play it anytime I let you).  You also like to watch a few tv shows if given the opportunity - you request to watch "Fia" (Sofia the First).  I guess that is what having a big sister will do to a boy.  A March Madness game was on yesterday and you were glued to the TV!

The weather is finally warming up and I'm looking forward to spending lots of time outside with you and Brenna.  Tuesday and Thursday mornings are special when it's just you and me - although we'll have a break from that routine this summer.  You are so fun and make me laugh lots each day.  You seem so grown up and so babyish, all wrapped up in a perfect little precious package.

I love you, Spud
Love, Mommy

Happy 4th Birthday Brenna

Dear Brenna,
Your much anticipated birthday has come and gone and now you are FOUR! In the past year you have changed and grown up so much! You live life on full-charge and are discovering your personality, strengths, and struggles. In the past year you have: started preschool, had your first 2 dentist appointments, given up your pacis, played 2 soccer seasons and 1 basketball season, taken swim lessons, gone to your first plays and a ballet, gone to a toddler and eventually a twin size bed, become excellent at praying, learned to spell your name, and started trying to add numbers.

Your relationship with Davin is evolving - you guys are becoming good friends and can play (and unfortunately fight) together. You definitely love him like crazy, even though you do like to boss him around. You also love when you get to hang out with Brady and Jayla - you guys have so much fun together! Through preschool you have made some great new friends and that is helping your shyness.

You are a picky eater these days - you love junk and sugar, but I'm mean and make you eat lots of veggies and protein, too. You love all fruits, deli meat, provolone cheese, pasta, yogurt, applesauce, broccoli, green beans, raw carrots, bread, and chicken noodle soup. You prefer juice or water over milk. And you love the treat of Fruit Loops or Lucky Charms for breakfast. You are about 39 1/2 inches tall and 35 1/2 pounds. You need mostly size 4 clothes for length. You got a stylish new short haircut a few weeks ago and it makes you look so grown up!

You are stubborn as a mile. Bedtime is so hard because you try to get us to procrastinate with you. You prefer Daddy to put you to bed because you know he's an easier sell. You sleep from about 9-7 most nights and still nap from about 2-3:30 or 4.

You love playing outside and are less dramatic when you get to. If we are stuck inside, you like for me to read to you, work puzzles, play with your babydolls, color/paint/draw, play with playdoh, and watch a little PBS Kids or Disney Junior. You are obsessed with the Peter Pan, Monsters Inc, and monsters University movies. You like watching live performances and are well behaved when we go. You enjoy playing hide-and-seek, Don't Break the Ice, Candyland, and having races.

You make us laugh constantly (I need to write a whole other post about the funny things you say). You put on a red blazer that used to be Daddy's and act like a preacher. You love boy things - superheroes, soccer shorts and tshirts, Ninja (ninjen as you say) Turtles and tractors. You want to change into your comfy clothes the minute we walk in the house.

You are a huge blessing. You are smart, funny, joyful, wild, and beautiful. I never imagined I could love somebody as much as I adore you.

I love you, Sprout!
Love, Mommy

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