Happy Birthday Dr. J!

The "special plate" place setting is ready to go for a birthday breakfast of donuts with rainbow sprinkles ... the aquarium is set up and hidden in the bathroom, and will house a fish that joseph picks out in the afternoon ... the cupcakes are ready for joseph to take to his preschool class tomorrow ... a couple small things to wrap and we are ready for our little guy to turn FOUR tomorrow!

BIRTH day birthday:



First Birthday:



Second birthday:



Third Birthday:

This is what happens when ...

This is what happens when we leave any food on the table. Our little forager here is helping herself to a hamburger.



This is what happens to Audrey's hair when it's been in piggy tails.




This is what happens when we wash the piggy tails out.

Happy Children's Day

(Trying on some bug costumes at the Wild Animal Park.)

Today, after having a lovely Mother's Day dinner, Joseph and I started talking about what he might get Todd for Father's Day. He gave some thoughtful suggestions ("a new cable that he doesn't have"; "a new toothbrush that he doesn't have"; "a new golf ball or golf club that he doesn't have"). Then he excitedly told me, "Hey! I have an idea! After Father's Day why don't we have Children's Day? Is that a good idea? Children's Day?"

I said yes, that was a good idea. (I also thought to myself, as I'm sure many of you would in a similar circumstance, *every* day is Children's Day!) But I have been thinking today about my children and how grateful I am for them and that they have given me the opportunity to be a mother.


(Joseph on "Crazy Hair Day" at Preschool. He wanted to look like a "Stigimoloch" - a kind of a dinosaur with spikes and horns all over his head.)

Joseph is so sweet and thoughtful. His thoughtful suggestions for Father's Day - when thinking about gifts, he really does try to think of something that the recipient would like - demonstrate that. He frequently gives compliments and praises others. He is affectionate and cuddly. He loves to make other people laugh and lately has been really into making up jokes and then asking us if we think they are funny. He is (generally) quite patient with his sister. He likes to call her by her nicknames - "Miss Bee" (which Todd and I coined), and "Audj", which he came up with on his own.

He loves his family and friends. He loves animals, dinosaurs, and bugs - and knows a LOT about them.

I am so grateful for his sweet spirit. We have been working on bedtime (going to bed on his own and staying in his own bed all night). After a few days of me sitting in the room with him while he fell asleep, I moved to outside of his door. We had talked about how I would do this and we had talked about how, if he got scared, he could say a prayer (which was actually his suggestion).

Anyway, he got a little sad when I left the room. Then he got quiet, and a few seconds later I heard him softly praying: "Heavenly Father, please help me to not be scared. Please help me to go to sleep and stay in my bed all night. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." Then he hollered out to me, "I can go to sleep now!!!" And he did in fact stay in his bed all night long that night (for the first time in ... a very long time) and was beaming with happiness when he ran into our room in the morning. I was so proud of him.


(Audrey at the Wild Animal Park).

Audrey is a little ball of sunshine in our home. She is constantly beaming with happiness. She is not very cuddly (too busy moving to be cuddly) but freely gives kisses and hugs to us and to her toys. She is super determined and fearless and loves mastering new skills; whatever she puts her mind to, she will be very good at. It is impossible not to be happy around her.

She has gotten a little shy lately, but generally is really friendly. She loves waving at people. We took the kids to the Wild Animal Park a few weeks ago to see a butterfly exhibit and she thought that all of the butterflies were "waving" to her as they fluttered around - and she vigorously waved right back at them. So cute.

She is also the cutest little thing ever. Today, someone told Todd, "She is the cutest little girl I have ever seen in my life." Todd said, we thought so too but that we were biased. The woman continued - "No, I mean, I am not biased - she is cuter than my own daughter was." So, there you have it.