My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

Continuing on in my trend to post pictures about a month late this summer, I finally bring to you the girls’ birthday pictures!!  We started off the birthday fest by bringing the girls and a friend to the local paint-your-own pottery place.  It was relaxing and fun!

Then after pottery, we joined some friends for an afternoon of more fun and relaxation – this time on the lake!

Party pictures to come tomorrow!

Our sweet Danny is four years old.  He walked around today holding up four fingers, announcing his new and improved age to the world – and adding in his observation that his arms and legs are now longer and more powerful than they were yesterday. ;)  Danny is very much the youngest child (apart from our beloved foster daughter, of course!) in that everything he does and says is absolutely hilarious to us all.  Whether he’s throwing a temper tantrum, scowling over spilled food, or ranking speeds of various dirt bikes, we all think he’s just about the cutest kid on the planet.  He’s also still a cuddle bug, and there’s nothing I love more than feeling his head tucked under my chin and getting to hold his soft hands in mine.  He’s affectionate and polite, but also very loud and boisterous.  One minute he’s a human wrecking ball, the next he’s quietly doing puzzles while looking like the picture of angelic innocence.  His big brown eyes just melt my heart, and right now he’s sporting an adorable dimple in his left cheek, thanks to a little scar from a scooter accident!  He’s quick-witted and has a great sense of humor; his laugh is absolutely infectious.  He’s obsessed with dirt bikes and motorcycles, but we haven’t convinced him yet to try much independent riding.  He rides a bicycle like he was born on wheels, still often using the toes of his shoes to skid himself to a stop (a remnant of his balance-bike days!). He thinks he knows pretty much everything about everything, and doesn’t really conceive of himself as younger than Jimmy – he’s likely to tackle/whack/debate his big brother over nothing, and often wins out of sheer stubbornness.  Danny LOVES being a big brother to his foster sister, and gives her frequent kisses and hugs.  He’s really smitten with all babies.  He’s a good sleeper at night, still takes a several-hour nap every day, alternatingly eats everything in sight and nothing at all, plays independently for hours and yet clings to me anytime I’ve tried to take him to the library story hour.  He starts preschool next week two mornings per week, and I’m so excited to see how he grows there.

Danny, you are quite simply an adorably awesome kid who’s growing up way too fast.  We’re loving every minute with you!   

The girls have been asking for a dog for a loooong time now.  And it’s not going to happen.  BUT, they were simultaneously asking for a trampoline.  And that, we can do!  So for their birthday last month, we surprised them with their very own trampoline.  They were ecstatic! (Probably not as ecstatic as if they had gotten a dog, but pretty happy all the same!).

Here Jim is putting it together with the kids.  He’s so good at involving them in household projects:

And the finished (much enjoyed) product!

At least my bookworms were getting a bit of sunshine, if not exercise!