Carder's (*almost) 1st football game!!

Friday night we were all excited to  go to the high school football game. We loaded the kids in the van and headed over to the high school. We had no sooner parked the car and gotten out when Caleb threw-up all over himself! Oh man! So gross and nasty! It came out of the no where! He had been sick the previous morning but then he was fine. Now a day and a half later he was sick again. We decided to leave Nate, Ty and Mara at the game since they were excited about it and I would take home the little boys. 

"I wonder what all the craziness was about tonight!!"

What a night!! All I can say is I don't know how I survived all the craziness! Caleb fell asleep on the way home, so I cleaned him up and tucked him into bed and was about to start cleaning my house when I hear him throwing up more in his bed. Yikes! Really, is there anything worse than throw-up?! I don't think so. It was all over him, his bed, and the floor! Right when this was happening Carder had woken up and was mad and started to cry!! Caleb and Carder were both crying at the same time! I put Caleb in the bathtub went to get Carder. I couldn't help both crying/screaming boys at the same time so I had to let Carder cry why I helped Caleb! I got Caleb out of the tub and helped sooth and comfort Carder. Then I had to clean up a yucky stinky disgusting mess! Caleb threw up a dozen or more times that night, luckily his aim in the barf bucket was right on so I didn't have more throw up to clean up! It was all so completely terrible I hope it never happens again!

So much for Carder's 1st football game! I guess we will have to go another time!! As for Caleb, he slept most of Saturday and didn't throw up again so hopefully he is all better and no one else gets sick!

4 weeks=1 month! Yikes!

I wish I could push a pause button, or a slow button in life! Instead I feel like someone has pushed a fast forward button! My days go by so fast!  I really just want to savor my time and enjoy it longer with baby Carder! Today he is ONE month already?! Seriously just slow down!

I had a friend come visit and see Carder, she made this cute hat and booties for him!

The blanket Carder is laying on was made by his Great-Grandma Card! Thank you Grandma Card!!

Look at that little smirk on his face! So cute! What could he be dreaming about?!

Carder's cheeks are beginning to get some chub!! I love chubby cheek kids!

So precious!

Uncle John gave this hat to baby Ty when he was born!! It sure looks cute on Carder!

I think Carder's head and cheeks are too big for the hat! I can't button the straps!!

Picture time!! I think its fun snapping pictures of my four cute kiddos!!


The photos aren't fancy--just fun!

People tell me all the time my kids look the same!! Yup! They are all different but look so similar!

Speaking of looking the same!! When Caleb was born I sure thought he looked a lot like Ty. There are times when I have thought Carder looks a little like Ty and Caleb, (and even Mara!) but he also has his own look!! So I went back a few years on the blog and found Ty and Caleb at one month:

 

Ty's one month birthday in Indiana! 

 

Baby Cay-ub one month old in Oregon!!

 

Baby Carder one month in Utah!

Three look a like boys, wearing the same outfit, in three different states! I sure do love these boys! And although Mara's picture isn't up here she too resembles her brothers! What can I say, we make pretty darn cute kids that all look similar!!

Teddy Bear Picnic!!

Does life get more fun than going to a teddy bear picnic and dressing up your newborn as a teddy bear? I don't think so! These really are the best days of my life!!! I love it!

 All the kindergarten classes had a teddy bear parade through the school. Each child brought a teddy bear and carried it through the halls as the older children lined the hallways. We went over to the school to see Mara, she was so excited to see her baby brother!

Mara loves school! You can tell by her big smile! The children all colored a teddy bear headband and after the parade they had a teddy bear snack.

 I couldn't resist dressing Carder as a teddy bear! I had this really cute teddy bear suit hanging in his closet and thought it would be too cute to dress him up!

Our little teddy bear is ready to go! We walked over to the school and made it just in time! Carder stole the show! When everyone saw him they all ooohhhed and aaawwwed and made a big fuss about him! Caleb enjoyed going to the school and seeing Mara and the kids and all the teddy bears! He was very disappointed we couldn't stay longer and was really sad he couldn't stay for the snack and party!

 Carder was exhausted after that ordeal!! It must be tough to be that cute and cuddly!

So darling!! Doesn't this make you want to snuggle the little teddy bear!

I'm a Big Kid!

There is a song on Little Bill that goes "I'm a big kid, I'm a big kid, I'm a big, big, big kid!" Caleb loves that song and often sings it throughout the day! Don't even think about calling Caleb 'little', 'small', or 'mini' he makes it perfectly clear that he is now the BIG boy! And he is! He's even big enough to go to Preschool!

 Caleb is all ready for his first day of preschool! I love that cute face and chubby cheeks!

 

 Caleb goes once a week to Joy school. There are six other friends in Caleb's preschool who are all in our neighborhood. It is a perfect little program for a 3 year old!

 Caleb's super hero backpack! He found it at a thrift store and was so excited we just HAD to get it! I think he was more excited to take his backpack than he was to go to school!

Caleb rode his bike to preschool, just like his big brother and sister do! He definitely is a big kid!

 

And just like that, he is off to preschool!! How come he had to grow up so fast?! Caleb had a great first day! The teacher said he was super quiet and wouldn't say anything or answer questions but he really enjoyed being at school. He loved being with his friends, and singing the songs, having a snack, playing outside, and doing an art project! What a great big kid that Caleb-boy is!!

My sweet boys!

Oh how I love my sweet boys! What a joy they are! (And thank heavens for our lil sugar and spice, sweet girl Mara!) It sure is fun having a snuggly little baby boy! I am loving every minute of Carder!! He just fits so well in our family! He is well worth the wait! It's nice that our family feels complete!

 The other night I went to the store and left the boys with Nate! I came home to find Carder happy as could be, but Caleb was missing his mama and wanted to be held! So I held both boys until they fell asleep! Glad I have two laps! It was fun snuggling with both my boys!

 "Hello Baby Eyes!" is often what we say to Carder! It all started when Ty was 2 and Mara was a baby! He would always say "Baby eyes open!" Now we all call Carder 'Baby Eyes!'

Cute! Two sweet brothers! Ty always feels bad when he can't see Carder more during the day! He loves his baby brother very much!

"What a newborn baby dreams is a mystery!" --John Denver!

It's true! I always wonder what Carder is dreaming about!

Carder went to church for the first time last Sunday! He did great! Everyone was excited to meet him! The kids were especially happy that their mom and baby were going too!

 

 It sure is hard to get 4 kids to cooperate for a photo! Mara was made because she wanted to be the one holding Carder! So we took this same picture several times letting everyone have a chance to hold the baby! 

A little better...not the perfect picture but they sure are cute! 

 Look at my sweet 3 week old baby boy! He looks so grown up with his little church outfit on! What a handsome baby!

I'm not sure about his little scouly face! Carder has so many different faces! I just love his little baby face!

Carder is one happy baby! I couldn't haves asked for a better baby! He is perfect in every way!

We like to refer to these two boys as Big C and Little c!!! Caleb is sooooo cute with his baby brother! Oh how he loves Carder! He is the best little baby sitter! In the morning when I am rushing around getting two kids off to school and getting breakfast on, making lunches, doing Mara's hair, packing backpacks......the usual morning routine, Caleb always wants to snuggle with his baby brother and keep him happy while I get Ty and Mara off to school! I often find Caleb in my bed singing songs to Carder! So stinkin cute!

Princess Mara's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Miss Mara!! Mara celebrated her 6th birthday this year! We celebrated ALL week long with Grandma Lewis, Friday at school, Friday night with friends, and Saturday with Mimi & Papa! It was quite the celebration week! I am so grateful Mara is in our family. She is the sweetest little addition! She is a great helper, and shows many loves to her brothers! She is excellent at sharing, and is kind to everyone.

 Mara celebrated her birthday in kindergarten! We were able to go over and take a treat (*Popsicles*) to share with her class! Caleb thought it was very fun to see his big sister at school!

 For Mara's friend party we had a Princess Party! We invited all the princesses around the neighborhood to come for a Royal Ball and to wear their favorite princess dress!! They sure look pretty all dressed up! Who knew 7 little princesses could be so noisy!! They were all sure excited to be at the party!

We sent the princesses on a treasure hunt around the house and yard to 'save the princesses'! Each clue gave the girls something....either a crown to decorate, or a wand, a ring!!

 We even had a royal pizza banquet! That face is not very lady-like or princess approved!

 The party was complete with a princess castle cake! Thanks Grandma for the idea, and thanks Aunt Beanie for letting us borrow the castle!

 One sweet princess and her castle cake! I can't believe our sweet girl is 6 already!! She sure had a lot of fun with her friends at her party! 

We had a surprise visit from Mimi & Papa  on Saturday to celebrate Mara's birthday! They brought with them a special present for a big girl...a new bike!! It's a little big but Mara is super excited and she will grow into it in no time!

Mara shares her birthday with another special occasion: Mimi & Papa's wedding anniversary!! We had a nice lunch to celebrate their anniversary and grateful they could come down and be with us!

First day of Kindergarten!

Our little sweetie has officially started kindergarten!! Mara has been ready and waiting for this day for a very looooooong time!! She was super excited for school...that is, after she had a good cry in the morning! Nate and I went in her bedroom to wake her up and I laid on her bed by her to wake her up and she started to cry! Mara said "I just don't think I can go to school today....I don't want to stay and eat my lunch (Kindergarten is all day here!)....I want to stay here with you and Caleb and Carder....what if I don't have any friends!! She cried and cried! Oh dear! Where is this coming from?! She had been so excited! She was now very nervous and was so sad. She came in my room and all I could think to do to help her was kneel down with her and say a prayer. So we did. And thank goodness prayers are heard and answered! She felt a little better after our prayer and by the time it was time to go she had a smile on her face and was excited again about school!

What a big girl! I can't tell you how sad I was to lose my best friend, best helper, best baby sitter! I'm happy for Mara, she is going to have a great time in kindergarten, but I really didn't want to see her go!

I had a real struggle trying to decide what to do about Mara and school, usually your kid turns 5 and you send them to school, however with Mara her birthday was on the deadline so I had a choice. I had decided clear back even before she was born I would have her be the oldest and keep her back (hence her scheduled c-section on the 1st of Sept and not August 31st!) But now that it was here and I realize how advanced Mara is on reading, math, and writing I questioned whether I had done the right thing!

After a lot of praying, talking to friends and family, and to other teachers I decided to keep Mara in Kindergarten and not move her up to 1st grade! I went to Mara's class and observed and saw how much fun she was having and how much she loved it and decided that was where Mara needed to be!

I'm so glad Mara has a big brother to look up to at school. She doesn't see Ty at school much, but it's just nice to know they are both there together!

Our newest Castle Height Knight! When we arrived at school and found Mara's class we realized Mara was a foot taller than anyone in her class! She is by far the tallest! Another concern for her being in Kindergarten!

Mara has the best teacher: Miss Melissa! I was very excited to find out Mara has Miss Melissa, she is fun, energetic, loves the children, super cute, and I've only heard wonderful things about her!

When I went to pick up Mara from school she was all smiles! The first thing she said was "I love school! I can't wait to go back!" Yay for Mara Lew!! Here's to a great year!