Miss Mowgli 35 Weeks

I realize I've fallen off the baby bump update wagon more than 80 times in the past eight months I've been pregnant.  And I'm sorry to say that not-the-first-baby syndrome has totally come into play when it comes to taking weekly bump pictures and documenting the ins and outs of this pregnancy.  But I have managed to snap a few shots here and there, and we have been blessed with lots of sweet memories relishing this little girl as she grows and grows!  Buckle up- lots of pictures in this post to make up for the complete lack of them over the past eight months. =)

We had an ultrasound appointment last week and Miss Mowgli checked out with a double thumbs up again- we are so thankful!  Like her brother and sisters, she's not one for showing off for the camera, so the 3D image they snapped was a little distorted, but you can still see the resemblance between this little lady and her big brother.

From what we can tell, these two have twinner noses and cheeks.  Can't wait to see what they look like sitting next to each other in just a few weeks!

We've got four and a half weeks to go until her due date, but the Hubs and I have a hunch sister's not gonna wait that long.  We've been trying to cram in a few family fun nights just the three of us before our world grows by one more little.  Miss Mowgli went to her first baseball game last weekend and she loved her some Dippin' Dots ice cream.  Big Brother is a HUGE baseball fan and had a blast at the game.  He did so well and lasted all the way through the 9th inning and sat so patiently through the fireworks.  He wasn't a huge fan, but he put on his brave face and let us stay. It was a nice change from last year at Disney World when fireworks sent us frantically running in the opposite direction with a cryer. =)

Newbie and I have spent a lot of time at home lately because this momma can barely waddle across the room without getting swollen kankles. He's been a great sport and we've had some fun days playing together being in the same general area while Newbie plays and Momma sits down. =)  

(Popsicles are in no short supply over here these days)

(Can't believe we're already one month away!)

(I'm squeezing in as many snuggles as I can...we try not to squish Mowgli too much, but I can't resist loving on this sweet boy.)

(Hi, Baby Girl!)

This little lady is growing off the charts.  She weighed in at 6 pounds, 3 ounces last week and fell in the 97th percentile for growth!  Jubilee was always so far behind in growth, and we've been praying throughout this pregnancy that God would let Miss Mowgli grow big and strong...at a whopping 6 pounds and 97th percentile, He's answered our prayers with a BIG baby girl, and we are so thankful!  

(I'm going to miss this baby bump, but it will be nice not to waddle everywhere or need a crane to pull me out of bed each morning anymore. =])

We've been scrambling to get everything ready for our girl.  Our basement project has taken a lot longer than we anticipated, but we finally have carpet and paint done, and all of Newbie's toys have found their way to the new playroom.  The toy overhaul opened up space for Miss Mowgli's nursery, and we've been busy as bees getting it ready!  Gigi and Grandad showed up last week to paint...Benjamin Moore's Pink Sea Shell covers the walls now, and I am still in shock that we have a PINK room in our house.  Can't believe we're about to welcome a baby girl!

(These two have painted every room in my house...and a few twice.  Thank you, Gigi and Grandad!!!)

(Newbie and I have been on construction duty a couple times while Daddy's at work.  We managed to put together a swing and a bassinet, but it wasn't easy!)

A month or so ago the women in my Bible study group threw me a shower- I was so blessed with lots of pinks and ruffles!  Those women have been praying for Miss Mowgli since I met them last fall, and they have such a special place in my heart.  I can't wait to pass Mowgli around the circle of these wonderful ladies when she gets here. =) I didn't get any pictures of our little party...how did that happen?!

Just a couple weeks ago, another sweet friend of mine and her mama hosted a shower for me and Mowgli.  I was so touched that she wanted to celebrate my girl- and I was thrilled to have the chance to get a few pink items for her and her room (!!!) because Brother doesn't have many hand-me-downs that aren't covered in trucks or camo. =)  We had so much fun partying on May 5 with a fiesta theme, and I was so grateful for the gift of celebrating a new baby girl a year to the day that we were planning Jubilee's Heaven Party last year.  God is so good!

(I don't know how we didn't manage to get a picture of me and the lovely hostesses, but the sweet girl on the right and her mama are the ones who threw the shower for me.  And the quilt is handmade by my grandmother from the fabrics in Mowgli's nursery- LOVE!)

(Then I opened a gift from my grandmother containing Miss Mowgli's first American Girl doll and a matching dress for her to wear.  Somebody get the tissues. My sister and I grew up playing AG dolls together, and we both just LOST it when I opened this!)

(Happy tears...my side of the family is known for crying like crazy when we're super happy or really touched...this was a combo of both and we went on like this for a while.  Can't believe I get a little girl to play dolls with!)

(This was the only people-picture I snagged...I think we must have been too distracted by the pregnancy-friendly margaritas and all the PINK to stop and grab pictures with all of my sweet guests!  Love these four ladies- they've been through every bit of the past year and a half with me, and I'm so excited to introduce them to the little lady we've been praying for this year!  ...note the baby bump on the far right- girlfriend's due just four days after I am- we're dreaming of same-day deliveries.=])

We have been so blessed by all of the family and friends that have been cheering our girl on and celebrating her soon-to-come arrival with us.  We cannot wait to meet her and share her with the village!  In the meantime, we're soaking up these days with Newbie, and I'm eating my body weight in sugary cereal and ice cream because I know the day is coming when I won't be able to blame it on the baby. =)

Thank you so much for the love and prayers for our girl! We so appreciate each and every one of you that has cried and rejoiced with us over the past two years- we truly cannot thank you enough for your support and encouragement as we've watched our family grow and God's faithfulness hold us fast.  Thank you thank you thank you!!!

What He Carried

A little over a year ago my husband held our daughter for the first and last time.

On her first birthday a couple weeks ago, he lifted our son out of the car, handed him a pink balloon, and knelt down by our daughter's grave to explain to Big Brother that his little sister was having a birthday party in Heaven today, and we were going to send a balloon up to her to help celebrate.

And then, the day after her first birthday, he packed a bag with bricks weighing 40 pounds and he tucked in a cross weighing 1 pound, 10 ounces, just like her.  He made the cross himself and carved her name and birthday into the metal. That night, well after our son had fallen asleep, he kissed me on the forehead and slipped out into the dark to begin a physical challenge that would extend over 13 hours and have him army crawling through puddles on the street, wading through waist deep creek sludge, hauling 250 pound partners up and down hills through the city, and a list of other grueling tasks- all while carrying that 41 pound, 10 ounce pack.  

He signed up for it back in January, knowing it was the weekend after her birthday and telling me his plan to make a cross that weighed the same she did so he could carry her with him that weekend.  He told me about how it was a team and leadership building challenge and how everyone would carry a 40 pound pack on their backs for 12 hours while enduring all kinds of physical challenges.  While I loved his heart in wanting to do something special for her birthday, I thought he was nuts.  But I'm sure there have been times over the past year that he has thought I was nuts.  And we just do nuts together, hand in hand, because when you've said goodbye to someone you both love so much, nuts is OK.  

I loved that he wanted to bring a piece of her along.  A little 1 pound, 10 ounce piece of heart and courage and faith that would allow him to feel the weight of the hurt and give him the opportunity to forge ahead and carry on, all while hoisting that hurt upon his shoulders.

And that's what he's done for over a year now.  He has carried her.  He has carried me.  He has carried our son.  He has carried the weight of a grieving and hurting family, all while pointing us in the right direction and reminding us to continue to run the race- even when its hard, even when it hurts.  

I'm not naive. I know how heavy they are- the things he's carried- and I know its not something he could do alone, that his knees would buckle and his heart would break if he tried to carry it all alone. That he would be a shell of a man, distant and empty if he took it on himself and hauled that pack of hurts through the morning and nights by himself. The burden of leading a family through the deepest of hurts while keeping our hearts focused on the Hope of Heaven?  Its not something one man can shoulder alone.  To point to Jesus and remind us to trust even while our hearts are crushed and our spirits are weary? It's not a one man job. He has carried us through this because each and every morning he bows down and hands it all over to the One who holds our hearts in His hands. 

Each day, he takes that pack full of aches and sets it on his shoulders.  He slips out before the sun rises, kissing me on the forehead before he goes, and then stepping out the door, he lays it all before the One whose burden is easy and whose yoke is light.  

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  -Matthew 11:29-30

He knows a man's place isn't on his feet but on his knees.  

I'm so very thankful for all the things he has carried and for the God who has taken on our burdens as His own and carried the weight of the world on His shoulders that we might find joy in the morning.  

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.  Psalm 90:14

And I am grateful to have the enormous blessing of running the race with my best friend.  Thank you for running by my side, Trent, and for all the things you've carried.  I love you forever.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

Hebrews 12: 1-3

Jubilee's Garden

[I've been awful about keeping up with my blog this year, and its time to bust out some posts-in-waiting before Miss Mowgli arrives and I have nothing to say other than LOOK AT THIS SWEET BABY and THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS TOO MANY PICTURES OF A BABY GIRL IN HEADBANDS BIGGER THAN HER FACE. ]

I've been wanting to write about Jubilee's garden forever and today is the day!

Last year when we said goodbye to Jubi, I wanted to do something special to remember her and the impact she had on our hearts and the hearts of others' too.  I wanted it to be something that would last, and something that would remind us of the Hope we have knowing we'll see her again.  I also wanted it to be a reminder to "Shout for Joy" in all things.  I KNOW.  Big ambitions.  I'm nothing if not a woman of high expectations and standards. =)  Despite the tall order, we managed to cram all of my hopes and dreams into a reality when we decided to plant a "Jubilee Garden" in our backyard.

As we planned for Jubilee's funeral, we asked family and friends to bring a perennial flower or plant instead of bouquets of flowers. I loved all the bouquets that filled my home in those first weeks after she was born, but I was also thrilled to have the gift of some flowers that would come back again the following year.  A perennial takes the sting out of the end of something- knowing it will come back again when the cold flees and the sun shines.

We were blessed with perennial upon perennial after Jubilee's birthday and Heaven Party, and while my little family snuck off to Disney World for some much needed time away, my mom and several of her sweet friends came over to our house and transformed the perimeter of our backyard into a beautiful  flower garden.  I can't begin to describe the amount of heart and effort that went into putting the garden together- we were so blessed by everyone who joined in to make it happen.  It was all grass before we left for Disney, and we came home to such a beautiful gift!

(Do you spy Newbie's Mickey Mouse?  His great grandma gave it to him, and another one this year- such a fun reminder of our special time at Disney as a family of three after Jubilee's birthday last year)

(The pictures really don't do it justice...the garden spans the entire length of our backyard and it filled to the brim with blooms!)

I can't really put into words how much God speaks to me from the birth, beauty, and life cycle of Jubilee's Garden.  In remembering the hands that gifted us the flowers and plants and those that dug and watered and planted, I'm reminded of how He rescued us in those hard days through the kindness and caring of others.  In seeing the bright blossoms and gorgeous colors of the flowers sprinkled throughout the garden, He reminds me of His beauty and His goodness and Grace- He reminds me that because He is so very good, we always have a reason to shout for joy to the Lord.  In seeing the flowers wilt last fall and disappear under the snow throughout the winter, and then peek up through the dirt and bloom again this spring, I'm joyfully reminded of the new life He offers us through Jesus and the new life my sweet Jubi girl is embracing now that she is Home.   Jubilee's garden speaks volumes of the eternal.

This garden makes me shout for joy and long for Heaven.  My heart squeezes with thanks for our girl and her story and the story He has written for my little family.  And I'm so humbled when I walk through the plants and remember who gave us which flowers- its a reminder of how sweet friends rose up to be Jesus' hands and feet to us last year when we were hurting, and it is a motivator to reach out and be someone's rescue as so many people were our own last year.

And then there's the perk that a garden can never have too many flowers.  Each year on her birthday, we're going to find a special something to add to the collection of life-giving joy in our backyard.  This year we might have gone a little overboard...Newbie was swamped with flowers in the backseat after my mama and I left the nursery a couple weekends ago, and our trunk was full of sparkly garden trinkets after shopping with my mother-in-law on Jubi's birthday.  Hey, a girl only gets one first birthday after all.  We decided to celebrate BIG. =)

A HUGE thank you to each one of our family and friends who extended love in flowers last year.  I remember where each of your little blooming bits of love are out in Jubilee's garden, and we are so grateful for the ways you carried our hearts while Jubilee was here and after we said goodbye.

Wishing you a wonderful day, friends.  Now go plant a flower and shout for JOY!

Goodness and Grace and a Happy Birthday

Sometimes when you're trudging through grief, you just have to decide to keep moving.  In the days leading up to her first birthday, I was dreading the day.  The past year has been an insane roller coaster of ups and downs coming out of nowhere, and coming up on her first birthday, I just didn't know what to expect from my own emotions or quite what to do on that day.   A year ago, May 2 had been such a beautiful gift because we had held her and loved on her, and this year was going to be so very different because we couldn't do any of those things.  I wasn't sure how to step into that day with the deep ache to hold her again, with the wish that I could rewind and go back to the hospital room where I could smell her and snuggle her and tell her how much she meant to me.  I was feeling stuck.

So I just did what I've done every day since the day we found out our girl was so sick.  I acted on what I knew instead of what I felt.  I know God is good.  I know His plan is better than my own.  I know He is faithful and that His promises are true.  I know His love runs deeper than I can imagine and that He works all things for the good of those who love Him.  That is what I know. So the morning her birthday rolled around, I took a deep shuddering breath through silent tears in the dark, and I reminded myself of what I knew.  And then I decided to just keep going.

For all the planning I had tried to do for her birthday, I really didn't have much of a plan, but I was determined to make it a good day- to focus on the good and the grace instead of the hurt and the hard.  Because the good and the grace are what keep us going around here, man.  And there is plenty of it to go around.  I knew I wanted to celebrate her and the things God taught us through her.  I knew I wanted it to be a joy-filled day, and I knew I wanted to make each moment of the day count.  So we started with breakfast downtown, just me and my little man and the day unfolded from there, full of special moments that we soaked in slow and deep.

Breakfast with my little guy= Good.

After breakfast came a stroll by the river with my babies, then a trip to a floral shop to pick out some treasures for Jubilee's garden (more on her garden coming soon!).

Swan on the banks of the river where we walked= Grace.

A stop at the cemetery after lunch, just me and her daddy, was one of my favorite parts of our day:

I brought our favorite picnic blanket and a pile of notes sweet family and friends had written to us and Jubilee last year that we had yet to read.  We sat on the blanket by her spot and took turns reading the notes aloud.  It was such a blessing to hear encouraging words about how God has used Jubilee to touch the hearts of our family and friends.  It was Grace, my friends. We just dwelled in the goodness of God's plan in those moments, the warm sun beaming down on our shoulders and the birds singing in the trees, and even though we were sitting in the grass by our daughter's grave, it was beautiful.

And there were tears, of course, because how do you press yourself against the soft earth where your daughter is buried and think of God's goodness and grace and how much you miss her and how beautiful her Heaven Party must be that day and not let the tears slip down your cheeks in aches and longing and thanks and praise?  There were tears.  And he stroked my hair while I lay with my head in his lap because he is so good to me, and because that little girl's daddy sure knows how to take care of her momma.

We left after a while and went to get her big brother.  The Hubs and I decided last year that we want our kids to be a part of celebrating Jubilee's life each year- we consider it a blessing to have an opportunity to share with them the joy and hope we can find in Christ in the midst of the brokenness- to be able to use their sister's story to help them understand that the Good and Grace always trumps the hurt and hard.  Newbie knows that Momma misses Jubilee and that it sometimes makes her cry, but he also knows about "the Good Part"- that Jesus is alive and in Heaven, and our Jubilee is with Him there.

Before we went to celebrate "the Good Part" with Newbie, we stopped at another flower shop and let him pick out a pink balloon and a "special drink" because what would appreciating the moments be if we didn't stop for Daddy-O's famously spontaneous "special drink" offer?  Starbucks refreshers (PS- YUM.) for Momma and Daddy and a juice box for Newbie.  Just keeping it real. =)  We went back to the cemetery then with her big brother and we sang "Happy Birthday" and "Jesus Loves Me", and Newbie let her balloon go and we watched it fly towards Heaven for our birthday girl.

(Daddy explaining that we were going to let the balloon go up to Jubilee's Heaven Party)

(Our family of four getting ready to send off the birthday balloon)

(Birthday balloon off and on its way!)

Newbie and I read Jubilee's stone together, and he scrutinized every word, brushing aside flowers to be certain I read each word until he was satisfied with what it said from Psalm 100.  We celebrated The Good Part there in the sunshine at her spot in the cemetery, and my heart swelled with thanks for the Light that shines in the darkness- the Light that the darkness has not overcome.

Then we left for home to make her birthday cake that we shared that evening with another "Happy Birthday" song.  It was a good, full day.  The way I want her birthday to always be.  There will probably always be tears.  It is a heavy day to carry, but one I feel blessed to heft upon my shoulders because with the heaviness of the broken comes the enormous lightening of Hope.  Each day I make the choice to press on towards that Hope, moving forward knowing that our God is good, loves us deeply, and has a plan more beautiful than our wildest dreams.

And I know our Hope will not disappoint us because He who promised is faithful.

Wishing you a day full of Goodness and Grace that far outweigh the hard and the hurt, friends.

Blessings,

Brittany

Her Birthday

Tonight my thoughts are wrapped up in remembering.

I've spent a lot of time throughout the last year remembering.  Her tiny hands, her soft hair, her little nose.  My tears, my aches, my joy. His goodness, His faithfulness, His grace.

365 days ago I was in the hospital awaiting the arrival of my baby girl, Jubilee Ann, and tomorrow will be her first birthday- the day we said hello and the day we said goodbye.  (You can read about her birthday here, here, and here.)

I made a birthday cake today for a baby girl who isn't here, and it was hard.  Saying goodbye always brings a heartache, no matter if we know another hello is just around the corner.

Tonight I'm remembering hello and goodbye and the sweet, sweet blessing that was my girl's birthday one year ago. We have plans to celebrate her all day tomorrow, and I'll be back to share more, but on the eve of this special day, I'm going to rest in letting my words be few.

In honor of Jubilee's birthday, I'd like to share a little piece of her story with you.

(*Song is "This Little Light of Mine" by Addison Road...one of our favorite "Jubilee songs")

Tonight, as every night, we are resting in the joy of this beautiful hope:

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

Blessings, Friends

xoxo

Brittany

A Cautionary Tale

This is a cautionary tale. Listen. Up.

Monday Newbie and Miss Mowgli and I went for a walk.  It was a beautiful day, so we skipped out on nap and opted for some ice cream and a stroll around town.

(Please note the amount of hair happening here.  Because you may or may not see it again.)

When we got home, I was high on sunshine and warm temperatures.  We've been fighting some chilly weather up here, and I was thrilled to finally have some spring weather to enjoy.  We went straight from our ice cream stroll to the backyard.  

That's when I noticed that Newbie seriously needed a haircut.  The Hubs had been saying it for weeks, but it always takes me a little longer to agree because I don't gauge the need for a haircut by the same "its longer than a quarter inch" criteria.  But I was lookin' at my boy and thinking it was really time to get him in for a haircut.

That's when the Hubs would say "the monkeys took over," otherwise known as the Pregnancy Crazy.  The Pregnancy Crazy is a dangerous combination of hormones and being the size of a house that renders all common sense void.  Pregnancy brain is a real thing, people, and it makes normal people crazy nuts 99.873% of the time over the course of nine months.  

Given that I had a bad case of Pregnancy Crazy at the time, I'd like to say it was out of my control.  After all, the monkeys had clearly moved to the helm.

I looked at Newbie.  I looked at his hair.  And then I remembered that it was a sunny day.  And his daddy has a pair of hair clippers in the bathroom from all the home-jobs the Hubs does on his own noggin.  So I told Newbie to sit down at the picnic table because Momma was done gonna give him a haircut.  Who wants to pay 12 bucks for a toddler haircut when its sunny outside and you can just whack it off yourself in the backyard with your husband's clippers?  

Not the monkeys.

I couldn't find the guards for the clippers, so I reasoned if I kept a steady hand, I could keep the length of his hair longer than the bare clipper would allow if I set it right against his head.  Yes, I am an idiot.  

Newbie rested his head on his arms against the picnic table top and sat perfectly still, entrusting his sweet locks to his high-on-sunshine-and-pregnancy-hormones mother.  Even now the guilt of seeing him sit so trustingly at that table makes me sick to my stomach.  Because what happened next was I discovered I do not, in fact, have a steady hand, and you cannot, in fact, wish hair back onto a scalp after it falls onto the patio.  Two bald landing strips above his right ear.  That's as far as I got before I came to and realized I was SERIOUSLY butchering the do-it-yourself haircut.  

You could have landed two planes on the sections I carved out over his ear. 

That's when my palms got sweaty.  And I started getting heart palpitations. And I began to panic as I realized there was no turning back because YOU CAN'T PUT HAIR BACK ON after you buzz it off like a maniac.  

So I went inside.  And I looked a little harder.  And I found a couple guards for the buzzer.  (Good thing I didn't look a little harder earlier, huh?  GEEZ.)  I came back out to my patiently waiting son at the picnic table.  If it weren't for the panic, I would have cried endless tears right then and there because that sweet boy had no idea what his mother had just done to his previously rad long hair, and the trust he extended to me despite my clipper crazy was more than I could take.  But the panic brought with it a wave of adrenaline and the mother-guilt-ridden tears were held at bay for the time being.

I went at it again with a guard on the clippers, and I managed to clean up the rest of his 'do without completely shaving him, but the two landing strips I created with the bare clipper stood out like a sore thumb.  Also, his hair looked like it belonged on a rabid squirrel.  Patchy.  Uneven.  Patchy. A tuft here, a nick there. Patchy.  

I resigned myself to the reality that I was going to have to unleash the Hubs on our son and let him give Newbie the buzz cut he's been asking to don on his heir since the little guy turned two.  Because, really, I had already jumped the gun and given him a renegade buzz cut anyway.

And also, how do you tell your husband he can't give your son a buzz cut when you took it upon yourself to go monkey crazy with the clippers while he was away at work?

Nothing could be done.  We had to buzz him.  I went off to Bible study Monday night, and while I was gone, the Hubs pursued damage control.  And he did a great job. 

But I miss Newbie's hair. 

The next morning when I asked Newbie what he did with Daddy while I was at Bible study the night before, he replied: "Daddy fix my bad haircut. He give me hair like Daddy's.  ...But I want big hair like you, Momma."

And so I cried forever.  The end.

Moral of the story: Keep the monkeys away from the clippers. Also, don't wear mascara if you're going to ask your son how he likes the horrible haircut you gave him.  You're gonna come out of that conversation looking like a melting raccoon.

The good news is, Newbie's got a heart and personality that far outweigh a bad haircut.  Homeboy's rocking the buzz and had me in stitches this morning at the grocery store while he worked out a "God is so good"/"Lion King" mash up melody while he sang to the cucumbers.  Even without those sandy blond curls, he's a little more than awesome.

Another perk: hair grows back.  So at least we have that going for us.

Baseballs and a Birthday

I can't believe we have a three year old running around this house these days.  He is so. very. big.

The weekend before last we celebrated this guy with a baseball birthday party.  We had so much fun!  Several of Newbie's friends came over to play with their mamas and daddies, and some sweet family came to celebrate with us as well.

We got SNOWED OUT this year (what?! in April?!? yuck.), so we hosted most of the festivities in our not-yet-finished basement.   Not the same as running around in the backyard, but we did throw peanut shells on the floor, so there was a hint of authenticity to the experience. =)

We served hotdogs and had Lunchables for the kiddos, with Capri Suns and lemonade.  We kept it simple because who wants to sit around eating when you could be swinging a baseball bat?!  Coach Daddy-O led the kids in some batting and throwing practice, and we had them run the bases on the field my man painted on our not-yet-carpeted basement floor. Newbie had a blast, and it was fun to watch all these kids we've known since they were bitsy follow directions and stand in line to wait their turn for each game...they've all gotten so big!

(Party animals waiting for family and friends to arrive)

(Birthday boy checking out all the fun baseball stuff that popped up in the house overnight)

(Cracker Jack party favors, of course)

(Swiper!)

(We asked guests to sign Newbie's birthday game ball and will keep it as a treasure in his new baseball bedroom)

(Gigi did it again this year with an amazing birthday cake complete with cupcakes...YUM!)

(Baseball bats and balls as party favors for the rookies)

(Let the batting practice begin!)

(See?  All lined up and waiting patiently...this did not happen two years ago, folks)

(Free for all!)

(Three is for pinatas!...or "pin-ah-dah" in Newbie language.)

(Some of these littles knew what was up when it came to their pinata haul...Newbie was new at the whole thing and walked away with a bag only half full-a kazoo and a couple packs of fruit snacks. Hehe)

(We snagged a team picture before we dug into the birthday cake...it took us a bit, but we got one!)

(A little in awe that everyone was singing The Birthday Song to him! ...and hi there, Miss Mowgli)

(Chow. down.)

Post party this happened:

A Jeep just like Grandad's.  This kid has been "driving" his grandad's Jeep in the garage since he was 9 months old.  Now he's got his very own, and I have a feeling playing in the backyard will never be the same. It was a happy happy happy birthday!

*****

We celebrated with family and friends on Saturday, and then had some special time with just us and our boy on Sunday.  It was birthday pancakes before church and then a trip to the Children's Museum in the afternoon.  Newbie had such a ball at the museum; he ran from activity to activity, not stopping for more than a minute at each before moving to the next.  Homeboy kept us busy, and it was such fun to watch him enjoy his special day!

(You better believe it, dude.  Those are candles in your pancakes.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!)

(He had mastered the art of blowing out candles by birthday celebration Day Two)

Three has brought with it so much joy so far.  Three is faster and sweeter and wilder, and we're loving it!  Big brother is such a light in our lives, and we are so excited to see him interact with his little sister.  He is already so sweet with her when he talks to my belly, and he's constantly talking about what he wants to share with her and teach her.  He sings to her and laughs with her without telling us the joke- its such a blessing to see the bond these two already have! I have no doubt he's going to adjust really well to having a new friend in the house.  After all, we've been waiting a long time for a little sister to play with! =)

Thanks for stopping by and have a happy Monday, friends!