four on the fourteeth

Lincoln woke up early Thursday for his actual birthday. These days he wakes up early anyway, and his favorite thing to do is go and wake up Isabelle. We've really tried everything to keep him OUT of her room, short of locking Isabelle's door, which I'm sure he would just knock and yell until she came out. This kid is fiery. So while Isabelle was eating her breakfast before school, Linc opened his family presents.

He has great faces. 

After we sent Isabelle to school, we had breakfast together and got ready for the day. I'm a little bit obsessed with his rainboots, the ten day forecast looks promising for lots of use. The letter of the day for preschool was D so naturally we had to stop and pick up his most favorite treat for his little school buddies. He picked a chocolate long bar and I'm sure he ate the entire thing.

The mom hosting preschool had a little banner set up and made the day all cute- I so appreciate other moms who do extra special touches. Thanks DeAnne! He requested Old McDonald's for lunch- but "not yet' he said, first home to play marbles. And hot wheels.

And THEN to McD's. Apparently they took out the play place at ours? Which I'm secretly happy about because #gross. We sat together and talked about his birthday party and the day that he was born. He waved a bunch to the baby sitting across from him in a high chair. "Mom tell me when she is looking" he said. I love that eats his french fries out of the corner of his mouth. Chomp chomp chomp. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon together while Isabelle was at ballet with Grandma. We set up his new toys and ate popcorn in bed while we watched Wreck it Ralph. At 5, we headed to Red Robin for dinner with my mom. (Grandpa was in Florida at a cataract convention. It's a thing.) Linc ordered his favorite chicken and french fries and was delighted when they came out to sing to him. 

When we were putting the kids to bed that night, we snuggled in Lincoln's bed and I told them all about the day Lincoln was born. All about our adventure to Sacramento, driving myself to the hospital in the night, waiting and working and trying to get Lincoln OUT- finally at 2:13 in the morning, almost two full days after I checked in, our little baby was born. 

No nap day = kids asleep by 7:30. I love days like that- not a lot of pressing errands to get done, with time I can just sit and do whatever Lincoln wants to do. I need to do that more often. I told him he is my best friend, and he told me I am his best girl. Best days of my life, with these guys. 

Nothing in the world better than this!!! Ohhh my heart.

Ready, Set, GO.

Lincoln turned FOUR this week and we had a little party for him to celebrate his big day. Lincoln is obsessed with hot wheels and racing, so we had to do a theme to go along with that. A few months ago, we went to Target with $20 Lincoln had saved from gifts from his Grandpa John. I told him he could pick out a new toy with his money, hoping I could steer him in the right direction. He saw a hot wheels track and was SET. Honestly I tried to talk him out of it because I thought- it must be flimsy, I'm sure it doesn't really work, we would recycle it in a few weeks, etc, but NO we had to have it. So we left with a big orange box of tracks. We got home and set it all up and I swear he was occupied for days and days. One morning we actually found him out playing hot wheels at 5 AM because he was just too excited and he couldn't sleep anymore. And ever since then, he has been HOOKED. 

We invited our cousins and a few friends over to eat some favorite foods and have a big round robin race on his very own double racetrack. Again this year I asked Linc what kind of cake he wanted, and again he picked donuts. What can I say, the kid loves donuts. 

traffic light rice krispies were pretty cute.

                        

I love his little freckled face so much.

So we started the party by playing our "race game." I bought a pack of new hot wheel cars and had them in a basket so everyone could pick their very own. Jazz used some sort of neat online magic to print out a round robin race schedule where all of the kids got to play each other. It actually was really fun! The kids' attention spans are really short so it went quickly, pretty soon it was their turn to race again. Jazz manned the flag and declared the winner and I sat back and called out the next two racers.

I kept score of the winners and Isabelle ended up having the fastest car. After we were finished racing, we sang happy birthday to Linc so everyone could eat. His choice = chocolate.

We also played a bean bag came with a poster board traffic light and did hot wheel tattoos which the kids LOVED. Why do kids love them so much? They were thrilled. Also I gotta say I get about a C+ taking pictures of the party, we were busy and it was rainy so the light wasn't great and I forgot to keep my camera with me. Whatever, we were having fun.

                            

These were the little favors, I made traffic light playdoh and everyone took home their race car. 

best one we got.

This party was more low key than in years past- most of the decorations were pulled out from other parties, all the checker flag stuff I ordered from amazon. The only food I had to do was the rice krispy treats and the veggie prep! Easy and stress free. 

The best part was that Lincoln loved loved LOVED his special day. He loved seeing all of his friends. He loved racing. He loved his treats. He loved when everyone sang Happy Birthday to him, his little face was so smiley and happy. We may not always do big parties but I hope he always has a day to feel a little extra loved, a little extra special because not a day goes by that I think he isn't a great little person. He IS special, he IS loved, we are lucky to have him, and we like to make every birthday count.

quick visit to the pup

When we took all of our holiday visitors back to the airport in Sacramento, we decided to make a day of it and see our puppy. We couldn't see him until evening, so we spent the day eating chick-fil-a and visiting the train museum downtown. I've been to Sacramento a million times, and we have never done the museum. Always stuff to do! We initially wanted to go to the Zoo, but it was pouring, so plan b. Plan b ended up being really fun- the kids really liked all of the big trains. You can walk through some and drive a simulator and then upstairs they have a bunch of train tables to play with. 

Linc "drove" a simulated train and was pretty excited about it.

MOM there is a four! I am going to be four!

We sat in the high speed train and it felt a lot like an airplane- comfortable seats and trays. Me and the kids sat around and pretended we were ordering food- and the cute old volunteer train man joined in to play our game with us. All of the volunteers looked like Santa and you could tell that trains were THEIR THING. Just ready to regurgitate all sorts of facts and information if you asked.

At 5:30 we headed over to see our puppy. He is nicknamed "Crew socks" because of the white markings on his paws. He is also the biggest of the litter! Yikes. 

just really one of my favorite moments. Freckles and puppies. Ours is the middle dog

This one is ours.

Only about three more weeks until we bring him home! We are starting to collect all the dog related items we might need- Santa brought his bed and food bowls and some toys. We will crate train him, and the breeder is already starting that a little bit. I am a bit nervous. I think it will be so fun and so great for our family, but I know the first few years of puppy life can be rough. I'm home most of the time, so I will be there to take him out etc but if you have AWESOME PUPPY TIPS I am accepting all suggestions. I think we are 90% decided on a name that Isabelle came up with one night, just waiting to get him home to make sure it fits.

Looking ahead

Today Linc had his teeth cleaned. He sat really still, opened his mouth and was in charge of the suction. Big deal when you are four. His favorite part was collecting his goodies at the end. Also, I promised him a treat because I am not above bribery. Nothing like sugar to reward clean teeth!

I remember making this dentist appointment clear back in July. I was twelve weeks pregnant, and I thought- oh my goodness when Linc has his teeth cleaned again I will just about have this baby! I even had to make it a week earlier than planned to make sure there was plenty of time, as I definitely wouldn't venture out of the house for weeks/months to come.

And here we are, It's January, and we all know that I'm not having a baby this month. I forget about stuff like that for awhile and then something pops up like this dentist appointment or opening my address book and an old sonogram picture falling out, and then I remember. Oh, right.

TRUTH.

Holidays are always a little emotional for me. There were a couple of nights when I just had a really good cry and got it all out. Lots of my family was here for a few weeks- last year we were all pregnant together and this year they all have their sweet chunky babies. Everyone on social media was making neat little collages with their top nine posts of the year and I'm over here like BYE 2015. A year ago this week we lost a baby at 14 weeks. Six months later, it happened again. Not my finest year.

Lots of wonderful things happened though. Disneyland thrice. A big trip to the beautiful island of Maui. Izzie lost basically all of her teeth. Linc started preschool! Jazz put up Christmas lights for the first time. I joined a fitness group and learned how to box jump and pull a sled and executed more burpies than I would ever like to do again. 2015 was a great year. *ish*

Last year was all about the "grand and the simple" and it helped me to see the sun through some dark clouds. This is my 2016 theme or mantra or motto or whatever- peace, a calm heart, and courage to face those clouds. This verses of scripture popped up several times over the last few weeks, and the more I read it, the more it "clicked" with me. Sometimes you read things dozen of times before you really read them.

Here is to a peaceful 2016.

Christmas bells are ringing!

Well not anymore, but they WERE ringing. I'm behind, I know. I'm working on it.

Christmas Day! We look forward to this all year. Isabelle was the first to wake up and alerted us of Santa's visit. Jazz put the baby gate up and locked it shut so they couldn't get out without us! I mean, I didn't want to miss seeing their little faces. We unleashed them and they were so excited to see their gifts. The first thing Izzie did- before she opened any presents- was go to the tree and get the gift she had earned and purchased for Lincoln. She was so excited she just couldn't wait another minute. 

After that, they went for their stockings. 

This was the gift with the "best reaction" award. An industrial pencil sharpener. Seriously she was so thrilled to get her OWN. That PLUGS IN. 

After Linc saw his Hot Wheel Thing he was done.

Lego undies!

Lincoln earned like $8 and bought Izzie some play makeup and nail polish. Pink because "Bell WUVS pink."

pajama party!

We opened all of our gifts and Jazz and I exchanged as well- we always do stockings for each other. I took a quick shower and put on fresh pajamas because lol who gets dressed on Christmas. We headed to moms for round two of festivities.

super heroes= now go everywhere with us

We spent the day playing with new toys and eating super good leftovers. The weather was gorgeous and the kids played outside for awhile before bingo and some cousin games Aunt Morgan had for everyone.

Scott brought over his Wii U and Lincoln was OBSESSED. 

Iz and Archer

Olaf game

my bingo partner

matching new jammies for both Isabelles.

Christmas was mellow. I think we stayed at my mom's all day- we had a big dinner with everyone. Twenty people is a LOT. Like, a circus, the volume level is astonishing and would alarm anyone not sufficiently prepared. I wouldn't have it any other way- these are my people. We love being together.