Birthday Party for Aaron and Sarah!

March 15th we had Aaron and Sarah's joint birthday party at the bowling alley per Aaron's request.  My friend Kara made the birthday cakes, a Dragon for Aaron and the two smaller cakes for Sarah.  They turned out amazing!

We tried to keep it on the smaller side and mostly invited family, all the grandparents and great grandma's and the uncles who were in town, plus two family friends, Kara and Bret and their two girls, Amare and Onnyka and Chris and Victoria and their two girls Charlotte and Lucy.

Sarah slept through most of the bowling which was good because she definitely needed a nap!

This crazy girl is Lucy and she always makes me smile!

Kids having fun between turns...

Happy Birthday!!!

She woke up!  Hi Birthday Girl!

Time for cake and presents!!!

Smash it Sarah!  No really, go ahead and get dirty!

Birthday presents!

The balloons were a big hit!  Then it was home again.  Sarah actually crawled into her carseat by herself after we had gotten home and was playing in it so I had to get a few pics of this girl who always gets mad when I put her there!

We also spent some time outside blowing bubbles, part of the kids' gift bags.

What a beautiful day!  

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We had Sarah's 1 yr check up yesterday and she is 19.1 lbs and according to the weight for height chart very proportional.  (-:  She walks everywhere but doesn't like to hold hands, climbs up on top of furniture, likes to eat a variety of food but has definite likes and dislikes which I don't think my boys did at this stage.  She loved the strawberries at Grandma Regier's house today but she doesn't like bananas at all, no matter how you serve them.  She is also the only one of my kids that I have ever given orange pieces to at this age without them getting a diaper rash later!  She says Dadadada and Mamamama, I have seen her shake her head yes several times and seen her do no today for the first time.  She waves bye-bye and has done high fives for a long time already.  She loves to dance, play with anything that lights up or makes noise or has buttons, and she loves her brothers.  She is my independent girl!

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Aaron's birthday is Sunday and I am supposed to work that day.  :-(  I am amazed at how he and Luke have both stretched out so tall this year.  He is still my sweet sensitive boy with the big emotions.  Right now he always says things that he loves.  "I YOOOOVE buttons!", "I YOOOOVE sharing!", " I YOOOOVE peppers!"He likes to be helpful and to make Sarah smile.  He loves bubbles and swinging and watching scooby doo!  He wants to be like Luke and do the things that Luke does but he gets discouraged when things are to hard for him.  He likes the Wii and because he likes it so much he is learning that if he keeps trying he will get better at it!  He is my most snugly baby right now.  He needs lots of touch and gentle reassurance that he is loved, especially when he is in trouble for something.  He has learned that you don't actually have to tell the truth so we are working on learning that it is better if you do tell the truth.  He likes counting and playing with numbers and letters, playing with his bike, and eating sandwiches with Miracle Whip, Cheese and Pickles on it with baby bell peppers on the side.  I'm not always sure what motivates this kid but I think that he has a little bit of a rebel in him.  Aaron is not a copy of his big brother, he is uniquely Aaron, and I love that about him!

I remember the day that you were born, Aaron.  I remember how beautiful it was out side, with warm sunshine and spring in the air.  I remember how peaceful and joyful it was while we waited for you.  I remember talking on the phone with Becca while we walked to get cinnamon rolls from the bakery a half mile from the birth center.  I remember watching movies with your dad while we waited for the contractions to get stronger, and then taking a nap when we got tired and the contractions giving me a break so I could rest.  I remember playing with Luke and Gammy and Papa and how the wind blew Luke's ball away so Papa had to chase it.  I remember sending everyone but your Dad and I home so they could get naps and we could get serious about bringing you here.  How we walked the stairs down the the basement, up and down, up and down, up and down.  I remember having to stop and kneel on the steps when the contractions came and telling me body to open and let you come into my arms.  I remember how good sitting in the warm water in the tub felt and how suddenly it stopped feeling good and I knew you were ready to be born!  I remember how different everything was from the day Luke was born, how quiet you were, how time wise you were way faster, but at the same time you didn't rush.  When you were born and I pulled you onto my chest and dried you off you barely cried, you just looked at me so deeply.  I remember talking to you but I don't remember what I said, and how it took a little while before you were ready to nurse but then you decided it was time and you did a great job!  I remember everyone coming back to see you and being so excited to hold you!  I remember how much Luke loved you right from the first moment.  He was so excited to be your big brother!!!  I remember giving you your first bath and then Daddy getting you dressed.  I remember eating cake and singing happy birthday to you for the first time.  You were SOOOO tiny!!!  After you were born we only stayed at the birth center a few hours and then we got to go home and be in our own beds which was really special because with all my other babies we had to stay in the hospital at least a whole day after they were born.  It felt so good to be at home with you! You were the 200th baby born at the Yoder Birth Center, and when you turned one we rode in the Yoder Day's Parade with several other people who had babies born there and with the midwives, Lois and Angel. You are my middle child and you are so special!  I hope you always know that you are special and that you are loved just for who you are.  

A visit with Grandma Regier

This morning we got to go play at my Grandma Regier's house and have tea and coco together!

Grandma had two kinds of cookies for us, strawberries, apples, and cheese as well as tea and coco to drink!  One of the kinds of cookies is called honey spice cookies but Grandma always uses Rodger's Golden Syrup instead.  It is a favorite that is unique to her house in my memories.  

W all had a really good time and I hope it isn't too long before we can visit again!

Sarah is 1!!!

Can't believe I have already had one whole year with you, my darling girl!  You are sweet and funny and fiercely independent!  I love you so much and can't wait to see each new day with you, just don't grow up to fast!

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Sarah, I remember the day that you were born!  It seems like it was only a few weeks ago, not a whole year!  I love that each of my children's births were so different from each other and each one special and wonderful.  You were fast and furious in the middle of the night.  You were never in distress, your heart tones were good for the very brief amount of time that we were monitoring them but you didn't seem to enjoy the process.  You and I both wanted it over with as fast as possible so we could just enjoy each other.    You came so fast that we barely made it to get Becca, drop off the boys and get to the hospital, and when they told me that the midwife wasn't there yet I almost cried!  Somehow with lots of love and support from Daddy and Becca and our nurse Rusty we managed to hold on until she got there!  Then with just one contraction you were out and screaming.  You made sure everyone knew just how mad you were about the whole process!  You screamed for about 40 minutes before you finally settled down to nurse!  Your birth was special to me because for the first time ever I delivered with my sister by my side and in a hospital full of friends.  When we first got to the hospital and my friends and coworkers met us at the door with a wheelchair I was smiling so big!  Everyone was so excited to get to meet you and it was so much fun to come to a place where I knew and loved everyone to have you be born, like a big party.  After you were born and we had our time together Daddy got to hold you a little while and then he let Becca hold you!  The two of you have a special bond I think because she got to be there to see you come into this world.  Then Gammy and Papa and the boys came up and you got so many hugs and kisses from your brothers!  They love you so much!  You are not a copy of your big brothers, you are different in almost every way, and I love how unique you are.  You are teaching me all over again how to be a mother.  (you would think I'd have it down by now ! :-) Happy birthday my little bird! 

Happy Birthday Luke

On this day seven years ago my firstborn came into this world.  I remember being so excited that I welcomed each contraction, thinking this one is bringing me closer to you!  I won't say it wasn't hard or painful but it was also joyful, and not just at the end.  I had waited so long for us to be ready, for us to be in a good place with school done and jobs and a home and I had been afraid sometimes that I would never get to see that day, that maybe in waiting we would miss our chance.  Finding out that you were coming was one of the best days of my life and I cherished each day with you ever since.  Long before I could even feel you move inside me I was filled with joy just knowing that you were there.  I couldn't wait to meet you!

Sometimes people complain about how hard parenting is, about the sleepless nights and the diapers and the crying and later the whining and attitudes.  I understand, those things aren't easy, but the love I have for you makes those things seem less than they did before I knew you.  I love you so much, that I will take all of it, the good and the bad, just for the chance to be your mother.  I promise that I will always love you, even when you have bad days and I am angry with you I will still love you, no matter what.  

I am so proud of you!  I have watched you grow up, learning so many new things from the moment you learned how to breath to now as I watch you learn how to read!  I have also watched you learn how to be a big brother, how to be kind to everyone, how to make things right when you have done something wrong, how to be helpful, how to teach others things you have learned yourself.  I know it isn't always easy to be the oldest, I have been there and I know that I expect a lot from you, but you are such a good big brother and Aaron and Sarah love you so much!

You have a good heart!  God gave me an amazing gift when he allowed me to be your mother, and he has given you many good gifts.  You are learning how to use the gifts he has given you to help those around you.  You are smart and funny and creative and strong and most importantly you are loving.  As you continue learn how to use your gifts I pray that you let God be your teacher, that you learn to love and trust him above all else.  He is the perfect parent, I have messed up sometimes in the past and I will in the future, but God's love for you is perfect and more than anything he wants you to love him back with your whole heart.  If you do that then he will use even your mistakes to bring about goodness.  Your verse that we always say together is Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."  

Luke is having a pool party so that he can invite his entire class plus a few other friends!  We made the invitations together the other day and he decorated each one with a picture of a person swimming in the pool and his name.  He chose different colors for different people in his class based on what he thought they would like and he made little differences on each one.  On one he wrote his name backwards, on another he said the e went crazy, on another he made a dot-to-dot for his friend.  It was a lot of work but he didn't stop until he had them all done and his art made them a million times better than they would have been otherwise.