Happy 1st Birthday Benny Boy!

Dear Ben,

Specific pictures come to mind when I think of this year.  The photo above, I LOVE. Love love love. And the photo below absolutely perfectly captures your life. Suffocating love, suffocating kisses, suffocating hugs, suffocating growth.  

And the result is you- a funny, laid back guy who loves us to pieces in return. They say you keep the general disposition you have as a baby throughout your life. This is good news for you. Happiness, charm, a great sense of humor, a relaxed attitude. 

The coolest thing about having you, though, is that you are everyone's baby. You were surrounded during your first taste of solid food, cheered when you sat up and crawled, and given tons of kisses at night/in the morning/throughout the day. Personal space is not your style. ;)

You have brought so much light to our lives, Benny Boy. So many laughs, so many smiles, so much love, so much joy. 

I never imagined that having a son would cause my heart to burst with gratitude. Then again, you are not just any son. 

Happy 1st Birthday my sweet sweet baby boy! I love you.

Mama

Safety Camp, Pool

Photo of Jax and her buddy Kyle leaving safety camp together after the first day. 

This camp lasted all week and frankly, I'm glad it's over. I'm also glad she learned the stuff she learned. But it was every day- which limited our fun and the playground outside the elem school where this took place was like a death trap for young children. 

I digress. We hit up zoo with Gma and Park this week. See this gorilla? We saw him go NUTS after seeing a man with a beard. Jax and I have been talking about it all week. 

He gets it! Loud laugh every time he saw an animal. 

And don't even get me started on Hills. "Let's not go home and find more animals!" Amen, sister. 

Parker was awesome w her. I love him.

Hill and Lala at gym. 

Jack and Lala. 

Pool fun. Going in the evening after solid naps was soooo much better than going at 11ish. 

Ben found his groove. The other kids were screaming w delight. 

We then went up to the restaurant for snacks post-pool. And played outside in rocks before leaving. It was so nice to be outside at night in summer. 

Drawing

Jack is pretty great at drawing and lately the magna doodle has been on fire.  In fact, there are many fights over our beloved magna.

She practices writing her friends' names, as seen below.

Saturday we hit up a family party.  This photograph, taken by cousin Jill, is the only souvenir of the party we have- ASIDE FROM Hilly's latest facial welt.

Barefoot, she tripped over grass and hit her face on a folding chair. 

Sunday evening we saw Pops post-surgery.  They were sooo excited to see him since they hadn't seen him in a few weeks.  When they heard his voice coming down the hall, they were both playing with Legos and stopped in their tracks. Their eyes grew really wide before they ran over to see him. 

The next morning they got baths and this was their convo:
Hilly: "Jackie, break your leg."
Jackie: "Ahh! My leg is broken."
Hilly: "Pops, broke his leg, right Jackie?"
Jackie: "No, Pops broke his HIP."

Jack share this snow cone like a pro.  Hilly dropped hers on the floor shortly after these pics.  Ben was picking the ice off the floor going "MMMMMmmmm!"

Jack had her first Safety Camp on Monday with her friends P and Kyle so we met up with Will and Drew at the park that evening. Or was it last night? I have no clue.  Wait- today is Tuesday.  Whatever. In any event, here are the pictures from the park.

Last day of VBS and a birthday partay

Wear purple day. Nailed it. Jack got in car afterwards and said "I love Jesus."

Little sis felt left out so she got a pic too. 

Then little sis had yogurt for bfast. Then a time out. 

BBB. 

QT

Play date w Jax's classmate and her little sis who live down the street. Love to dress up. 

At Abby's party at a kids fun place. 

BBB learned to climb!

He is happier about this than I am. For sure.

Sunday School Continues

For first time in maybe her entire speaking life..... Jack matches.  Tears sprung to mine eyes. And I totes played it cool, like I wasn't super happy. Of course it was wear green day at bible school and she wasn't wearing any green and didn't care.  I'm sort of proud that she feels no pressure to follow the crowd. Go Jax! 

She came home with a thousand questions about Jesus, God, how he came down, how he had no body and now has a body, Mary, how Joseph ties in, what heaven looks like, if everyone is alone up there or hanging out together. Just your light hearted Wednesday afternoon discussions. Ya know. 

Jack said to me today "mom, your bathing suit (that was in my closet) is so beautiful, I can't stop looking at it." 

Also the main reason she wanted to see the babysitter on tues was to see what she was wearing. 

Hill brought us down a knotch by tripping on her newish flip flops and destroying both her knees. And then refusing to walk so I got to carry Ben in the carrier and a screaming Hilly in the church in front of a million strangers. Surely I won some sort of mom badge for this. 

Jack changed outfits right when she got home into something more bright. 

At Jack's gym- these 2.