Landon is EIGHT!!!

 Wow oh wow, my baby (well I guess not technically anymore) boy is EIGHT!!! I just looked back and it looks like I posted his yearly post last year at this same time....well i'm nothing if not consistent. 😉 

I can't believe another year has gone by with my "baby boy" I don't know why but I have such a hard time with the fact that Landon gets older. He is just so different from who he was as a 2-3 year old. He still has his zest for life and this beautiful way he looks at the world but he's also just so different. In a lot of ways his personality changed but he still has this unbelievably sweet soul that I just can't get enough of. 

I really miss Landon being small. He was such my little buddy. He loved me so fiercely and was always by my side. He still loves me but he also is more independent which of course is a good thing but I still miss my little boy. I think just overall I am struggling with these kids getting bigger and the fact that they won't need me.

Landon,

I really can't believe you're EIGHT!! You are one of the sweetest souls there ever was. You make my heart soar with pride and happiness everyday. You have a deep love for your family and God and it makes me so proud to see you grow in your faith. 

You don't tend to love to do work around the house, you'd much rather be playing on your tablet or a phone you undoubtably stole from someone. You love your video games more than anything. You don't seem to have a love for trains like you used to. You have traded that obsession with anything world war related, both WWI and WWII. You can recite facts about both wars that is just astonishing. 

This year you have finally started sleeping on your own. I say that lightly because although you don't come into my room every night and you don't require your dad or I to be next to you every night, you do sleep next to Lorelai nearly every night, and if its not Lola it's Lincoln. You definitely do not like sleeping alone and at least you have an abundance of siblings to allow that to happen. 

You remain a pretty picky eater. I look forward to the day that you will stop judging food by the look of it and at least try it with an open mind. But you're slowly getting better. 

You truly have such an amazingly positive outlook on almost everything. It takes a lot to get you down and even when that does happen you bounce back fairly quickly. You make life so much more fun because you have such a wonderful way of looking at it. You truly are and amazing little boy. 

starting 2nd grade!!!

EIGHT YEARS OLD

This emulates Landon perfectly!

such an amazing big brother

My birthday boys!!!

Landon you are such a gem! I'm so grateful you are ours. You have a light and zest for life that is unmatched. You are so much fun! You test me regularly and make me question everything but I always come out a better mama and person because of you. The way you look at life is truly a gift and I wish everyone had just a little bit of your confidence and outlook. This world is a better place because of you! I'm so proud to be your mama!! 

Love you my sweet boy! Happy 8th birthday!!
 

Lynlie is 4

 I really would love to get better at actually writing a post for each of the kids birthdays so I can remember and capture them at that age, but you know sometimes we just get so caught up living life, and I would almost prefer to live in the moment, but then I go back and look at pictures and things and I hate that they grow so fast and all I want to do is remember them when they were small. So I'm super late on this one, but here we go....

Lynlie is 4! Where have the last 4 years gone??? I'm so dumbfounded that she is 4. There aren't enough words in the English language to adequately describe this child. She is absolutely wonderful and loving. She is a bright spot to everyday, she brings me joy everyday and my heart physically hurts when I look at her and think about how quickly she is growing. 

She is obsessed with being a big sister. Part of this honestly surprised me. She has been so obsessed with me since she was born, not wanting anything to do with so many other people that I was worried how she would react having to share me with a new baby, but honestly she has taken to her big sister roll very well! Sometimes shes a little more "hands on" than I would like and I can't leave her alone with him, but she is so helpful, loving and I swear she would squeeze him all day if I let her (and he tolerates everything she does to him--BEST BABY EVER)

So on her actual birthday she started preschool. I was really emotional about it. I don't like sharing my kids on their birthdays with school but the first day is kind of special so I took her and she was so excited! She can be a bit crazy (what 4 year old isn't) and she was like jumping all over the van and just beyond excited about going. She was a little nervous but overall was more excited. 

I met her at pickup with balloons and tried to make her feel so special. We had a small family party at our house later that night with close family and I hope she felt so much love, the way she makes everyone else feel around her.

Lynlie,

How you are 4 I will never quite understand. You are my sunshine in a grey day. You are so smart, kind, and just have a way about you that is unmatched. You make everyone you are around feel so loved and so special. You always compliment people on what they are wearing, how they are wearing their hair or something that you can tell you just make that person feel so loved and special for you to notice such a thing about them. You have a FIERCE love for me and your family. LIKE FIERCE! you love with your whole soul and that love is radiated through all that you do. 

You are such a beautiful little girl inside and out, you talk CONSTANTLY, and honestly it can be quite overwhelming at times. You love for things to be done just like you like them and you are not afraid to let people know when they fall short of your expectations (we may need to real this in a big little girl). But you are also so loving and giving. You have a love for Jesus and a thirst to learn more about your faith that I just adore. 

Birthday Breakfast is of course Doughnuts

such a big girl on her way to the car for preschool

is it even your birthday if mom doesn't get you a cake pop to eat on your way to school?

off to preschool!!!

Can you guess which child is mine? 

Finally have my girl back to celebrate her turning 4!!!!

Bluey Cake for my girl

Birthday party Pictures

Baby girl somehow you grew another year older on me. I love you so much and am so grateful you are ours. This life is so much better because of you. You are my sunshine on a cloudy day and make me a better mom and person everyday. I LOVE YOU BABY GIRL!!! SO SO MUCH!!!