Birthday Pictures!!

We're back from Solomon's 4th birthday picture session. I'm relatively pleased, although none of the shots with both boys came out. I usually get at least one picture with them both. Oh, well. At least Solomon's shots turned out! We did the classic birthday pose with the #4...

....and here we have "The Hitch-hiker". I ordered a few of these in black and white because his little face just melts my heart. It could be a still out of Oliver Twist or a classic Shirley Temple film, don't you think?

....and my personal favorite. This is one of those pictures that sums up who he is as a person. It's just so....Solomon. That's my boy!

Separation Anxiety

So, I'm going to the Home School Mom's Retreat this weekend and will be leaving the boys and going out of town for the first time in their lives. Micah, Sol and Kai are staying the weekend at Scott and Lori's while Lori and I are gone. 2 Dads and 6 little boys. Yikes. Anyhow, Solomon has been aware of the plans for a while, but as Friday grows near I decided to ease his fears about Mommy leaving. Our conversation went like this:
Mommy: "You know, Sol, this is the weekend that Mommy is leaving town for a whole 3 days, and I want you to know---"
Solomon: "YAY! I GET TO SPEND THE NIGHT AT ZION'S HOUSE!!"
Mommy: "Yes! That will be fun! And, you can just call me on the cell phone if you get---"
Solomon: "DID YOU KNOW ZION'S GOAT JUST HAD BABIES!!!"
Mommy: "Yes, I did know that! Are you going to miss m---"
Solomon: "DADDY SAID WE CAN ROAST DINGERS ON THE FIRE!!!"
Mommy: "That sounds like fun, but at bedtime won't you miss when I---
Solomon "ME AND ZION ARE GONNA JUMP ON THE TRAMPOLINE UNTIL REEEALY LATE!!"
Mommy: "Oh, good! And if you wake up in the night and miss---"
Solomon: "THIS IS GONNA BE SOOO FUN!! CAN YOU LEAVE RIGHT NOW?"
Mommy: "Nice. Real nice."

Thanks Lisa! Pooh fits great!

Rayna all pretty for church (and not wearing pink for a change!).

Extreme Makeover - Malachi edition

A few nights back, my little son was using the restroom. Being 2 years old, he, of course, needed "privacy". My son will not be granted this luxury again until he is married. I returned to help him wash up and discovered him ever so quietly ripping the wallpaper off the wall.

MOMMY MAD!!

You know in the original Incredible Hulk comics, when Hulk gets so agitated, so completely cheesed off, that all he can muster is, "HULK MAD!" Well, that night Hulk and I shared a new understanding.
After a nice, brisk walk around the block and a returned perspective on the unimportance of material possessions (even those which are painstakingly chosen to match your shower curtain perfectly), I returned to an apologetic son. Seems he and Dad had a serious discussion about the merits of not destroying the house, then Dad introduced the recycling box from which he can rip and shred any junk mail he chooses.
Yes, the bathroom was due for a refreshing, anyway. And my Mom assures me that, at some point, this memory will have acquired some sort of amusing sentimental value. But, until then, I'm off to Lowes for some paint swatches. He can't rip paint.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Before we went to the party, Mom put a festive red heart on my cheek. It says, "Forever".

Malachi got some decorative hair glue (you can't see it very well, but it made his hair a nice red color at the tips) and a purple heart on his cheek! Then we went to swap cards and treats with our friends from the homeschool group.

Inherited Fixation

Ever since Kai was born he's loved animals. Even at a few months old they were drawn to him (this is the only way I know that I'm related to this child who looks nothing like me whatsoever!).....

As he grows more and more to love God's creatures, I'm reminded of our newlywed years when Micah bought me every animal I've ever wanted, within reason (and a few without).....

Since those years have come to a close and we were blessed with babies, we've dramatically scaled down our pet population. There's been just too much to keep up with. But as the boys get bigger and more independent.....

I notice that Kai gets that same little glint in his eye at the same places I do. The State Fair Animal Exhibits, the Humane Society (which I have been sworn to avoid at all costs as I can't leave empty handed) and petting zoos....

Micah's coming to the realization that, very soon, our littlest son and I will join efforts. We'll come together and beg, bargain and scheme until that day comes when we have acquired one of every type animal that strikes our fancy.

This is a STUPID thing to print on a kid's painting set, don't you think? "No Mess"...

Yeah, right....