Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Big Kids

Our children are getting "bigger". They don't say they are getting "older" or "wiser" or "more capable" or "more independent". They sum up all of these things by letting us know they are getting "bigger", just ask them. Elin will tell you she is a "big girl". Luke will explain that he can do certain things because he is "bigger" now. And they are right. They are both very much "big kids" now. Elin is resembling more of a little girl than a baby/toddler these days and there is nothing toddler-ish about Luke anymore.
We celebrated Luke's 4th birthday a few weeks ago. He's FOUR! We had a great time celebrating Luke with friends and family.







Matt got his first baseball glove from his dad on his fourth birthday so it was extra special that he got to give Luke his first baseball glove on Luke's fourth birthday. Luke thought it was pretty cool that he was just like dad! 



 SO excited about some presents!!!  


Luke requested a "Sports Party" for his birthday party this year. (No big surprise there. The kid LOVES sports). It was the perfect idea. We simply set up all of Luke's sports stuff throughout the yard and let the kids run around and play whatever they wanted. We had a soccer goal, golf club/balls, basketball hoops, baseball tee, and I even made a 'Luke, the Football Player' out of poster board for the kids to throw to. We had 'sports themed' food out for everyone to graze on - chips and nacho cheese, pretzels, mini hot dogs, super ropes, gatorade, and of course, sports decorated cupcakes. 



As expected, the dads got into the sports action as well (probably more than the kids if we're being honest.) I didn't get any pictures but there was a pretty intense game of basketball on the little hoop in our driveway at one point. :) 

  Matt and I are so thankful for so many great friends here. Most of who are raising their own incredible kids alongside us. It is so fun to watch our children develop friendships and play so well together.

Luke had a blast! He was only slightly worn out at the end of the day... 

... and obviously, he wasn't the only one. :) 
Thank you to all our friends and family who helped to make Luke's birthday extra special for him. We are so grateful that you all are a part of his life. 


And we can't leave Elin out of the whole 'getting bigger' theme. We'll be celebrating her 2nd birthday already in just a few days. She is talking more and more, putting together complete sentences, and wanting demanding independence - "I do it myself" is a phrase we hear a lot.  Last weekend we made the rather impulsive decision to put Elin in a 'big girl bed'. She'd been crawling into Luke's bed with him at bedtime, wanting to sleep with Luke in his big bed. We tried it out a time or two but it's no shock that it didn't go over very well. The transition into her own big girl bed, however, has been fairly seamless. The first night she kept getting out and trotting down the hall to find me. But after cuddling with me in the rocker (I was relieved that she would still let me rock her after being told she was such a big girl all day) she went right to bed and stayed there all night. Every night since has been a breeze - even easier than when she was in a crib in some ways. 

She's getting to be such a big girl! 

Still a thumb-sucker though. In some ways I don't want to wean her of this habit. (is that bad?) I find it so cute and feel like it's keeping her a baby in some ways that I'm just not ready for her to not be my baby anymore.  I know, I know. I'll pay for it later (literally when an orthodontist comes into the picture) I'll cross that bridge when we get there. :)