Ford Turns 3!

I remember reading, before I had kids, that some lunatic had let their 3 year old do something ridiculous. Like let them jump off a desk onto a beanbag, let them hang from a way-up-too-high-bar at the playground or let them fly around the driveway on a scooter at way too fast a speed.

And this week, I remembered that article.

At the time, I thought, "Three! Who would let a three year old hang out alone while they take a shower! The trouble they could cause! To others! Themselves!"

And now I realize that you've spent 3 years with this small person

who really couldn't do much on their own.

And now they can.

So you let them.

You let them jump off your desk onto a beanbag. 

You let them hang from a way-up-too-high-bar at the playground

You let them run fly around the driveway on a scooter at way too fast a speed.

Because now they can.

Now he can.

Ford is three.

And he's crazy and wild and snuggly and just hardly starting to have a 3 year old attitude.

And he loves Spiderman.

And pretending he's asleep

and silly

and giggly...

So at his first-ever-party, which was Spiderman themed 

(even sissy dressed up unsolicited)...

webs were spun...

(sometimes it takes two hands to get the web hand just right…)

Friends in glasses came (two friends! of his own!)...

Grandparents stopped by….

female siblings were included...

the most amazing cupcakes got eaten…

And we spent the rest of the time at Ford's favorite place :

the park.

Wildflowers were picked...

the gang even posed...

Superwoman mastered the "hang"….

and lots and lots of minutes were logged on the tire swing,

his favorite.

I'm so blessed to be this boy's mama.

I've heard people say that before and it seems so…. obvious.

But it's really true.

We love this kid to pieces.

All three years of him.

1195. a cupcake courrier

1196. a job that lets him be the pizza courier

1197. windy but cool weather for the party

1198. and therefore, all alone at the park

That Scar and The Dentist

In light of our last post, with Abby's surgery scar getting some attention again

(thanks to sweet Bailey's surgery) 

for the first time in her life tonight she asked me about her scar  - what did i think of it.

I showed her the scar I have on my face and we compared notes.

And for the first time, I looked at her through the eyes of a bigger girl.

A girl who won't like that scar (and especially the larger scar where her drainage tube was)

as she gets older. In the locker room in junior high. Or when she changes into her bathing suit.

We touched it and talked about how awesome it was.

How blessed she is to have that scar as a symbol of God's faithfulness.

I know that's beyond her at the moment but I want to start speaking those words in to her life.

At the end she said, "Sometimes it bothers me, but it's okay, mom. I'm okay."

I just about came undone right there.

May it always be so.

………..

We're on a regular 3 week rotation at the library. 

We come home with such a haul that we hardly finish reading what we've got in that time.

I think it's time to start limiting their books to 8 each. 

They literally look at the cover, throw it in the bag

and are moving on to the next one before I can holler uncle.

And since our new dentist is right next door to the library, we've had lots of time to talk and talk and talk about what a trip to the new dentist will be like.

They especially liked the part about watching shows on the ceiling.

So, Abby went first.

Those darn boots.

She's almost outgrown them (i pray….)

And Fordy was awesome.

He had headphones on, was watching a show and opening wider than wide.

I was so proud that I took them to ice cream.

Ah, the dichotomy. 

The dentist with a sugar chaser.

1190. wisteria blooming we didn't know we had
1191. a reason to clean this place up
1192. open windows with warm air
1193. pedicures in the dark with the power out
1194. that scar

The Ballet Brave Heart Party

Abby got invited to her pal, Bailey's birthday party this year….

and it was a ballet party! 

There was wand making...

practicing your ballet positions...

getting your hair done...

and face painting...

Best of all, we got to see Bailey, Abby's fellow "brave heart" surgery survivor!

We were so honored to pray for her and walk through that process with them. 

And now that they are on the other side, they will be able to discuss the woes (and joys!) of having a noticeable scar on your chest.

We love you, Bailey!

1185. having the ballet clothes handy

1186. mentioning sleeping in her upstairs room

1187. excited for visitors

1188. fordy's giving heart

1189. a new little pal at the park

Ta-ho!

No Nor-Cal move is complete without a visit to Tahoe, one of my all time favorite places in the world.

It isn't just that we were married there. 

It isn't just that my parents lived there and I have millions of memories there.

It isn't just that I grew up going there almost every single year.

Or that my dad blasted Michael Jackson Off The Wall in the early years as went over the summit.

It's all of those things.

And the fact that Tahoe is just magic.

I dare you. Just smell the air. 

And….done. 

You've added 5 years on to your life. 

Seeing that California is almost in a drought (sorry, East Coasters and your teen temps!)

the snow was scarce this year.

But God was good to keep the small patch of grass in front of the condo covered in shadow so the snow wouldn't melt. 

Here is everyone's favorite girl, our dear Sloan dressed as the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man.

And the kids "sledding" out front.

How dirty is that snow?

Yikes.

A helping hand from a big boy cousin...

No snow gear? No problem! Rocking the wet jeans is all the rage...

And you can see, just two blocks away at the lake…. it's like June in Tahoe.

(Violet from The Incredibles came along….)

And the park at the lake got lots of use from us this weekend… 

it being glorious and all. :) 

And walk-able!

But I did wear my Sorel's from 1990. 

Yes, I did.

Almost everywhere. 

Just to prove the point that we were in Tahoe and that's what you do in February.

Since skiing sounded like hell with these 4, we went sledding instead!

Getting ready -- Abby, Sloan and Fordy.

And off they go with the parents doing all the heavy lifting...

The mama's were so happy to be all together...

And Sloan hung with the big kids no problem...

Aunt Stace and Fordy...

Grant/Abby and Stace/Sloan...

Party time!

Go daddies!

Snack time after a good long sled….

A sore bum? Nothing that pirate booty can't fix.

And once we were home, Batman and Batgirl kept everything under control...

The next day, we wore our snow shoes down to the lake (there still was some snow on the ground and I'd set the pace with the Sorel action) but they quickly got removed for toes-in-the-water fun  and rock skipping.

Not to be outdone by first time ice skating at Northstar.

Grant took the brilliant approach and didn't rent skates and was able to actually get the kids around a bit.

Abby and I made it around one full circle before she started yelling, "Mooooommmm!" every time she almost fell as if it was my fault. Ah, my almost 5 year old. We looked the part, though, didn't we?

Snacks, of course, afterward.

And Ford really did prefer wagon pulling to skating anyway….

"No matter what happens, always be thankful."

1 Thessalonians 5:18 

A little dose of Tahoe helps with this.

Always.

1181. Rocking to old Huey Lewis
1182. eating outside again
1183. swimming lessons on the horizon
1184. a slew of pens from a friend

Disney On Ice

Since there will be no Disneyland this year, we decided that Disney on Ice was in order.

For those of you doing the math, Disney on Ice is just a tiny bit cheaper than a day at Disneyland.

Like 900% cheaper.

So, there's that.

We didn't tell the kids what we were doing till we were in our seats.

Grant had the kids convinced we were going to get the world's tastiest taco.

They weren't that excited about it.

And even once in our seats, with the ice before them and the Mickey ears projected on the curtain, 

they still didn't know what it was (how could they? Disney has invaded ice rinks, too? Impossible!)

After seeing all the Olympic skating, when we told them it was Disney on Ice, here was Ford's face.

#mindblown

And even daddy ponied up for the $12 shave ice ("do we have to share?!!!"). 

But hey, you get to keep the plastic cup.

WINNER!

The kids talk about that almost as much as the ice skating.

And as we were leaving, they were at their attention span end.

Ready for dinner, we hit up downtown Sacramento for a little culture and ate under the raindrops

at a super fun restaurant where the kids hated the gourmet mac and cheese.

Go figure.

At least they filled up on Shave Ice.

1177. plans to see friends real soon

1178. surprises

1179. the car starting

1180. the toad serenade at bedtime