The Big O-Four...

We finally got Aidan Kale's four year pictures taken...

I look at these and in so many ways see a baby...

But for the most part I see a boy who...

Makes me laugh...

Challenges me...

Never fails to tell me he loves me...

Still wants me to lay down with him at night...

Plays with my hair when he is tired...

And...

Meets me at the back door every single day when I get home from work...

My baby...

My boy...

My four year old...

Kam's New Friends...

Apparently they liked him too...

I Chose You...

I chose you to be the father of my children...

Not knowing who my children would be...

I chose you to be the father of my children...

Not knowing what kind of Daddy you would be...

And four years later...

I know...

My boys inside and out...

Their fears...

Their comforts...

Their likes...

Which toes are crooked...

Their smell...

The sound of their voice...

I know...

What kind of Daddy you are...

Fun...

Hands on...

Loving...

Reliable...

Patient...

Supportive...

Brave...

Gentle...

Kind...

AMAZING...

I know...

I am a better Mommy because of you...

I am not walking through the journey of parenting alone...

I have a partner to take over when I am overwhelmed...

There is someone who loves our boys as much as I do...

And I know...

That if I had to do it all over again...

I would choose this life...

I would choose these boys...

I would choose you...

Father's Day 2011...

Our plans changed...

But we still made the best of our day...

Celebrating this man...

And all that he does for our little family...

We love you!

Who's Your Daddy?

My Daddy...

Strong...

Hard-working...

Brave...

Baseball card collector...

Cubs fan...

PROTECTIVE...

Kind...

Big hearted...

Stubborn...
A lover of sweets...
1/8th Cherokee Indian...
Plays it safe...
Smart...
Loves my Mom...
Likes to shop...
Worries about everything...
Reliable...
Creative...
Artistic...
Talented...
Wears dress shoes with sweat pants...
Someone I look up to...
Someone we love VERY much...
Happy Father's Day Dad/Dapa...

Father's Day DIY...

This is an easy gift idea for Dad this year...

I had a picture I took of my boys' shoes...

I added the text, printed on photo paper and framed...

I think my husband will love it...

What do you think?

NOT Just For Fathers...

This Sunday is very special day...

A day reserved to celebrate all the Fathers in our lives...

I often whine and complain that I want a "wife"...

To do the laundry, pick-up dry cleaning, plan the birthday parties, buy the Christmas presents...

But honestly...
I don't want to be the husband...

I don't want to be the father...

No, my husband doesn't pay the bills, make sure beds have clean sheets, or that the Thank You cards are mailed...

But he does the things I don't want to...

Kills the spiders...

Mows the yard...

Gets up in the middle of the night when I hear a strange noise...

Disciplines without caving...
Does all the heavy lifting...

And drives in bad weather...
He makes me feel safe...

He is our protector...

Our strength...

Our Rock...

He does the NOT-SO fun stuff...

Things for which I don't have the strength...

After Joplin's tornado on May 22nd, many stories emerged of Mothers protecting their children...

Mothers died shielding their babies from danger...

Yet there was no story of a wife protecting her husband...

Not one...

My Grandpa shielded my Grandma by laying over her...
Another husband covered his family with a mattress in a bathtub and used his own body to hold the mattress in place...
Fathers and husbands gladly gave their lives...
Protecting their children...
Their wives...
Without being asked or told...
It was instinctive...
Yet there is no day set aside "just" for husbands...
No day to celebrate their sacrifices and strength...
So this Sunday even if your husband is not a {yet} father...
Remember to say Thank You...
For all that he does...
All that he would gladly do...
Because as Joplin was so clearly reminded...
Father's Day is not just for Fathers... 

According to Aidan...

Here are some of Aidan's latest comments that I just have to share...

• When talking with a friend of his I heard Aidan say, "My Mom won't let me have one of those"...Curious I asked him "What won't I let you have?"...His response..."A sister"...
• When driving with his Dad the other day down a street affected by the recent tornado, Aidan asked thoughtfully "Do tornadoes get dizzy?"...
• Lately when Kam gets upset and starts throwing a fit, Aidan pats him on the back and says "It's ok, calm down" and to me he says "Mom get a binky or a bottle"...
• When I am saying something he doesn't want to hear he tells me "Mom, don't fight with me like you do with Dad"...
• One afternoon he was outside with Daddy washing the cars and he asked for his sunglasses, pretty soon he asked for his hat, finally he says "This isn't working"...Keegan says "What?"...And Aidan Kale says "I'm still hot"...
• The other day I was watering the hermit crabs my boys wanted so badly and I told Aidan that I was about to give them away because I was the only one who took care of them...He looked at me and said..."Mom don't give away my only pet, if you do you have to get me a dog"...{I kept the crabs}...
• Along the same lines he was asking his Dad for a dog and Keegan was telling him what all he would have to do to take care of it...K says..."You will have to feed the dog"...A says "I know how to do that"...K, "You have to water the dog"...A, "I know how to do that"...K, "You have to walk the dog"...A, "I know how to do that"...K, "You have to pick up the poop in the backyard"...A, "I know how {pause}...I'm gonna need a shovel for that"...

He never stops amazing or entertaining...

Put Your Hands Up...

Even with all the stress...

Some things must be celebrated...

And when your oldest child is turning FOUR and wants a "Woo Woo" party...

Then you plan a "Woo Woo" party...

I started researching Police birthday parties for kids while we were in Cincinnati and quickly discovered this would not be an easy task...
I ordered invitations and a shirt for the birthday boy from Etsy...

I found items for the goody bags at Oriental Trading...

• Handcuffs
• Police sticker set
• Whistles
• Sheriff Badges
• Plain black gift bags and
• Police car cut outs to decorate the goody bags

I also ordered money bags and play money for a party game...

 I hid the money in the backyard and told the kids the "bad guys" robbed the bank...

Those reporting for duty were responsible for recovering all the stolen money...

We also played Red Light, Green Light...

{or attempted to play}...

I decorated with crime scene yellow tape and red and blue police lights from Amazon...

I decorated with the colors black and blue (tablecloths, plates, cups, napkins and star confetti)...

And had a friend make an awesome police car cake...

But the most exciting part is that an old friend from High School made a visit...

It made the party absolutely perfect...

Each child even got to sit in a real police car...

The party was a huge success and a much needed break from the events of the last few weeks...

We are so blessed by you Aidan Kale...

May all your wishes come true...