Sanders turns 7!

It's a little odd to realize it's been seven whole years since I was last pregnant. Sanders turned 7 yesterday on March 2. He was SO excited to reach this milestone. Me? I'm still processing it.

7 years is old. 6 is still little, but a seven year old really feels more like a big kid than a little kid. Even though they are still little. It's quite the paradox.

Sanders only wanted two things for his birthday. A fish and a pokemon binder. My sister had a 10 gallon fish tank she wasn't currently using and said we could use it for as long as we'd like! We took her up on that generous offer and set about setting that fish tank up in his room when Sanders went to sleep on his last night of being a six year old. The tank is bigger than a small fish bowl so we got him 8 fish. 5 neons, two gold fish, and one dalmation molly.

The set up went smoothly without a single stir from the birthday boy. I knew it would most likely happen, but it was even better when it did. He woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I didn't hear him say anything, so when he returned to his room I went in to check on him. He said, "I just had to use the bathroom."

"Okay"

"...I saw my fish," he said with a sly little grin.

"Do you love them?!?!"

"YES!"

He got out of his bed and we laid on our bellies (the tank is currently on the ground) and talked about all the fish in there while we enjoyed each other's company. It was magical. Sanders is a bit stubborn, bossy, and moody at this stage in his life, along with a slew of good qualities, but you know, sometimes they go through these not so awesome phases. It was pure heaven to be reminded of his true personality in those quiet moments in the middle of the night.

Sanders is inquisitive and truly finds joy in the little things. He's very intelligent and remembers and seeks information just like his dad and his brothers. He gets his silliness from me though. I'll claim that trait any day of the week.

He is a dare devil and loves all big, fast rides. He can't get enough of them. It's the best that he's finally reached the height that he mostly likely will not be turned away from any ride.

Pokemon are life right now. His friends come over and they trade and barter. It's a good life lesson on making sure you get the value you want before you agree to give up something you love.

I got to go to his school and pass out his requested treats, green sprinkle doughnuts.Thank goodness his birthday is in March! We talked about the pictures on his poster and I read a Dr. Seuss book, "I Can Lick 30 Tigers", to the class. He shares his birthday with the author. School has been an emotional roller coaster this year. I was very grateful to help him have a happy day there.

For his birthday breakfast he wanted the cereal Lucky Charms. I love it when my kids make it easy to please them.

Our family isn't perfect, but they are perfect for me. Sometimes, in the still moments, after the chaos of the day has settled, my heart nearly bursts in gratitude that I get to raise these amazing humans. We're changing and growing. This might be my favorite stage yet.

Happy Birthday Sand-man. We love you!

Sanders, Sonja, and Glasses

Sanders has been friends with Sonja from nearly the second he was born. They are only two weeks apart. She being the older one.

Last year, whenever anyone asked Sanders or Sonja if they were going to get married, they both would basically say, "Duh! Obviously." Sonja even gave Sanders a darling framed picture of the two of them for his birthday...all her own idea. He keeps it on his night stand and makes sure it never tips over for very long.

This year, well, they are in first grade. First grade is different than kindergarten in a lot of ways. The biggest social way is that they are starting to care a little more about what everyone thinks. It's a shame really, to see their innocent personalities become contained into acceptable boxes. But it also provides for some humorous insight.

Sanders hasn't hung out with Sonja for awhile for a number of reasons. Curious Beckham asked him at breakfast the other day, "Sanders, do you still like Sonja?"

He stopped mid-bite, turn his head so he was fully facing Beckham, and stated in all seriousness, "If you want to keep your love a secret, you don't play with each other," and then continued with his cereal.

I can't wait to hear what comes out of that kid's mouth sometimes!

Sanders earned some plastic glasses for good behavior at school. He since getting them, he worn them all day at school and home for nearly two weeks straight. Sometimes he even sleeps in them! I asked if they were really comfortable to which he told me, "No, not really. They kind of hurt my ears." HAHAHAHA! What a great kid!

He has big plans to spray paint them black and be Harry Potter for Halloween.

Records and Mom's Surprise

Too much time has gone by since I've recorded my family's journey...and they've still grown and changed. Stinkers.

We are entering a new era around here and I'm feeling a bit nostalgic about the things I haven't written down. However, I can't change the past, so I'll reshape my future instead.

I don't know how often I'll write, or even if I'll keep this a public publication. Sometimes I really want to document the less than perfect parenting moments so my children will know it happens and how I learned and grew from it. I'm not sure that's something I need to world to know about though ;)

We went to Lagoon at the end of July. It was the first time our whole family was able to ride on just about every ride if we wanted to. It was also the first time we could send some of the kids to ride one ride while the rest of us stayed back to ride another. IT. WAS. MAGICAL.

I loved it. No one whined. Everyone communicated their needs and wants like human beings. They were grateful and plain ol' fun to be around. It made me so excited for this stage.

A few things I learned about my kids:

Sanders has turned into an Adrenalin junky, just like his sister. He would hardly go an any rides last year and this year he went on Cannibal at the ripe age of 6. He was in tears when he thought he might be too short and not able to ride it. Thankfully his hair topped him over ;) He thought it was the best!

Tennyson, like me, has a strong sense of survival when it comes to amusement rides. He opted not to try Cannibal, but declared his favorite rides to be Wicked, Colossus, the White Roller Coaster, and Wild Mouse. Which is a far cry from refusing to go on ANY daring rides at all last year.

Beckham, has learned that he traditionally feels flutters and anxiety before the big rides, but if he powers through those hurtles, he LOVES those big rides. His strong sense of mortality and his need for the rush and, to be completely honest, a good story to tell, fight with each other. He's learning to trust the statistics that most people simply do not actually die on roller coasters. It's been fun to see him work through this process and not let fear keep him from doing things he loves.

Karaia is CRAZY! The bigger, the faster, the higher is all the better in her book. She reminds me a lot of her Uncle Landon who does big adrenaline rush things because 1. It sounds fun. 2. The payoff of fun is so much better than wondering what it would have been like if he'd done it. It's just not worth staying up at night wondering about that stuff I guess.

Kevin loves a good roller coaster too and thankfully thinks the same amusement park rides karaia likes are pretty awesome.

I went on Wicked for the first time this year. I used to be SO afraid of roller coasters and never once felt like I was missing out when I politely, but firmly, kept my feet planted to ground while others strangely rushed off smiling to be nearly killed. Something changed this year. I found myself thinking, "I could probably do that without hyperventilating".

When my family rushed off to ride Colossus, I found myself sitting next to Wicked with these thoughts. Next thing I knew I was in line, BY MYSELF. Then, without any warning whatsoever, I found that I had willingly buckled my seat belt on the ride.

 Just as I clicked the belt, my phone started ringing. It was Kevin. My family was wondering why I wasn't predictably waiting on the ground for them. The kids joked, "What if Mom comes walking out of the Wicked exit?" To which Kevin nearly forgot how to breath because of the laughing. He has known me for 18 years and that scenario was 99.9% unlikely to EVER happen.

Except it did. It was perfect. Like you'd expect to see in a movie. The kid's mouths broke out into HUGE smiles and they all rushed over with lots of whooping and screams of delight giving me big hugs and high fives. Kevin's jaw dropped and his feet became glued to the ground. Where were the prank cameras? There is no WAY this just happened. But I saw the twinkle in his stunned eyes.

Perfection.

The kids begged me to go on it with them. So we all went, as a family, together.

 The beginning of the end of our time with the kids home is so bitter sweet.

Inside the mind of the 5

More reading adventures today. 

Looking at the picture You would think the sounds of the top row would belong to the letters "C, G , & Q". Instead the kindergartner quickly told me the sounds of each word belonged to "B, N, & F". "B" for black cat, "n" because he's a Naked gorilla, and "f" for the picture of the two friends. Clearly.

Sanders =1 boring answers=0

Sanders turns 5!

Oh, Sanders.

Your 5th birthday (March 2, 2014) was SO highly anticipated by you. I kept asking the day before if you were sad this was the last day you'd ever be 4. (Truthfully, it was because I was feeling a bit sad it was your last day ever to be 4). Each time you'd look at me like I was crazy and say, "NO!" You could not turn 5 fast enough.

Your birthday landed on a Sunday this year. Earlier in the week you suggested, "So....if your birthday is on a Sunday, you don't have to go to church!" You are really disliking having to go to church every week. Partly due to the fact that you have to change out of your pajamas (which you hate to do everyday anyway) and into church clothes. And partly due to the length of time sacrament meeting takes. I can't say I disagree with you on that one.

Your pre-school birthday balloon hat Mrs. Karen made you.

You wanted legos and you got them! You have been building, imagining, and building some more.

We had a family party for you that Sunday. You wanted a lego cake, but you made sure to let everyone know that even though the cake was green it was NOT a GREEN lego party. Just a lego party. It was not the finest cake I have ever made. In fact, every time I passed it, I laughed at how messy and sad it looked. But when YOU  saw it for the first time you gasped, got the biggest smile on your face, and ran to grab your siblings so you could show them the, "awesome Lego brick cake mom made!" Thanks for seeing past the imperfection to the love.

We had lots of people come. You are very loved. Nana and Pappa weren't there because they are in Nebraska this year, but we got to skype with them in the evening. Grandpa Jim wasn't there because he is working out of the country, but he got to skype with you too!

We had your friend birthday party on Saturday, March 8th. The theme? Legos! We had a free lego build,

played lego bingo

put together lego paper dolls (you LOVED this)

I can't get this to NOT be upside down. Weird. 

Opened presents (almost all legos and one very special picture of Sonja and you in a small frame) and had doughnuts for a treat.

Clearly you weren't happy about the candy AT ALL!

You can see the picture Sonja gave you on the stool in the background. We didn't get a picture of her standing next to you :(

We forgot to play the game Lego, Lego, Build that you made up. It's like duck, duck, goose. Our hearts were both sad when we realized that too late after the friends had left.

Other than that you had a wonderful time and were smiles the whole party through!

Sanders, you are so snuggly. Every morning your grab your froggy blanket and you climb into bed with me for a few quiet moments of hugs before the crazy of the morning seeps into our lives.

You like things YOUR way and often question why I should have ANY say in how you conduct yourself throughout the day. But when you decide YOUR way includes trying to be obedient, you have such a glow about you and you can't wait to tell me all the good choices you are making.

You hate changing out of your pajamas and leaving the house. You love preschool after you get there, but hate getting ready to go and leaving. We argue about this most preschool days and I worry for when you have to go to school every day.

You LOVE your siblings and will chase them half a block away in the mornings if they gave you no less than 5 hugs and kisses each. That goodbye time is important to you and you follow them around like a puppy in the mornings because you don't want to miss it.

You also love movies, t.v., and the computer game, Mine Craft. We argue a lot about how much time you'll get with those. You are convinced there is no good reason I should have all the control when it comes to the amount of time you get to enjoy those activities.

You complain about what we feed you most nights. Usually with a loud, "YUCK! I will NOT eat that."and some tears before you have even seen what is for dinner. Which gets you sent to your room until you feel like you can be grateful you have food to eat and you didn't have to prepare it. Your happiest meals are when we say, "It's cold cereal for dinner tonight." Karaia groans and you run around like a crazy person doing a happy dance.

You like to give me random hugs and kisses. I like them too.

You eat a peanut butter and honey sandwich almost every lunch.

You can read! And have been able to for about 4 months before you turned 5. You can read a lot of three letter words, but you don't like learning new words so you usually guess when I ask you to sound something out. You loved learning to read at first and now it feels too hard. We are working on making it fun together.

You tell us Dad is your favorite grown-up, but won't let anyone but me help you with most things. Even if I am the only one busy.

We love you so much and are so happy you are part of our hearts!