Birthday!

This past week we celebrated Jonathan's 5th birthday. Incredible to me that he is already five. He is such a blessing in our lives. It was such fun to celebrate him this week. We did little special things all week to make it a fun week. It was certainly a different birthday being in TN and away from family. We did get to celebrate with Grammy and Papa and Aunt Nikki and cousins when we were home a couple weeks ago to load the container of PETS to go to Honduras. We had banana splits to celebrate Jonathan which was really fun. And they spoiled him with some fun gifts. Grammy and Papa gave him some real tools which he used the next day to dismantle a slide the kids play on downstairs! Daddy had to help with the reassembly.

Monday was fairly simple, which generally what Jonathan enjoys most. He and I had a special morning snack of a lemonade julius (like an orange julius but using frozen lemonade instead. We did drink them from special glasses which was a treat also!

Birthday week even meant Mom was a bit lax on allowing some playing at meal time which included chocolate milk and a fun straw even. He was quite impressed with his bubble blowing talents!

Tuesday we went for an extra long hike/walk and Jonathan wanted to make it into a "trash walk." We had talked before about taking a trash bag along on walk to pick up litter and so today was the day. I actually did more of the picking up but he and Pepper did most of the discovering and he even had a special sound he made when he found trash!

That afternoon we went to town to get our haircut and then treated ourselves to Sonic Happy Hour. Jonathan choose an ice cream cone and I had a yummy cranberry limeade! Then we went to the local library which is a highlight for both of us! I hope I am not creating a nerd like myself! Actually I am really thankful for his delight in books. It will be such fun to help him learn to read!

Wednesday we focused on 5 all day since he was turning 5. I put an envelope in an old mailbox we have outside several times during the morning with things of 5 we were doing, painting 5 pics, reading 5 books, choosing 5 little snacks. He was sweet and wanted to put a note in there for me after a few for him. Then in the afternoon I so indulged and laid down with him during his rest time and he even fell asleep after looking at some books. He is done with naps for the most part so this was a huge treat, to get to snuggle with him and to have a little nap during the day!

Then Thursday was the actual day. Jonathan did have ice cream for breakfast, a tradition started last year by Daddy. No wonder he is the favorite!! :) Then he opened a few gifts and we hung out all day. We built with new Legos and walked. Daddy made it home a little earlier than usual which was a treat. We did some fireworks before supper which Jonathan had been looking forward to so much. We have some concerns about a pyromaniac. He had such fun lighting the fireworks. The more smoke the better! We made french fries for supper which is a favorite of all of us and was fun to use a new french fry cutter thing. Then we did a few more fireworks that needed to be done after dark and Jonathan got to take an extra long bath which he loves to do.

Friday was a special day too because Daddy stayed home. We went out to lunch and then had some new friends over in the evening. It is actually an old friend of Ashley's and his 12 year old daughter. She has been sweet to Jonathan and so that was who he wanted to celebrate with. He chose hot dogs, corn on the cob, fruit and cake for supper. Though hot dogs are not something I cook for Jonathan, he has had them and really likes them and since it was his day, that is what we had. I really got off quite easy! And the cake he chose was a layered strawberry trifle thing. I was quite relieved as I am NOT good at decorating. the cake was really yummy. I think Ashley ate half of it. Jonathan is not much of a cake person so it worked well.

It was fun to put aside some of the

normal daily things of the week and focus more on Jonathan. I really enjoyed the week and I know he enjoyed getting spoiled extra. It was sort of a lonely week though with lots of reflection and missing the people who have been so important in Jonathan's life. But we made new memories and thanked God so much for this incredible gift He has entrusted us with. Happy Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

Having a son

Having been blessed with a precious son nearly five years ago has meant many things:

A lot more peeing outside (by him, not me!)

Often multiple clothes changes per day. this is due to being muddy and dirty, not for fashion reasons!

Needing to be outside daily. It is just not pretty if he doesn't get to burn off some energy!

I now carry some sort of car or vehicle in my purse always.

Noises. oh the noises! I once read the definition of a boy is "noise with dirt." Fits Jonathan perfectly!

Meal time is much more entertaining. He frequently has a whole storyline going on with his plate or is digging a trench or something in his ice cream.

Wrestling is a multi-daily request. Sadly, he is already too strong for my pathetic attempts at wrestling. The other day we wrestled some and when I gave up or got him convinced to do something else, Jonathan said "ok, we can cross wrestling off the list for today!"

Daddy! Hands down, best part of my sweet boy's day is when Daddy comes home. It is something I treasure about both of them how they adore each other and honestly, it is something I am a bit jealous of! Mommy just is not as strong and doesn't drive as fast or as loud of a truck or enjoy the dirt as much as Daddy. They are too cute to listen to as they discuss equipment or a job or how to fix something. Even at only nearly five, Jonathan grasps much of it way better than I do! I have had to learn some of the lingo so I can learn along with him and be a part of some of his interests.

Trucks and equipment are much more on my radar. Big machines and construction areas catch my attention in ways they never did before Jonathan.

I can't believe I have been completely taken with this boy for five years. He is such a delight and challenge and blessing.

Family Getaway

Ashley had to attend a class for some of his new work stuff so we turned it into a mini-vacation. An actual vacation, not a Honduras adventure but a trip nearly all for pure fun. We went a night early and went out to eat and planned to swim in the hotel pool. Jonathan was thrilled with the idea. The indoor pool and room were freezing!!! I will do most anything for that sweet boy, but apparently I draw the line at voluntarily subjecting myself to frigid water. I just could not do it.

The next morning Ashley went to his class and Jonathan and I had a lazy morning. We slept in, or as much as that is possible with a four year old. We enjoyed a late breakfast at the hotel and then Jonathan splashed around in the water on the steps so not to get too cold while I made sure he was safe from the warmth of the side! Then I let Jonathan enjoy the cartoon channel and I endulged in a book for a while. Then we met Ashley at Jason's Deli for lunch which is a place Jonathan and I both love. Then in the afternoon we went to a really great children's museum in Murfreesboro which is near Nashville while Ashley finished his class. The museum was perfect. Not very expensive and Jonathan got to play and learn and create for several hours. He loved working on the cars and painting and the water table things they had and this huge slide and the kid size post office and grocery store and hardware store. It was a fun afternoon.

We then drove on that night to Chattanooga to go to the TN Aquarium the next day. Ashley insisted we walk over to a fireworks store near the hotel so we got some for Jonathan's birthday coming up. The aquarium was quite impressive.


It amazes me all the creativity God showed in life underwater. There were many fish and creatures and we loved the river otters. They are so much fun to watch. They just seem so happy. Jonathan had fun getting in a model of a shark cage. And then all too soon it was over and we headed back to real life and reality. It was a fun escape and Jonathan loved all the time with Daddy. Now I am looking for another excuse to take a trip!