Haven Molly is 4!!

This year between three and four years old felt like you grew 5 years in that time and not just one! You have changed so much over this past year and moved from being our baby girl to being our sweet little girl.

Your hair has grown in a hurry, you have gotten taller and outgrown shoes in a hurry and your speech and knowledge have seemed to quadruple. You recently got 6 inches cut of your hair for your first cut since you were a baby.  Thankfully you still have your sweet little lisp when you talk and we love it. When you say like it come out "yike" or instead of love you say "yove" and I cherish it. You are game for anything Haven, you are the first to want to try something new. Foods, adventures, riding a big bike, doing flips on the trampoline or even climbing the cabinets you do it all first and once your older brother sees you survived then he will try. You are fearless and that scares me tremendously! You asked for a big bike from Santa Claus this Christmas and he delivered a Frozen themed big bike to you. You jumped on it in a hurry and were out riding in no time! We put you in gymnastics this year and you fearlessly jumped into class and were trying out balance beams and different techniques without hesitation while other kids in  your class were sitting on the sidelines crying.


Haven you love big! There is no doubt in anyone's mind where they stand with you because you tell everyone how much you love them. You give the sweetest kisses with your big full lips and you hug with all your might. Your favorite person is your baby sister who  you think is your personal baby doll. Even though she is over half your size now you still want to pick her up, put her in chairs, have her lay in bed with you or push her around in your baby stroller. She is getting more independent on her own though and does not go willingly to which you try and make her cooperate all the more and it turns into a bit of a squabble. Your love for her is just so big you don't quite know how to handle her not wanting to be your plaything. You tell me though she is your best friend and I hope yall will always remain that way!



You are extremely protective of those you love Haven. At your preschool you are in class with your cousins Merritt and Whitten. The teachers recently told us that sometimes Whitten will try to mess with Merritt some to which you will step in to protect Merritt, when he sees you in the  middle of a squabble then he comes back in to try and help you out. I can only imagine the scene unfolding but you have learned early my girl that you don't let others mess with "your people!" I know the day will come when Merritt will have to fight people off in your honor but for now you are doing it for him. You love school so much and love to learn and try new things. You have come home and practiced your writing and letters and can already spell out and write your own name.

Haven you are so full of energy you never slow down! You love to sing and dance around the house usually in some sort of princess dress or wonder woman costume. I love to hear you sing and it doesn't take you more than hearing a song once or twice before you sing the lyrics on your own. I would love for music to be a passion you could pursue in your life. You are always goofing off coming up with silly faces or voices or walks. You have taught Rory some funny little walks and keep us all laughing. Everett thinks you are the funniest person ever and often has to run to the bathroom to keep from peeing his pants when you are making him laugh. Your laugh by the way is the absolute best!! Its loud and not girly at all and just hearing it makes the other person laugh. You laugh with your whole body!



You are very much into babies still and have had a Target version American Girl doll but currently have no interest preferring only your baby "Annie." You sleep with about 15 little things on your bed and check to make sure they are each there every night but your baby is your most cherished. You also must have your two dream blankets that you have had since you were a baby. When Dad or I are going to the store you are always the one to ask to go with us and love to push the cart and grab the items needed. Sweet Haven you are the one that loves to come and snuggle with me in bed though and wants to be as close as possible. You are always wanting to be held or rocked still like a baby. I will often say to you "sweet girl" and you have started saying it back to me. For instance you said "thank you for my dinner sweet girl," or "I love you sweet girl mom!"



Haven Molly you are so cherished and loved! We adore you and are so grateful to get to be your parents! We are proud of you and can't wait (but do want to wait) to see what your future holds!
Happy Birthday our precious girl!!

A Super Magical Birthday Party

I had a brilliant idea this year to host a joint birthday party for Everett and Haven!

Since last May when Henley's birthday party was at gymnastics center in Midland Everett had said he wanted to have his next birthday there. As time started approaching and I called to book a date the only available time was the week between Everett and Haven's birthday's so I decided we would have one big blowout for both kids. It also made it easier on family who would have to travel in to only come in for one occasion and not be forced to pick between which party to attend. Haven had recently started taking gymnastics at this center and was thrilled to get to have a party there as well.









Haven wanted a Princess Party, Everett wanted a Superhero party and thankfully it was pretty easy to combine themes for a Super Magical party.












We served sandwiches with pasta salad and had a white princess cake for Haven and a chocolate Superhero cake for Everett. We were surrounded by lots of family who joined us to celebrate and our neighbors from next door. Everyone played and had a blast for a few hours!





I doubt that every year we will pull off the double birthday celebration but for this year at least it was a massive hit with both kids feeling so much love! 

Back to School 2019

When the Summer started I kind of thought "what in the heck are we going to do all day every day and not go crazy" but now that school has started again I am deeply sad to not have y'all here with me all day every day! Everett and Haven are both attending Golf Course Road Church's Discovery school again this year. Haven will be in Pre-K 3 which means she goes 3 days a week and Everett will be in Pre-K 5 where he will go 5 days a week. Haven is thrilled to death and has no hesitation whatsoever. Cousin Merritt is in her class and she will absolutely flourish. Everett is a little bit more skeptical, as is his mother. I am so saddened that the time has already come that he is going 5 days a week to school. It happened way way to fast!! I am encouraged because I have heard amazing things about his teacher Ms. Janet. So off we go into another  year of routines, packed lunches and themed days! Rory meanwhile will spend her days with me still being toted around and discovering new adventures and I will cherish every single minute of it!

 

Haven's 3rd Birthday!

Oh Haven Molly how in the world did you get to be 3 so fast?!

Beautiful girl you are so full of life! I think that this year going from 2 to 3 has brought the biggest changes in you. It seems that all of a sudden you went from our little baby to our little girl. And what a beautiful girl you are Haven! You have the most beautiful brown eyes that just shine all the time but especially when you are laughing. Trying to keep you to sit still, even if just for 30 seconds is a massive challenge because you just can not be bothered to sit there is just to much other things to do or explore! You do however love to have Mama hold you and "rock me like a baby" which I gladly do every time!





Haven you are a fierce big sister to your Rory. You love to show her things and play with her but want her to only play like you want which is hard for a 9 month old baby do to. You are always the first one to hear her cries and come get me when she needs something. Your favorite playmate right now is your brother and you make him laugh harder than anybody! He thinks you are so very funny with your silly voices, noises and dance moves. You are the first person to try to get a laugh out of anyone around you and you spread so much joy this way Haven!

When it comes to needing someone to run an errand with me or Dad you are always the first one, usually the only one, that wants to go! We love these times of getting to take you by yourself and watch your confidence and independence as you explore the world around you! You started Mother's Day out this year Haven and you absolutely LOVED it! You would run into your class with hardly a glance behind you to tell me bye, until I walked by again after dropping off Emma with Aunt Nene in her class down the hall, and then you were the loudest one at the door waving "Bye Mom" furiously! I imagine that in that short 2 minutes it took to walk Emma into her class after dropping you off, you did the rounds of the room surveying the toys out that day and who was in class already only to circle back to the door looking for something new to grab your attention. It always made me feel so good to leave you there knowing you were so happy and having so much fun! Your teachers loved you and often said you were so very sweet you just never stopped moving. On the days you were home with Me and Rory at home while Bubba was at school you love to spend your days coloring, playing dress up (Belle is a favorite), and doing puzzles. You also love to sing so much and you have the sweetest little voice! You have a sweet little soul and will always just say "Mom I love you so so so much" out of no where. It absolutely melts me! You have learned to use "I love you" when you are in trouble though and that shows a bit of the smarts you have got going for you my love. You catch on very very quickly to things Haven and it takes you no time at all to imitate what someone has done from singing a song, to a phrase that's been said, to trying to use a knife to open something instead of asking for help. Haven you love to give sugars and kissing you is like kissing a cloud because you have fullest sweetest lips!




Haven this year you learned how to ride your bike. Dad taught you at the park across the street from our house in Midland and once you picked it up you could not be stopped! It wasn't long before you even tried to jump on the neighbor girls bigger bike. This is another think that I admire so much about you Haven, you are fearless! It also scares me because you aren't scared of anything. It is not uncommon for you to be yelling hello out to passing dogs, picking up bugs, turtles or frogs that we find, or jumping into a swimming pool with floaties on after the first try. What is not shocking about this is that you were our first child to be taken in to the Urgent Care for what we thought was a broken bone. Turned out to be you dislocated your arm at your elbow while playing in a jump house at a birthday party. You wore a sling for a day or so and then were back to your full speed self.




For your birthday party this year Haven we had a Bee themed birthday party. It seemed especially fitting for you my sweet girl because you are always buzzing from one place to the next usually at a sprint. We invited all of our family to come and celebrate you at our house. I made lots of decorations to support our theme and cooked your Nana's Shrimp Queso recipe with cookies, cupcakes and a special cake just for you! You were showered with so much love Haven and were celebrated by so many!





You are such a special girl Haven Molly! You have brought so much Joy to your Dad and I from the moment you entered the world and we feel so incredibly blessed to get to be your parents! I can't wait (but kind of can) to see how much you will change and grow this next year! I love you my sweet sweet girl!!

Halloween 2018

Halloween took me a little bit to get into this year as days before it came the one year anniversary of my Mom. Having just moved to a new city and trying to find our groove in a new home and routine also added a little bit of hesitancy to get into the spirit. I put out a few decorations after I nested into our new home with our usual decor and Everett came out to see it and said " Ohh Mom, Thank you so much for decorating like this for Halloween!" I was a little shocked he noticed, to be honest but also that it meant so much to him because it paled in comparison to what I would normally do. It made me remember though that these sweet children don't know all the aches and pains that come with anniversaries or celebrating holidays without my Mom. What they see if their Mom and Dad happy and wanting to celebrate with them! From that moment on I kicked my Halloween festive mode into higher gear!






I always loved the families whose Halloween costumes all coordinated with Mom and Dad all dressing up together to celebrate. However fantasy and reality don't always align and I have yet to pull off the ultimate family costumes. I was going to settle on the kids all coordinating and was hoping this year would find Everett dressed as The Beast, Haven as Belle, and Rory as a Chip the teacup. I mean how adorable right?! Well my sweet little girl Haven would have absolutely Nothing to do with her Belle dress and I couldn't find a Beast costume in Everett's size. Once again fantasy shot and reality wound up being 3 adorable kids in 3 costumes not at all coordinating!

Everett insisted on if he was not to be the Beast he would be Buzz Lightyear and he looked adorable! I found a super cute swan costume for Haven to wear that I somehow managed to get her to love as well! Precious Rory as easy going as she is was happy to be put into a snow owl costume!


Drew and I enjoyed our first school party with Everett on Halloween at his pre-k class. He was proud to have his parent's and sisters there with him to show us his desk and the boys and girls around him he plays with although he didn't know their names yet. Halloween night we found ourselves celebrating at Erich & Ginna's house with Nicholas & Gaylen, Uncle Lane & Aunt Nene and all their kids! It was a fun dinner with finger foods and yummy desserts before we ran out into the cold night to try our hand at trick or treating until we got rained out. It was so much fun to be with so many cousins all running around the streets in their costumes trying to corral the littlest ones together. Rory and I spent most of the time watching all the excited chaos from the seat of a golf cart snuggled up together staying warm.




We missed seeing Gran-Nana, Mimi, and Aunt Kelsey on Halloween but had so much fun being a part of the festivities here in Midland. It was a wonderful way to spend our first holiday here!

A little Everett & Haven update

Everett has really grown in a lot of ways the past 6 months. I look at him and often wonder where my baby went because at 4.5 he already seems so old to me! He still very much acts like a 4 or maybe even a 2 year old though at times! Everett has been the best big brother since Haven was born but it has been kicked into extra high gear since welcoming Rory! He loves to dote on his baby sister and will not go to bed before giving her kisses goodnight even if she’s asleep in the other room. He loves to run up to her and say “Hello Pretty Girl” in the sweetest little baby talk voice. He has also taken on the role of boss to Haven and feels it necessary to tell her what to and what not to do! 

Everett continues to be the pickiest eater ever although his go to foods are slowly increasing! He loves to eat a blueberry waffle in the morning or a McDonald’s biscuit with cheese only. His favorite dinner is pasta with buttered noodles. He drinks apple juice and water like crazy and has recently taken to liking Orange Juice! Everett is crazy about all things animals and dinosaurs... crazy!! He sings songs from the Lion King either excellent precision and reinacts them! 

Everett is such a Mamas boy and has the most tender heart! He comes up to me at all times and gives me kisses and he asks to tell me a secret to which he then whispers in my ear “Mom I love you soo much your my bestest Mama in the whole wide world!” Sweet Everett still sleeps with his best Myer and I love it! I don’t know how in the world to capture all that he is in this moment in time except that he is truly the best!! I am so lucky that Everett was our first... we have made mistakes with him and grown so much being his parents! 

Sweet Haven is still ,at 2.5, our little wild child! She is moving constantly! She has to do whatever her big brother does even if it’s something he’s just gotten in trouble for. She pushes all boundaries! She loves to push her Bubba’s buttons also! She is a huge fan of her baby sister and loves to bombard her with kisses and rough hugs! We are still learning how to be gentle with those smaller than her, Haven just has lots of love to share! She wants to be held all of the time! 

Haven is a ham! She prances around being silly all the time and keeps us laughing nonstop. If Haven hears music she automatically jumps up to dance. Moving always! Haven tries all foods and comes to eat food off of mine and Dads plates after finishing her dinner. She loves to eat chicken and carrots! I’m hoping she won’t get her Mom’s eye problems with all the carrots she eats. Haven wants to wear her rain boots with everything and is adamant about it! She wants so badly to do things on her own. Haven insists on sleeping with her blanket that she carries everywhere and her bunny! She has been in a twin bed for a few months now and has just now realized she can get up out of it on her own. Until a week ago she would lay in bed waiting quietly for me to come get her after she woke up. It’s a bitter sweet thing to see her sweet little self coming around the door in the mornings but sad that she’s growing up so fast! 

Haven loves her Daddy like crazy and wants to be with him as soon as he gets home but she wants Mom to clean her diapers and put her to bed. She wakes up every morning wanting to go to her Gran-Nana’s house  which is heartbreaking to me since we just moved to Midland. Haven is fearless and will approach any animal or person she encounters. She shouts “Hi” to everyone in earshot at stores. Haven is ornery and silly and sweet! She has the puffiest perfect lips that are the best to get sugars from. She melts my heart when she randomly says “ Mama I love you so so much!” In her sweet little lispy voice. I find myself looking at Haven still finding it hard to believe God gave me this sweet daughter and praying that we can develop a friendship like I had with my Mom! 

These babies of ours have grown up so quickly and every single day I get to be with them is such a blessing! This has been a very hard season of change and growing our family but I’m so thankful for the gift of being their Mom!