Caroline is FOUR!

Caroline turned four.  How can this be?  Her actual birthday was almost two weeks ago.  She was in Kentucky (being spoiled by BOTH sets of grandparents!)  It rained most of last week (I wanted an OUTDOOR party.)

So Sunday after lunch I said to Hubby, "How about a party tonight for Caroline?"  He agreed and I texted all our people.  Crazy enough, people actually came on short notice.  She felt loved.  All the children were standing in front of her, or behind the camera.

The weather was cool enough that we were able to have a bonfire and roast marshmallows for s'mores {insert pictures}.

Caroline,
Oh how you are loved!  You bring so much joy to our days.  We are thankful for your sweet disposition, your attention to detail, your love for all things pretty, and most of all - your heart for God.  ~ Momma

Some Caroline sayings:

:: I don't want strawberries, I'll take just cream.

:: She begins most questions with do or doo's, I suppose it is a form of does.  For example, "Do it gonna rain today?"  More seriously: "Doo's God the father sad when his son died?"

:: Caroline: What are you doing?
me: praying for Daddy to be like Jesus...don't you think he's already like Jesus?
Caroline: yeah, except he doesn't wear much white clothes
**ironically he changes into a black t-shirt after work most days.

And while I'm ratting out my kids, this one is about my oldest:

John Isaac often takes his Action Bible to church and reads it during the sermon. Last Sunday John was preaching.

At one point JI looks over at me with bright orange earplugs in his hand and asks, "Can I put these in my ears? It is hard for me to read while dad is preaching."

Sweet Caroline Says...

Caroline has said some of the sweetest things lately.

+++++++

While brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed Caroline said, "I really really love you Daddy." 

Then she paused and said, "And I love purple and blue and pink." 

Then, after a longer pause, she whispered with a sheepish little smile, "And I love Jesus!"

Then she said "I like that people share. I like that momma shares her things with Holly and Holly shares her things with momma."

++++++++
Yesterday she said, "How do we get to heaven?"

Me: If we believe in Jesus came to earth to pay for our sins, and we love him while we are alive, then when we die we will go to heaven and be with Him.

CJ:  I'm not ready to die yet

Me:  Me either.

++++++++
CJ: I don't want to die on the cross.

Me: you don't have to, Jesus already did for us.

CJ : Why?

Me: Cause he loves us sooooo much.

CJ: oh.

Caroline's 3rd Birthday

Caroline tuned three (almost 2 weeks ago!) and I can hardly believe the changes in her in the last 6 months.  Potty training, big girl bed, dressing herself, talking, talking, talking!  She is the sweetest little thing.  Ever ready to serve and comfort those with needs.  She loves *bling*, lip gloss, anything pink  and Minnie Mouse (she says Minnie Mousie).

On the day of her birthday I woke her and said, "Happy Birthday!"  She, who usually loves to wear PJs all day, said, "I must put on my Princess clothes.  It's my birfday!"  She bounced out of bed to the box of costumes and chose the one she is wearing below.

The puckered lips are because she just applied the Cinderella lip gloss in her hand from Aunt Whitney, who also gave her birthday bows and lots of bling.

In the next picture, you might notice a chance in costume.  My mom sent her another ballerina costume.  After opening it she had to put it on.  And wore it all day.

We call this plastic safety man "SloMo" and he is loved by the children on our street.  I made a party hat for him since we had an outdoor party and Caroline thought it was so funny.

Caroline with her down-the-street twin BFFs.  Their names are Brooklyn (on left) and Vivian (right).  She usually refers to them as one person "BibianBrooklyn" since they are always together.

 When I asked what kind of dessert she wanted, without hesitation she told me cupcakes.  Pink cupcakes.  I also made chocolate ('cuz that's what I like.)

 She ate one of each.

 My friend, Holly, took the outdoor pics.

 This is Camron, our across the street babysitter.

 I love our neighbors.  And our 'hood.

It was a fun day.  And she's growing up so fast.  Next year she'll be wearing pink to the prom.  *sniff*

Hostage

It is not unusual to go upstairs and see his room like this:

That is, with a maze of bungee cords.   (not sure why the picture is distorted.)

I was surprised, however, to see this:

My poor, sweet, innocent little girl.

Remarkably she wasn't screaming her head off.

The Princess and Her Brothers

Caroline is very aware of princesses these days.  She is one.  She loves to dress up like one, and if you're lucky enough to be a girl, she will call you Princess.

 And ballerinas.  She loves a good dance party.

This princess potty trained herself last week (or was it the week before?).  Hubby put princess panties on her one morning and that's all it took.  She still wears a diaper at night but hasn't had one accident in the day.

Big Brother, for the most part, still ignores the fact that there's another little person in the house.  Below is a picture of a rare moment of acknowledgment. 

 

Little Brother is not so little.  I think he's weighing about 15 pounds - his 6 week birthday was Friday.  I know 7 month old babies who weigh 15 pounds.  Suffice it to say that nursing is going better.  But the poor boy is just not happy.  If he is awake, he is crying.  All. Day. Long.  People ask if it is colic.  I don't know.  All I know is ... nothing I do seems to help him.  I took him to a chiropractor last week and it seemed to help for a few hours but nothing lasts forever.  Last night we were up from 2-6am trying to pacify him.  Misery.  

At this point with the other two kids, we were almost sleeping through the night.

I am tired.

Christmas Morning Made Holy by My Sweet Caroline

This was the first time in my 36 years that I've not celebrated the Savior's birth in Kentucky.  Hubby said, as we were getting things ready for the children last night, "This is the first time I feel like a parent on Christmas Eve."  Usually we wake up at his parents' house and follow the crowd.  Last night we were planning to run the show.  I hope that doesn't sound arrogant.  But if you know me (or my man) you know how much we like to be in charge.  :)

We let the kids open their "stockings" from the Majors grandparents - which was a jackpot of gum.  The kids were over the moon excited.  Especially Caroline.  If she received nothing else for Christmas, her cup was running over.  My parents had also mailed candy and gum, along with a much missed pair of JI's pajamas that we left there during Thanksgiving.

After the kids were in bed, Hubby built a manger to put under the tree from scrap fence wood.  I found a baby to play Jesus in this manger then put the finishing touches on a scavenger hunt for our oldest.  Just before heading upstairs, I remembered to hang the "Happy Birthday" banner.

I felt like a little kid.  The thought of Christmas morning had me so excited that I couldn't go to sleep.  Maybe it was the big pregnancy belly but once asleep, I couldn't stay asleep.  At least I was in a comfy bed.  Poor Mary was sleeping on the cold hard ground on the eve of her baby's birth.

We asked John Isaac to stay in his room until 7:30.  What were we thinking?  The excited boy was up at 6:30.  We conceded and let him come downstairs early.  He was so patient, not asking to open presents.  He wanted to talk with us, talk about the day.  This was his first time waking in Arkansas on Christmas morning, too.  Breakfast would be cinnamon rolls that I'd frozen from last week; they were thawed and I quickly made more frosting.  Hubby went to get Caroline so we could start our day as a family.

She had the classic sleepy head look as he carried her into the kitchen.  I asked, "Do you know what today is?"

"Jesus' birfday!!  Open presents!!"

Big brother showed her to the Christmas tree (where they like to fight over who gets to turn on the lights.)

Then she noticed the addition of the baby in the manger.

"Baby Jesus is here!  Baby Jesus came to us!  He's here!  He came to us!"

It was so sweet I almost cried.  Out of the mouths of babes come the most profound words.  Yes, the King of kings came to us as a helpless baby.

Rolls were ready so we quickly scarfed down our sugary sweet.  While eating, Hubby briefly tried to set the tone for the morning - talking about being grateful, that we would be talking about Jesus...not just presents.  This is Jesus' day.  We had 3 Adornaments that we would read about Jesus in between presents.

Walking back where the gifts were, Hubby grabbed his guitar and we began to sing "Joy to the World."

Hardly could I choke out the words because of what I saw.  I'm tearing up now just thinking about it.  Where was my camera at a time like this?  Actually, it was such a holy moment for me, I was almost thankful that I didn't have the distraction of trying to capture the perfect image for posterity.  Forever this scene will be etched in my mind.

She walked into the room and slowly knelt before the manger.

It was innocent.  Sweet.  Worshipful, as I'd imagined the wise men would have responded as they viewed the Christ child two thousand years ago.  She stared, almost in unbelief into the manger at the babe, wrapped in cloths.  After a few holy seconds frozen in time, she reached out to caress his cheek.


Baby Jesus is here.  He came to us.

Spoiled

Gigi came bearing gifts.  Caroline received some bling and a change purse.

 And when Gigi is here, she loves to dress Caroline and fix her hair.

The grandparents took John Isaac to the toy store for a new Lego set (Ninjago to be exact).  For Caroline, we talked them into getting her a Strider, a no pedal balance bike.

Yes, even though Gigi loves to dress this baby doll, the baby loves to wear her jammies.  Both ladies had a good time in the dirt.

We have been spoiled by their visit.  Thanks for coming Mom and Dad.

She's {almost} TWO

Trying to exert defiance, she laid down in the parking lot. I thought, "Here we go. She's almost two."

Still, she is the easiest baby, ever.  So fun.  So laid back.  Compliant and ready to please.  Golden child.  Hubby and I frequently praise the Lord for her.  And that she was not our first child (if she were, we would have been self-proclaimed parenting experts.)

Today we brainstormed a list of words she can say - one month shy of her second birthday.  Most toddlers have their own language and I've written out the words she says with some pronunciations.

Momma/Daddy
Brother - (sounds like) Buh-boo
water - Bah-boo
kombucha - Buh-bies
more please - moo-me
cookie - ducka-dah
Jesus - Dee-da
excuse you - ku-shoo
thanks - huh-huh and he-mama
cup - pac
pray
monkey - mon-mee
milk
turtle
lots of animal noises
worm - merm
doggie
stuck
share
right back (I say it a lot)
bird
car - cross between cow and toe
turtle
soap - poo
apple - bapple
night night (also no night night)
bed
helicopter - cock-ker
no
what's that?
Bone! (our neighbors :)
JJ - day day
Gigi - DeeDee
Papa
yuck
home
baby
chair - chur
fish
pow-pow (gun noise)
hi-yah (karate noise)
cheese
banana - nana
granola - 'nola
date (the fruit)
marker - mar-mer
Jonathan - Don'tan
Pooh (as in Winnie)
shower - sha-shoo
bath
light - da
trampoline - jump
shoes!
bow
ball
nose (she likes to honk yours, and can identify the parts of her face)
paper, diaper, and Piper used to all sound the same
Piper is very distinct now
mouse - mao
shirt
math - ma
hot
potty, pee, poopy
park, walk, slide
swing
1, 2, 3
more - moe
done - da
tree
book
down
hi
bye bye

The Gardener

I've always thought it would be fun to have a gardener. Now I have one.

The Girl's Bows

Just for the record: I have not purchased a single bow for the girl.

She loves wearing them...asks for one every day, even.  I love it.  And I am thankful that people have given us so many.  Thanks Mom and Whit.

As a baby gift my sister made the "C" with ribbon hanging off of it.  It is hard to tell in the picture that it is the letter C and that there is ribbon hanging from it, because the bows are attached to the ribbon.

It was beginning to seem like the bows were multiplying - especially after Mom came with two more quart jars full of bows.

I borrowed the idea from a friend to push pins into the ceiling.  It has been hanging for about 5 days and seems like a solution.  It would be nice if the ribbon was about 18 inches longer, but it is what I had on hand so I am content.  For now. {Use it up, wear it out, make it due or do without!}

Fashion Show

All of these clothes were given to us. It is so fun to dress a girl!

Super fun red shoes I found at Goodwill.  They have huge clear gems on the toes.

The bow resembles a Christmas tree.

These were taken at the FamilyLife Christmas party.  HB gave her the dress.

And Little Miss Strawberry helped take Brother to SEEK today.

And not the most flattering photo, but you can see that I finished the apron enough for her to wear it.  She is not quite sure she wants to wear it...yet.