Easter 2012

NO WORDS

Warning! Picture overload! I wanted to document Easter and this post is all over the place but that's kind of how my brain is operating these days. It seems the stomach bug has thrown us all off for a very long time.

Easter was absolutely beautiful this year. I love this time of year. The sun is warm on your face but the air is cool. There is the annoyance of coolness that I don't care for. I'd still like it about 97 degrees without a cloud in the sky. Ultimate weather. It was a perfect day to celebrate Our Risen Savior with wonderful friends, my mom and these three precious children God has entrusted me with.

Never have I seen a child of mine so excited about candy and not eat a ton. He just likes to use them as props in his imaginary play. What a creative little gem.

Nana came Thursday before Easter and was able to go to school with Baxter on Friday to celebrate him becoming Sight Word King!!! We, I mean, he has worked extremely hard on his sight words. We, I mean he, knows all 220 now. I'm already thinking that WE have 220 to go and all three kids will know them!

Getting ready to run in the clap out!
We all looked a little jaundiced after Ben got finished dyeing eggs. Of course his favorite color is yellow so it pretty much stained anything that got in his path.
A couple of before shots at church of their Easter outfits. I'm not sure what part of the universe did not line up for us to get some family shots but there were none of us together as a family. I think Lills was the missing link and we were not able to function without her!

This was his school egg hunt! It made him very happy that they were out in plain sight and there was very little effort in finding them.

This is a frequent vision down our street right now. While we were in the hospital Nana taught Baxter to ride his bike. Scott immediately commented that's what Nana does best! Bax is so proud of himself. Now he strips down to his bathing suit and his boots and takes off!

Lillee and I made these super easy bird nests. Chinese Chow Mein Noodles with melted butterscotch on them and Cadbury eggs on top. They were the perfect combination of salty and sweet.
Our church egg hunt. The kids were elated that there was so much candy. When will they be getting into their summer fruits and vegetables? Maybe I should consider hiding grape tomatoes in eggs this summer!
Easter Bunny loot.
Nana left after lunch on Easter so while Scott napped, Baxter played the Wii and Ben ate more chocolate bunny I packed us up and we joined our extended Griffin family. Our dear friends had an Easter gathering and what better way to celebrate than a pool party! The hot tub warmed the pool some but the kids didn't mind. Lillee and Katelin made it back from the lake just in time to jump in.
Even our favorite 16 year old came to help out and relax a little.
We are thankful to have "Sissy" back and beautiful spring weather. I think Baxter missed her!

an upswing

We were in full swing in March celebrating Baxter's birthday when our precious infant came down with a yucky virus. We thought it was the same stomach bug that Bax had the previous week so I wasn't that concerned. However, four days into it Ben made a turn for the worse. Farrah came with me and we headed up to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Emory. I never want to go to the hospital again but if we had to, this is the place to go. The people there were nothing short of amazing.

It turns out he had a bacterial infection called Shigella. It was attacking his intestines and then he developed an ileus. His belly was distended and he was in so much pain. We arrived Thursday at lunch and were not released until the following Tuesday. It was scary and quite humbling as you saw children who had been there for months and cars in the parking lot that my parents said never moved. My mom and dad thankfully came right up and took care of the other two and got them to school.

While Ben was practicing being a lefty in the hospital, Lillee was home with her very first project ever. She was stoked about doing her biography on such an outstanding figure.
He didn't eat for 7 days and the last night we were there he was feeling better and got into my Thai! We knew he was on the mend.
These sweet golden retrievers came to cheer him up. They were beautiful and such a nice treat to those sick kiddos.
Their school pics also came back while we were gone. Don't those two on the right look like they love each other?
Ben is now back and just about 100%. He continues to be the absolute center of attention. We are ever so grateful to all of our wonderful friends that came to our rescue and helped out with Lillee and Baxter as well as brought yummy meals so that we didn't have to worry about cooking! Ben needs a little more TLC still and may need extra tummy rubs even when it may not be hurting but that's ok. After seeing him in that condition I'll rub him anytime even though it's getting tougher and tougher to stay up with him at 11 p.m.

Baxter #6

Happy happy birthday to our sweet Baxter!

Below pic is ONE year ago! Are all parties on Sunday afternoons? Hence, the church shirt!

It's hard to believe this little guy is six. I feel like before long I'll be writing that about Ben. Then the keyboard will be flooded with tears. Baxter is very sweet and loving. He's good at remembering others and putting others first. However, there is a slight temper and I'm trying to read book after book after book to figure out how to get him back into the "lover" stage. He's great at prayers and enjoys saying them for us. He's doing great at school and we're almost finished with our sight words. He's reading road signs up a storm! I still don't think he understands why there's a "h" in school. He asks us everyday on the way to school when he sees the sign. He loves his teachers and continues to have a fondness for his Pre-K teacher Ms. Redding.

Bax's looks have really changed over the past year. He's definitely losing that baby face :( He loves Jesus and going to church. His little class has gotten more boys so that makes him happy. His favorite things to do are play outside, play swords, play Wii, play my phone, play with kids in the neighborhood, climb trees, hang out with his dad. He's really into eating whatever Scott eats. If it's hot and it's meat, he loves it. Loves mexican food, roasts and shrimp.
He loves to have visitors to eat lunch with him at school. The kids can pick one student to come sit with them. Baxter consistently chooses the student that has pulled their clip once or twice that morning. I think he thinks he's going to reform them over lunch so they can start anew afterwards!
Even with his black, scraped eye he still let me dress him in silly Christmas pajamas.
As much as this picture makes me ill it shows how much he loves his dog, Piper. This picture was taken in the July heat in the back of our rented 2-door Chevy Malibu. Bad memories. BAD.
He loves his sister and the beach. Especially if going to the beach involves Aunt Phyllis who will brave it and take them out to their shoulders.
He loves his brother and continues to set good examples for him. There are a few reminders of "monkey see, monkey do" around here.
He loves his mama. There again I'm trying to get him back to that sweet lover stage where he's always like this!
Lover of bugs! We are so proud of you and love you very much!

Bax bday, a photo by jennckey on Flickr.

bax beach 2/12

bax beach 2/12, a photo by jennckey on Flickr.

#8 for Lillee

#8

Girls turn 6!

Lillee turns 7!

Lillee and I went on a girls trip the weekend before her birthday. Our sweet friends made her a Rice Krispie cake and had balloons waiting. She was absolutely elated! She was overwhelmed to be with such amazing girls that love her so very much. The highlight of her winter break was kayaking! These young ladies are a true blessing to my Lills.

These two birthday girls have been friends since they were 2. As a matter of fact, most all of these girls have gone to church preschool together, Pre-K and several have been fortunate to be in the same class in K-2 together. It's a special bond they share. They really do care about each other. It is incredible to watch them grow and mature and fight and figure out this big world as we all navigate through it. Lillee invited our new neighbors across the street to come. It made my heart swell that she wanted to include new friends into their group. The little one ended up not staying all night but Katelin definitely welcomed the oldest with open arms. These are the times and memories that will be with them forever. I'm so proud that I get to guide Lillee on this journey and I know beyond a doubt that I'll make mistakes and she'll make mistakes but at the end of the day I know that we're both being led by an almighty God that loves us and hears our prayers.

It is so different raising Lillee than it is the two boys. She's the oldest, the leader, the independent girl. I'm really trying to give more space and more grace and more chances to make her own decisions while still guiding her and not hovering. It's tough not to hover. I want to hover. I want my helicopter blades to be shiny and clean! However, I want to instill in her that I trust her, love her and will be here for her absolutely no matter what.

ephesians 3.14-19

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.