Conductor Andrew’s Birthday Bash

 

Saturday after Andrew’s birthday we had a little family celebration. Grandma, Uncle BJ, Jenipher and her nieces Ky’lee and Aubree came for dinner. Grandma got Andrew a real firefighter suit.

We went with a train theme this year. Unfortunately the only train décor we could find was Thomas the Train. Andrew’s really not that into Thomas, but he still loved having the dining room decorated just for him! The cake (which you can’t tell but was rainbow colored inside) had a candy train on top Brett made all by himself.

 

He got a conductor hat to wear. (He says it’s itchy.)

Uncle BJ & Jenipher brought lots of presents! Of course big sister had to help open them. He got a fire station and new fire trucks plus a Chuggington train and and another car that propels on a ramp.

Grandma & Grandpa got him a wagon built for two. Look at his face.

And again with the face… He was a little excited about cake.

 

Abigail wasn’t sure what to think of all the decorations and excitement!

I think his favorite gift was the train set Brett & I got him. It has a wooden track that can be rearranged & expanded on. He probably “vroomed” his train around that track over an hour. And he cried when he had to put it away at bed time. And he has insisted I help him get it out every day since then. Please note the little baby head in every picture I tried to take of him playing with the train. She earned the nickname “Baby-Zilla” because she was determined to destroy the track.

The kids loved having Grandma here for a day or so. She read them some new books before church Sunday morning.

Birthday Train Ride

 

On the day of Andrew’s birthday, we had a big surprise for him. Daddy took the day off work and we were going as a family to ride a train. Andrew’s not necessarily a train fanatic, but he’s a fan of anything that “vrooms.” So I found out about an open-air diesel engine about an hour drive from our house that offered one-hour round trips and lucky for us one of their ride days was on his birthday!

There was a small little museum area to explore before we got on. Two or three train cars were set up with items in them that may have traveled by train back in the days when the train was the primary method of travel. (Leah was especially fascinated by the casket with a plastic skeleton in it.)

They climbed up high in the caboose car. Neither of them were too fond of heights.

Andrew said he didn’t have fun because he was a little scared. (He has been saying that a lot lately when you ask him if he had fun.) But he had a look of pure fascination on his face the majority of the time as the train rode through the woods. He looked to me like he was in little boy heaven. They both wanted to sit with Daddy most of the trip (which I don’t think he minded).

 

 

Even Abigail was fascinated with the wind blowing through her hair.

The train rode about 20 minutes out (there wasn’t much to see on the way, really, just woods), then the engine car detached, went around on an adjoining track, and attached to the other side of the cars to drive us back home. The kids were a little bored after we had stopped a few minutes to turn around but I think all in all they really did like it. If anything, they will remember it as a fun family trip for a long time to come.

(This is not the train we rode on, but it looks cool…)

Dear Andrew @ 3 years old:

 

Andrew,

I am amazed every day at how quickly time flies when it comes to my babies growing up. How can it be that you are already 3 years old? You are very much a boy, and very much caught in the stage in between being a baby and being a big boy. There’s so much you want to do on your own and yet there are so many times you just want Mommy or Daddy to be there with you. You still have no interest in using the potty like a big boy but you always want to put on your own shoes. You want to do “school” just like your big sister, yet you don’t quite have her attention span. You throw a tantrum when you can’t get what you want, yet you try to be so tough when you get hurt.

You love all things “boy”: cars, trucks, trains, and rocks (definitely rocks!). You love “vrooming” your little cars around, and especially bigger ones like your dump truck. You love watching trains and construction vehicles and trucks outside and you love any chance to ride one. Basically you love to be outside. You love to push your lawn mower right alongside Daddy—it makes you feel so big. You especially love to play in water and always drop things in the tub just to see the splash they make. (You’re not such a big fan of actually swimming in water, though, and don’t like your clothes to be wet or dirty.) You love to dress up in your cowboy boots & hat and prance around on your horse.

And yet even after all that “boy” you’ll always choose to watch a Princess movie with Leah or Dora. You don’t mind doing girly things just to be with your sister, even if she does get on your nerves when she takes your toys or doesn’t let you play with her. Most of your arguments with her are a result of just wanting to do what she is doing. You also love animals, especially dogs, and you get so excited to see cows or horses along the road when we’re driving.

While you love playing and “roughhousing” with Daddy, you are definitely Mommy’s boy and whenever you get in trouble or get hurt, you always cry for Mommy. And how can I resist that pitiful little face? I hate to admit you can usually get what you want from me. I know you won’t be my baby for long, though, and soon you’ll be interested in bigger boy things like girls or things that Mommies don’t know much about. So I’ll cherish this clinginess now, while I still can. For now I’ll still read you stories at nap and bedtime and still hold you while you drink your cup of milk when you wake up. I’ll still kiss your boo boos and hold you close when you’re scared.

I can barely remember when you couldn’t walk or talk, because you’re non-stop now. Though most of the time you get bored of things quickly, there are some activities you could focus on for over an hour: Play-doh, or painting, or splashing the water in the sink. You love sensory activities like playing in a bucket of colored rice or beans. You have an amazing vocabulary and you’re so smart! You know all your colors and shapes. You’re learning how to recognize some of the letters, but only know just a few at this point. You can count to 15 and order things by size. You repeat all sorts of words you hear on TV and ask SO. MANY. QUESTIONS to figure out what they mean.

My sweet little curly top, you’re growing up so fast and becoming such a handsome little man. And even though 2 has been a rough age and 3 isn’t looking much better as far as the tantrums go, I definitely don’t want to rush you through anything!  I pray you keep your energy and excitement for life and I pray you continue to grow strong in the Lord and know Him intimately.

 

Happy Birthday Little Buddy!

VBS 2013

 

Our church’s Vacation Bible School theme this year was Colossal Coaster World—facing fears, trusting God. The kids had a lot of fun!

The first night happened to be the same night as the community 4th of July event. Naturally it went along well with our amusement park theme. So the kids made a sparkler pen & did sparklers outside.

 

Andrew’s & Leah’s favorite part was probably the music. They loved the upbeat songs, and they were definitely catchy enough to get stuck in your head. They’re still singing them a week later. Their preschool class was the biggest of all the classes- average of 14 kids a night!

  

Abigail was in a class all by herself. She got extra special attention from Ms. Brenda. She did so well for being so late at night! She loved all the activity.

 

 

We all took our picture in the roller coaster.

 

   

Andrew has been acting very “3” lately and didn’t always act as good as he could have, little stinker. He does better when I’m not with him, actually. He also has a new thing where he says he didn’t have fun even though he clearly did.

 

I taught the 1st-2nd grade kids and I couldn’t have asked for a better group. There were just 4 in my class and they were pretty well-behaved and listened well. I enjoyed that age! Our presentation the last night went really well. The kids sang their songs loudly and recited their memory verse & motto for the week. Leah even got to show off one of the crafts she made.

 

I know these are the memories the kids will look back on fondly when they grow up!