Smooth talker

Sometimes my kid says the types of things that make me melt into a mommy puddle on the floor and makes every ounce hard work that goes into motherhood unbelievably worth it. For example, tonight, my hair was a mess, I had half of Cooper's dinner on one side of my shirt, soapy water from doing the dishes on the other side of my shirt, and make-up that wore off hours ago and my son walks up to me and says "Mommy, you are so pretty".  As sweet as that was, it wasn't even what got me; what brought me to tears tonight.  What really hit me hard was when he walked into the babies room while I was nursing Parker, carrying a picture of me when I was pregnant and with him and said, "Mommy, this picture is so so special to me".  Oh, wow. It was then I realized how much of the world around him that he is starting to "get".  So even though he also told me... no, yelled at me "Mommy! Because is NOT an answer!", this gig is still so unbelievably worth it.

Celebrating four

In our house, apparently, birthdays last for a long time.  Last weekend we celebrated Logan's birthday with a party at the University of Iowa Hall of Fame.  The kids had a blast. They got to shoot some hoops, run around, eat cake, drink a punch that stains your upper lip pink and go home sugared-up, covered in frosting with a bag of goodies. Sounds like a win to me.

PARTY!

And this is what I get when I ask my son to smile... 

Waiting for his friends to arrive, 

and so very excited.

Taking the elevator to shoot some hoops!

If you think this ball hit Eliza on her head, you would be correct.

Snuggles for Grandpa.

Cleaning up for cake!

Presents!

Everly was quite the party animal.

Time for dancing!

Logan loved this remote control car he got, and carried it everywhere.

That's it. My boy is 4. Onto a new year!