HAPPY BIRTHDAY CONNOR!!!

To my sweet little boy.. I can't believe that you are four years old today!! How I wish that I could sing Happy Birthday to you but I promised your Daddy that we would wait until he got home!!! 11 more days to go and you will get to blow out your candles on your Batman cake!!

I love your prayers at night as you thank God for Daddy and for your birthday when he comes home. You have brought so much love and joy into my life!!

I can't believe that you were ever this little....well actually being 9lbs 10 oz... isn't quite that little.. you actually looked like a toddler next to all the other preemies that seemed to be born on the same day!! You were worth every pound that I gained (all 65)!!!

May 21, 2004

2:52 p.m.

Happy 1st Birthday!!

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday!!

Connor, there are so many things that make my heart melt!!! Here are some of the things that I pray never change...

I LOVE......

1. When you wake up in the morning and call my name and want me to pick you up from your bed for a morning hug!!
2. How when I tuck you in bed at night and you tell me "Sweet Dreams"!
3. How you always ask me if I am happy!! (You know what Connor - you make me happy)
4. How a kiss from me can make every "owie" feel better!
5. When you walk into my room as I am getting ready and you tell me how pretty I am.
6. That your eyes light up when you talk about your Dad!
7. That you ask me about heaven and love Jesus!!
8. How you sing Veggie tales in the car or know the words to the music on Spirit 105.3
9. The stories that you tell - I never knew that you and your Dad saw a talking whale!!
10. That you want to be a Navy pilot like your Daddy!
11. Your zest for life and the "ALL-BOY" mentality you have!
12. How you can make Cooper believe that the toy that you have is better than the toy he has so you can have it!!! (You definitely take after your mama)
13. What a great BIG brother you are! He looks up to you! You keep sticking up for him!!
    

You have brought raising a boy an adventure:

You are the best spidey-pirate ever!!! Keep running around the house with your pirate noises...

I wonder...

1. If when you get older you will still want me to carry you to the car when it is raining so your shoes don't get wet!
2. If you will still yell for me when you go potty because you are amazed at the bubbles you make!
3. If I will always think of you as a little boy at every milestone in your life.....as I watched you receive your certificate for preschool... I wished that I could freeze that moment so you would always stay this young!

Connor, I pray that you will live life to the fullest and not take a single moment for granted. I pray that you will grow up knowing and loving the Lord! I am so proud of you and am blessed to be your Mama!!!

xoxo

When the sun comes out......

When the sun comes out... everyone in Whidbey comes out to play!! Last weekend was amazing..the sun was out and it was great!!! We are only talking about in the high 70's low 80's but to us on our island that is the calling for summer....and that meant people were out in their bathing suits, shorts, and tank tops!!! For us, it meant that we were able to turn off our heat for the first time and it was time for a trip to Wally World (aka Wal-Mart) for some new PJ's - my boyz opted of course for Batman and Cars... here they are sporting their new PJ's - They truly define the word "COOL"!!

Saturday was an amazing day with heat and sunshine!! By 12:00 our car was packed with beach toys, a cooler, and an umbrella and we were ready to hit the beach! We met some of our friends at Bowman Bay right across from Deception Pass for a day in the sun!! I was hoping that these white legs might attract some color before the fly in! Although the beaches here are not quite the sandy beaches that some may be used to....you definitely are in awe of the beauty - I wish they were clear in my pictures but we had a breathtaking view of the Olympic Mountains

Connor and Cooper had a great time playing in the rocks/sand, climbing the rocks, and putting their feet in the cold water!!! Cooper was a little too adventurous and fell into the water. He opted to stay out of the water the remainder of the day with a bag of pretzels!!! You gotta love comfort food after falling in the water!

Connor on the other hand was my adventurous one wanting to climb everywhere!! Every motherly instinct in me wanted to keep calling after him to come down but I was reminded of Nate's early deployment email reminding me to let "our boyz be boyz"!! As the sun was wearing down on him and the tiredness of the day was beginning to set in... Connor retreated to a log by himself telling me that he wished his daddy was home......Don't worry buddy he will be here sooner than you think.. I promise!

Connor and Cooper....you fill my days with laughter and love! Thank you for an incredible weekend as we welcomed the sunshine together!! Here is to many more sunny days ahead at the beach!!! xoxo Mama

WE ARE ALMOST THERE!!!

Excitement is seriously consuming me... the end is in sight.....my hubby is coming home! Let me tell you the preparations are in full swing. You know...basically making the house/yard look amazing - like that is how it has looked the whole entire time he has been gone!

Let's start with our back yard... it pretty much looked like Jumangi!! As I am mowing the jungle, Connor is like, "Wow, we have a lot of work to do!" I honestly don't know where he got this "WE" business because I am pretty sure that it was me who had to do dump the grass every two rows and it took me almost three hours! But of course my little man made me smile when I was done, he ran up to me and said, "High five mama you did a great job!!" That was all the thanks I needed!! On to the front....I didn't realize there could be so many weeds in one flower bed! Two days later it was ready for some added flowers and mulch! Yes, mission accomplished!

For those who are not in the military there are many more things to add to the HOMECOMING LIST besides the house and yard: (to name a few)

1. Hair appointment 2. Manicure/pedicure appointment 3. Washing/vacuuming the cars

4. Outfits (yes, even the boys get new ones) 5. Signs in the yard 6. Bleaching the teeth

7. Can I just sleep at the gym???? 8. Start making a grocery list (I don't think Nate wants cereal three times a day)

I know I know I get exhausted just looking at the list but it is all worth it the day they finally fly in!! It is the most amazing feeling - so since the majority of you have never been to a fly in I put together a fly in video from last September (make sure your sound is on for the music). I hope that you enjoy it! The count down is on and my family will be back together!!

Nate's Homecoming September 2007