Happy 4th Birthday Weston!

Four years ago, a darn cute little boy arrived here on Earth.  My pregnancy was a bit scary - 6 weeks of total bed rest because of pre-term labor concerns, a 3 day hospital stay, and ta-da!  Weston joined our family.  As I think over just the past year - this little boy has really become a "big kid" as he likes to say.  He is pottie trained, he goes to preschool, he is a kind, sweet, and sensitive boy.  He makes friends easily, and is very loyal and protective of them.  He loves his brothers, and almost always shares with them.  He loves "points" and keeps track - 2 points for sharing, 2 points for pooping, 1 point for getting dressed, 2 points for cleaning up... you get the idea.  He is "talkin' lots" and enjoys playing basketball.  Where have 4 years gone?  At least I have pictures and video, and memories galore!  :-)

Weston's birthday was a blast - we had a big breakfast and opened his presents, we went to Red Robin for lunch, ran a few errands and picked up a few birthday treats, then went to Wayne's practice.   After that  - grilled cheese for dinner, and a party!  He had his first soy ice cream banana split, and fell in LOVE.  Our family is so special to us - that they take the time to come out and spend the evening with this precious 4 year old - seeing his face light up as he talked to everyone, opened gifts, and blew out his candles... it just melts my heart.  We love you Weston!

Popsicles for his class

To celebrate turning FOUR on Saturday, Weston brought popsicles to his class on Thursday.  After they all ate lunch, he passed out his no-sugar, no-dairy strawberry fruit popsicles.  He was PROUD and had the biggest smile on his face as everyone told him "thank you."  When everyone had their treats, Weston got to stand on the lunch table and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" and gave him FOUR hip-hip-hooray's.  He LOVED it!  Let the birthday celebrations begin!

Weston's First Basketball Practice

Weston had his very first basketball practice this week.  He was SO excited that he got to have his own team, his own ball - and best of all?  Wayne had to sit on the chair!  Weston always has to sit on the chair when it's Wayne's practice, so he was THRILLED that Wayne was there to cheer him on.  And cheer he did!  Wayne was so sweet - clapping and cheering Weston on, and the two kept giving each other "thumbs up."  Weston was the model player, listening to everything his coach was telling him, and he couldn't stop smiling.  Such a cute little buddy!  It's been a crazy week with lots of basketball, but seeing the joy it brings the boys to be a part of a team, and the questions they ask - all makes it worth it!

The conversation....

I am listening to right now:

Wayne: Girls are yucky.

Weston:  Yeah, gross!

Wayne:  Totally gross.  Just stay away.

Weston:  Yeah!  Girls are gross!

Wayne:  Totally.

a boy and his ball

Wayne started his second season of basketball with the Y on Friday, and I think the anticipation was keeping him up on Thursday night!  He was so excited to go, and he tried so hard.  He blew us away with how much he's improved over last year - amazing!  He's the tallest on the team, and played post most of the time.  He's really working on dribbling with his fingertips too. Wyatt and Weston were amazing, and didn't run off once during the whole practice.  Such family fun!

 Wayne was tuckered out from a day of playing at his cousin's after church, and fell asleep on the couch, hugging his ball.  That's our boy!

Two places at once

This week is going to be soooooome week.  So full and crazy that I already wrote down the entire schedule, Monday through Saturday, by the hour and activity/place I have to be.  Now, I confess that the Lord has given me the gift of administration and organization.  But my gift has been put to the test!  With work scheduling and rescheduling meetings, my poor sister-in-law Breanne has had a plethora of emails scheduling and rescheduling times to to watch the kids.  I have work, a doctor's appointment, volunteering at Wayne's school, 4 basketball practices, birthday treats for Weston's class, a church meeting, an evening work meeting, and a welcome dinner for BP, among MANY other things.  It's nuts!  And Monday was proving to be especially difficult.   A work meeting rescheduled three times, and finally settled on 8:30.  But I have a boy who gets on the bus at 8:10 and a boy that has to be at speech at 8:45.  What can I do?  I am only one person.  Skip the work meeting?  Kind of hard, I'm leading it.  Cancel speech?  Not okay - the office has been closed on the last two sessions, so Weston really needs to get back in the swing of things.  Well I may only be one person - but at least I know another Tanya!  :-)  My sweet sweet sister-in-law to the rescue.  I ask, "Can you be at our house by 7:45am, put Wayne on the bus, take Wyatt to Breanne's, and Weston to speech by 8:45?  Then keep Weston all day until after I volunteer at the school?" To which the other Tanya says, "Sure, not a problem"  WHAT!?!?!?  I am so spoiled and blessed to have family who loves our kids like their own.  THANK YOU SISTER.  You will make my day POSSIBLE!  :-)

Nothing to blog about?

I've been wracking my brain for days trying to think of something to blog about... and I can't!  Sorry folks - the boring tax season blogging is almost upon us!  :-)  Oh yes, and I have no pictures to post, so I'm sure that I am losing Dad right.....  about.....  now. 

We have been enjoying our first week of our new family life.  Tyler started his job at BP on Tuesday, and we are now a "regular" family with regular days to work, and everyone is home every night for dinner.  STRANGE.  FANTASTIC.  LOVELY.  A DREAM.  Tyler will typically work Monday through Thursday, and be home before 6pm.  I am now going to work Tuesday's and Friday's.  This will work out so well - I only work 1 day while Tyler is at work, and on the same day both Wayne and Weston are in school.  I will work a long day on Friday - when Tyler is home with the kids.  As usual, we will "co-clean" the house on Thursday/Friday (he does the jobs I hate, I do the jobs he hates) and my new Roomba will do the vacuuming!  :-)  Saturdays will be full of basketball and family time, and Sunday's too.  I can't tell you how good the "rythymn" of it all feels. 

I've been tackling house projects around here.  To say I am "nesting" is probably not too much of a leap.  Once tax season is in full swing, none of these things will get done, and when tax season is over Tyler will be doing a turnaround and working a lot, and then I'll be 8 months pregnant and not wanting to do any of them sooo....  away we go.  Good thing I'm not a procrastinator!  I've built and painted a bunch of shelves, and installed them.  I took some Christmas money and bought new lamps and mirrors and decor things for our room, I have rearranged furniture and pictures and all sorts of other odds and ends.  I am one week away from completing the "bedroom update" for Weston AND Wayne.  Both want "sports" rooms.  With the help of my mom - I decided to go with a sporty duvet for Weston, with a new lamp, picture for his wall, and his pride and joy... a "W".  His room is more navy blue and orange.  For Wayne - I want something that can grow up with him for awhile, so I'm going with a gray and orange and black theme.  Not a lot of the orange - only the basketball leather!  :-)  But gray and black will look nice and be easy mix and match things with.  He is PUMPED about a vinyl of a basketball player that is coming to go on his wall.  It's 5 1/2 feet tall!  :-)

Okay...  We are off to Wayne's first basketball practice.  Better bring my camera so I'll have something to blog about!