On April 28th, my little John Burke turned 3! (He is still trying to figure out the best way to show 3 fingers, and I guess I have never thought about how much easier 2 and 4 are to show. He usually skips to 5, and has decided he likes that better. Too bad.)
Stacy, my sister-in-law let us crash in on her previously planned princess party for Chloe. She let us make it pirates and princesses, because of course I had not put any thought into his party and she had had a theme for months! It was supposed to be a cookout/jumpy, etc. party at my parents' house. However, the weather forecast for the weekend was horrible rain storms the whole time.
So, I jumped the gun and felt like I had to make a call for the party on Friday, 24 hours before. I called around, and our favorite jump party place was available the next day!!! With a private room and a discount in price, just an hour earlier. So, Stacy and I started texting and emailing our guests to tell them of the change.
Luckily, our friends and family came through and met us at Jump Zone (where Turner actually had his 3rd birthday as well).
Thrilled little birthday boy
Uncle Derek with Blake and Collins
and Collins with Daddy
Pop Pop was there too, and Eagle Eye Jami noticed his shirt was inside out. If you know my dad, he laughed heartily about this (because of course he and Mom had not noticed) and changed it back after about 30 minutes of partying. Hilarious.
Thank you Aunt Stacy for taking a family pic of my little pirates
After an hour of jumping and running and sweating (and somehow I avoided climbing up the big slide - thank you Heath), we headed up to fill up the party room upstairs.
Look at the cute cakes Stacy got! Don't worry, she tried to get a 3-D pirate ship for us, but it kept collapsing at the bakery and I assured her John Burke would not care.
These 2 little cuties and their friends ate a delicacy of pizza, Cheetos and cheese puffs, Capri-Sun and cake with their friends.
We even had a special guest arrive for cake and ice cream - Kina and her girls, along with Tinecia and D.J. (John Burke's favorite crowd from church)
After a brief moment of me knocking off the corner of the princess castle with my hand by accident (Stacy was loving me:)), they blew out their candles!
GiGi, Pop Pop, Turner, John Burke and Brooks
Then everyone headed home! A fun but exhausting party. I must say I didn't hate the change to Jump Zone as I watched them cleaning up while we were leaving.
We headed to Mom and Dad's on the way home for some lunch and cousin play time. We wanted to make sure they were tired enough for a long nap, and I think it worked!
Look at those cuties!
That night, Pap and Tambry came through town and took us to dinner for the birthday boy.
We even ran into some friends from church as Pap presented the big present outside
A pirate water table!! Thank you Pap and Tap!
We headed home and I finally let the boys open the presents from the party...I guess that was a little mean to make them wait that long! But, my little pirate loved his loot and went happily to bed, proud of being three!
I want to remember John Burke as he is right now. He LOVES animals and playing outside. He didn't really talk much until after he was two (though I knew he COULD, he just WOULDN'T!! Ugh.) Anyway, he has made up for lost time in the last year. He is SO vocal, so perceptive and doesn't forget much at all. He is really cracking me up daily, but also testing the boundaries for sure. He loves his friends in the nursery and his teachers and friends in Big School upstairs. He thinks he rules that place, and likes to talk to parents and give them updates or ask them questions when they pick their kids up. He is very into "potty talk" - saying pee pee or poo poo can send him into a belly laugh, and quickly a spanking. He is my sidekick for sure, trying to give his nap up in the afternoon and fighting me for my pillow and remote control. But, if I get him still long enough, he will nap. He fiercely loves his Collins, but told me this weekend "We need to get another baby...this one is mean." Um, too bad. She is learning to retaliate! And he and Turner look like little puppies wrestling all the time. I don't mean that in a cute way - I am constantly prying them off of each other. And I have to say, Turner is usually the more laid back one and Skinny Lips Johnson (John Burke's latest nickname - his lips have always been very skinny!) is the instigator. Heath and I love him more than life, and we are seeing a very big personality forming. I predict it is going to be a BIG job to tame it, but we are blessed!
Finally, to this girl. I picked this picture because I can see her top teeth coming in. Finally. She has one on bottom, so we need to catch up!
Looking old, sipping chocolate milk
The many faces of Collins lately. I took her for her 15 month check-up 2 weeks ago, and the doctor saw that she had a raging double ear infection. I had no idea, because luckily she rarely shows any symptoms. But, my doctor had put her on watch at the fifth ear infection in February (since October) and had warned me that we would talk about tubes if another one happened. I thought we were in the clear, but she referred us to an ENT and we saw him last Wednesday.
Here she was at her appointment...Heath was not a fan of the bow, but her hair is growing!
Anyway, the doctor agreed that tubes were necessary and we decided to do it 5 days later, yesterday morning. It was a quick little turn of events - I think I tried to do it fast so I wouldn't have to think too much about it.
Here we are looking fabulous yesterday morning at 6:30. Wow, I might should have considered showering. Yikes. Mom met us up there so Heath could take the boys to school. However, she headed to school right at 8 (her school is in the same place as the hospital), and I was left alone and forced to be an adult. Collins cried way more than I did when they took her:) It sort of broke my heart to watch them take her back (even though I know tubes are such a minor thing and so many children are there for way more serious things - kinda kept me in perspective.) I really didn't cry, I actually ran into 2 friends and our old next door neighbor, so I was distracted. But, enough about my emotional well-being...
She was super clingy all morning, but scooted around some toys in the little playroom. Nice distraction.
Here she was when they brought her back. Walked in the room (on the nurse's hip) dazed but not crying. But then saw me and let me have it!
Luckily, a bottle of apple juice and some mean looks at Mommy pacified her and we were on our merry way! (With only a red mark where her gas mask was to prove it!)
Feel the need to end the post with a picture of Turner. He didn't get much air time this post. He just woke up and is sitting over my shoulder. Just pajama pants, no shirt because he wants to "be like Daddy." He is looking at the pictures and I want to write his last few comments...randomly.
"Hey! That is Collins! She is SO cute!"
"Lucy wasn't at school today." (Nice to record, because until last month I have NEVER gotten a report from his school day. Literally - John Burke can tell me his teachers' fingernail polish color and Turner acts like his memory of the whole day is erased.)
"Mommy, how did you get Transfomers on your phone? They have super powers. I have super powers too, in my feet. I use them to kick Burke Burke."
"That is ME! Was that from my party? I am cute too. And very nice."
I love this guy - he is almost 4 and a half, very loving and very spastic (wonder where he gets that last one?). He has been doing much better at behaving at school, and continues to be passionate about Transformers, sometimes bursting into soliloquy from the shows or acting out fight scenes. Odd bird, but I can tell you - he does not care or notice what people think most of the time. Okay, long enough post. Thank you Lord for my blessings!
