Dear Tyler, You're 3!

Dear Tyler,
You're 3 years old now! You are 3 like Ivy. She is your best friend. You ask when she is going to come over again. You ask when you can go over to her house. If you're doing something fun, you wish she could be doing it with you. You plan to share with her. You two are little best friends.
You tell me you love me. And that you love me MORE. No MORE!
You are funny and you know it. You are smart and reason well. You are sweet. You are still my baby boy and you know it. I love you so so so much. MORE than you love me!
love, Mommy

Happy 3, my Tyler T!

Today is your birthday party day. You woke up asking what day it was. Monday.
"Is this the day Ivy comes over?" Yes.
"Yay! Is this my birthday?" Yes.
"Yay!"

You asked for cupcakes and goldfish. Daddy ordered a cake for you. I had planned on getting or making cupcakes for you for your party then having a cake on your birthday with the family. Daddy did not know that so ordered a blue Dora cake. And scheduled me to pick it up after car line in the morning. Um. I had to go home, get Clara, then go with 4 kids!!! Babies!!

You and Ivy got cookies. Then the cake. 

I had Julia in the sling. Rediculous. But a good ice breaker. Lots if people had something to say to us. 

But worth it. You got to decorate the cake yourself. 

 Tyler wanted a Dora The Explorer party which is fitting since his guests are all girls. But he also likes Diego. And, he calls Diego Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. So we combined them into one party. The Dora Publix cake was pink and they wouldn't alter their specialty cake but said they could do a blue cake and let us put the figurines on top ourselves. Tyler thought that was a great idea!

I wanted you to have a party but we were not sure if we wanted a big pool party again. I figured I could do a play date with other moms. But even that seemed like it could be hard to handle. Since my hands are more than full enough with my two babies. So I invited your best friends only. Ivy and Altazara. I have tried hanging with my friend Marissa but we have been so scheduled that it has been way too long. I invited her and her sweet daughter. So Tyler had 3 guests. All girls. And Clara and Julia of course. Lucky guy!

Last night I cleaned. Steven cleaned more. I sewed some bean bags for my friend Sarah. They are corn hole bags.

Then I remembered that I should make Tyler a crown a day early, for his party. Then I made a matching bow for Julia. And Clara. And Ivy, Altazara, and Maddie. And extra for variety to finish off that fabric.

Then, thankfully, Julia awoke thus sending me to bed. At 4:15 am.

Tyler waking up being excited made it so worth it. I love when magic happens while my family sleeps. 

Ivy came over first. And gave Tyler his present and told him it was Ninja Turtles legos and a water bottle and some Dr. Seuss cards. He waited to open it until later. 

Tyler liked his decorations. We dropped off the boys, came back for Clara, and mosied on over to Publix. I could not think of another way. The kids are good. So good. Really, they are wonderful. 

We came back for "pupcakes" (muffins),

to prep some food and feed Clara Beara. Friends came just after I cleaned off my cereal mess on her face. We played a little, let Clara nap, sunscreened, took a photo of the big kids in their hair bows and crown, then jumped in the pool.

I was a little embarrassed that I had not first inspected the pool. Leaves from the day before's storms dropped lots of leaves into the pool.

The pool deck had another more embarrassing surprise which I could not clean up. Elisabeth volunteered and somehow I let her. What a bad hostess. Later, the big umbrella blew over. Luckily away from the pool fence. I got in with Julia. The water was not cold. But was a little cooler than normal. Clara woke up so I sat her in a stroller in the shade.I should have put her matching bow on. It would have been cute to get all fo the bows in a photo. But there was no way for that today. How do single parents survive?!

It was sort of cool and breezy so we went inside for lunch. Tyler got out of the pool first. A cool day for once.

 Maddie was eating cake looking at Tyler eating his cake from 2 years before.

 So I invited my friends, then they helped me by being baby holders. Julia fell asleep as you can see. She was awake in the picture before. I put her in the basinet and she stayed asleep.

 We sang to Tyler.

 He blew out two candles in one breath.

 Then said he left one for Ivy.

 So they blew it out together.

 Cake!!! Tyler loved his cake.

 I had to practically force Tyler to open presents. Ivy was ready. She opened most of them for him.

I wanted him to do one but he told Ivy she could help him on that side. They opened it together.

 Tyler did a happy dance for his Jake the Neverland Pirate wooden puzzles set from Altazara!

 The party was about over. Clara seemed tired and it was nap time for all. Julia stayed asleep for a while, Ivy and Tyler went to bed. I put Clara in the crib but she just played for a half hour. I watched on the monitor as she talked to Tyler. She was happy so I left her for a while. Then I got her, she wasn't tired. She just appreciated the quiet familiar crib I think. She and I played in the quiet living room until Julia awoke.

Then, when I had to leave the room, I had to barricaide Julia.

 I let Clara climb the stairs. She climbed all the way to the top twice. Then I realized she liked that a bit too much so I had to re-direct, then block them too.

 Clara got to stay awake for her mommy. Tyler and Ivy stayed asleep in the car line.

I made honey lime chicken enchiladas for dinner and took a tiny nap. 30 minutes. Then I drove to work to do the ALS ice bucket challenge with them. Silly since I am the one who nominated the office. Oh well, I did it again :) Click here to see.  What a fantastic birthday eve! 

I love

Do you know what I love?

I love my baby girl. And my baby boy. And my bigger boys. I love that my Julia smiles when I give her attention. I wish I could just spoon her all day and night. I love that Tyler wants to play superheros with me and he comes up with elaborate scenarios and when one guy gets saved, he thanks the others. And usually there is a mom and baby relationship. I love that Isaac lays down next to Julia to stroke and admire her. I love that Dylan brings a soccer ball wherever I let him and plays his heart out. He wants to donate one to his class so he can leave it there. I love that my Steven does not let his to do list get long. I wish he could spoon me all day and night too.

I love that the things that stress me out are so not of real importance compared to people who have sick children or parents or even deaths to deal with. I simply have too much junk on my dining room table and too many photos everywhere. 

I love that I cross contaminate, in a good way, my friends with other friends with patients with my business with church with my office with mom's groups with my family and it is all a big mix. I want everyone to see and do every good thing possible. 

I love that I follow Christ and that knowledge helps me prioritize, serve, and parent my babies and that through His plan, families are forever. 'Til death isn't good enough for me. (Julia is just sleeping here but there was a hash tag thing going around where people were holding up a photo of Jesus. Julia is always cuter than I, and my hand is in it, so it sorta maybe kinda counts as a selfie.)