Our Favorite Place

So here we are at the pool again... this time with a couple of my girlfriends Ashley, Chelsea, and their kiddos. Since Blake is home this week for a "staycation" (we're usually at the beach this week.... boo) I only took Judah and Asher and left Caleb, Nate, and Maddox at home..... they'll get their pool time tomorrow! Minus Mads :) Anyways, we had a blast... especially with only TWO to keep up with! I can't believe I didn't get any pictures of Asher though. He had a blast swimming in all the deep parts of the pool!

J Bug

Judah and Anderson chillin (I think Judah had wandered over to the chairs to watch the garbage truck!)

Sweet Ash, Andy, and Baby Brown in her tummy :)

Cutie pie Gisele

Thibault

and Eva!

RICE!

I started to title this post... That time again... until I realized that I had recently used that same title in another post. But alas, the time of pureed foods is upon us. We dove into "solids" about two and a half weeks ago.... I know, a little behind with my blogging. I tell everyone this is the stage that I like least and starting solids requires so much time (time that I DON'T have!) that I wait as long as possible to start.

First bowl full

He looks pretty happy! Wait... maybe that's because he's able to get his feet in his mouth better this way!

Wearing the cereal... typical!

Big brother J was so proud!

Party at the Park

Today was Caleb's end of preschool party for the two 4 year old classes. We rented out the covered shelter at Baileywick Park for a few hours and had Chick-fil-a, chips, fruit, snacks, veggies, cookies/ cupcakes, chips and some yummy salsa for the moms, and lots of other goodies. It was HOT, but the kids didn't seem to mind and had a fun time playing with each other. Most of them will be going to a week of summer camp at the preschool in June so they'll see each other again. Everybody is pretty scattered as to where they are going to school for kindergarten.

Jake, Carter, and Caleb

Sweet Rachel and Kiki

C and C... two peas in a pod

Carter's mom, Niki brought both boys home with her from the park (I had to skip out early to get over to Grace for Asher's Bugfest... more about that in the next post) They played at Carter's all afternoon and had a blast. What a great year of preschool it has been for Bubbs!

Kindergarten Here I Come!!!

We have been so blessed this year to have found a wonderful preschool! Caleb has had such a great year and we are so thankful for the loving, caring teachers and staff that really make preschool a fun place to grow and learn... glad I have three more coming behind him, or this day would make me REALLY sad!

Caleb had his preschool graduation this morning... sniff, sniff. I think it gets harder with each one!

Getting his diploma and posing for a picture

YES!

Back of the head shot... sure glad we got his hair cut last night :)

Getting ready to sing.... so serious!

Singing!

Of course the best part was the cake and lemonade afterwards!

C and his sweet, sweet teacher Ms. Diane

Now with both teachers, Ms. Stephanie and Ms. Diane.... cannot say enough wonderful things about these two! We have LOVED them!

And of course gotta have one with BFF, Carter!

Crazy buds!

First Lost Tooth!

My sweet little Bubbs has joined the lost tooth club! A few weeks ago Caleb started exclaiming that he had a loose tooth.... well big brother Asher just couldn't believe it as he (Asher) had only lost his first tooth back in December. But after wiggling it for myself, it was confirmed that Caleb did indeed have a loose tooth. So last night during dinner of pork chops and corn on the cob, guess what came out with a bite of pork chop!!!

His first hole!

Stop taking pictures Mom.... you can't even see my tooth in this bag...

Closeup

Ready for the tooth fairy.... who brought 2 whole $$... well after having to scrape up that amount! Ha.... let's just say we're only three teeth into this.... gonna be broke down after all FIVE lose all their teeth!

We're Knights that's right.....

All dressed up for their Medieval Times feast... the lords, ladies, knights, and peasants feasted on chicken pot pie, breads, cheeses

Duke Gardens Field Trip

A few weeks ago all three first grade classes took a trip to Durham, NC and visited the Ronald McDonald House there as well as Duke Gardens and the Duke Chapel. All year long, the GRACE first graders have been collecting soda tabs for the Ronald McDonald House as their service project for the year. I was sad that I missed the first part of the day where they got to go to the house, turn in their tabs, and have a tour of it.... I heard it was awesome.

They then headed over to Duke Gardens for a picnic lunch and then on to the chapel (where I caught up with them) to tour it.... finishing their study of the Middle Ages. It was fun to see all of the beautiful stained glass windows that they had been learning about. Asher's group was a group of 4 boys with one of the boys dads for their chaperone.... they were quite lively :) and kept walking around in the chapel saying "Ohhhhhh, spooky...." Gotta love 6/ 7 year old boys!

After touring the chapel we hiked back down to the gardens for their Easter egg hunt, but unfortunately right as they were starting to collect their eggs it started thundering, lightning, and pouring rain! It was a crazy scene.... kids running everywhere, parents trying to collect their groups and get to their cars (5- 10 minute walk), and the teachers trying to pick up around 700 eggs that were scattered around the grass! The storm passed over quickly and by the time everyone got back to the cars it was over and the sun was shining! Definitely a field trip to remember!

Dedicating the Fifth!

Today marks the end of an era.... five baby boys in 6 1/2 years and all of them dedicated at our church, Providence Baptist. This was the third time to dedicate one of our boys on Mother's Day.... Caleb and Judah we also dedicated on this special day. (Our two summer babies, Asher and Nate, got to do the September dedication!) We never get great pictures of the actual dedication, so like I've done with each of my boys, we have a photo shoot when we get home! I can vividly remember doing this with Asher and wish that those pictures back in the day were digital and easy to upload... I'll have to scan them in and get all of the boys dedication day pictures up here! It was such a sweet time for our family and even more special since Blake is now the children's pastor and got to begin the service and introduce the babies that were being dedicated! We are so thankful for our five precious blessings!

Love this picture.... wish it wasn't blurry

going after his booties

All five of the boys have worn these booties for their dedication.... rite of passage :)

Love his little arm draped over his pillow

Are we done yet Mom?

That time again....

And so it is time that we venture into the wonderful world if dah dah dah DAH..... potty training.... AGAIN! Actually the Bug (aka Judah) has initiated this business all on his own! Not really too shocking in that he watches his three older brothers do this. I have always said that 2 1/2 years old has been my magic age for potty training my boys. That was how old Asher was when he was trained, so I've just used that age as a guide again with both Caleb and Nate and it has worked like a charm. They are old enough to know what it is they're doing and what they're supposed to do. They're also pretty much able to do it by themselves... getting on and off the potty, getting their pants back up (as long as it's an elastic waistband) etc. June will be when Judah is 2 1/2 years so my plan has just been to do it then, the older boys will be out of school, no dropping off/ picking up, waiting in carpool line. The schedule just gets simpler and more relaxed around here. But little man has had other ideas so I think I am going to have to jump in full force a month early.

A couple nights ago before bathtime, I was in the bathroom with J and we were taking off his clothes to get him the tub when he declared he needed to potty and wanted to sit on the big potty. (I have always just gone straight to the big potty with a little seat insert on it when I've trained my boys.... no little pottys around here... just knocks out that extra step!) So he got up on the potty and proceeded to do both potty acts :) (for lack of better words). He was so proud of himself and I really couldn't believe that he already knew to put together what he was doing with the word potty. All the next day at different times he would tell me that he needed to use the potty and when he got on there he would do just that. The clincher for me was when we were at Target yesterday, I was buckling him in his carseat to head home and he said "Mama, potty". So I said, "We'll have to wait till we get home". So as soon as we got home we went to to the potty and low and behold if he didn't do just that! I'm thinking now that a couple times wetting himself in big boy underwear will do the trick and he will know not to go unless he's on the potty if he doesn't want to get wet! (This boy is pretty particular!) We'll keep you posted, but I'm definitely seeing the days of only one in diapers soooooooon :)