T-Ball is officially underway!

Nolan is our first child to start playing a real sport this young, but he is totally ready.  Bryan is his coach, so that helps him feel even more comfortable and excited.

 

He had his first practice on Saturday at the Elementary School ball field.

 

It was so cute watching his little feet shuffle, like Bryan had showed him to get a grounder.

 

 

 

His team is the Tigers this year and he's got several good buddies from preschool on his team.

 

My favorite moment from his first practice was when he was playing 3rd base outfield while all the kids took turns up to bat and none of the balls were coming to him so eventually he goes "Dad?!  What I'm 'posed to do?!"

 

Such a classic Nolan moment...

 

{With his buddy since infancy.}

 

 

It is sure to be an epic season of Little League in the Lawson world with 3 boys playing in separate divisions.  Each with their own practice and game schedule.  Oy vey...good thing I LOVE baseball!!

 



New Center!

Every time the centers change out at preschool, it's a wave of excitement and chatter, but especially when the new center consists of a space themed one. 

 

 

 {I mean, come on..."L.A.S.A."....so cute.  These ladies think of everything and the details are not lost on the kiddos at all.  Nolan is on the "rover."}

 

{Jack at the command center, made out of a box and lids and brads.  So thankful for the effort put in to make the play centers special.  Means so much to them!}

 

Speaking of Jack, I recently treated him to some new school supplies and boy did that make his day.  Who knew rubber bands, filler paper and scotch tape could make someone light up like this? 

 

 

And then there's Luke...oh Luke.  He has reverted back to being super needy at bedtime and naptime, demanding to be rocked and nursed and sang to and then repeat cycle, until he finally dozes off.  I do enjoy the view and the snuggles once he is peacefully snoring.

 

My last baby boy...

 

Cheers to a big boy with a healthy appetite!  It is certainly not lost on me that this little man is my final baby boy, which is maybe why I am so slow to wean him and am babying him a bit more than I did the others at nearly 2.  Every now and then he eats an entire breakfast burrito to remind me just how big he really is though.

 

 

And he does it with such poise and purpose in the big school cafeteria.  It won't be long until he is all boy, but for now I am savoring these last weeks/months that he does still have so much baby left in him. 

 

I can't wait to see him step into the big brother role, especially to a sister.  If ever there was a boy of ours to be the big brother to a sister, it is Luke.  It all makes sense in perfect timing how our family has grown and evolved.  Luke LOVES babies.  Story is sure to love him too!

Almost a 5th Grader?!?!

 

Struck me today that Warren is about to be both a 5th grader and the oldest of 5.

 

{He picked out this outfit as our official first purchase for baby sister on the day we found out we are expecting a girl.} 

 

 

{He regularly changes Luke's diapers--only the wet ones though!}

 

Can't believe this boy (who has been able to say "Starbucks" since he was 1) is almost 10.  With his huge feet and appetite...

 

...but I'm most taken with his huge heart and love of sport and family.  This is his first season playing in the Minors division of Little League baseball.  So looking forward to watching his games and maybe even watching him pitch this year!

 



Time for a post about Jack

Jack's art was recently selected (and subsequently sold!  Not to his mom!) by his art teacher to be a part of a district wide art show.  It was a fancy occasion. 

 

Started the afternoon by getting an updated picture of the boys and their school sign.  It's fun to watch the sign shrink each year.

 

Then it was home for a quick change and then off to Golden!  I was so pleased to see how excited his brothers were for Jack to be spot lighted in this way.  They were genuinely excited for him.

 



 

Ta-Da!  This sold for $75!!  Jack will be getting a check for $25 in the mail soon for his portion.  He's gonna buy a new Lego toy of course.  The theme of the Art Show was ethnicity and diversity and it was incredible.  Art was featured from students through high school and there was some serious talent going on.  So proud to have Jack featured among these young artists in our school district.  So fun!  He is a really an artistic kiddo with an aesthetic eye according to his art teacher. 

 

Another fun thing about Jack recently is that he is authoring original short stories almost daily.  He has a constant stack going on the kitchen table.  We are so amused by his creative flare and desire to share his creations with us.  Keep it up, Jack! 

 

 

I got to take Jack on a one on one date the other day too.  Of course he picked Barnes and Noble for our destination.  He got a new book about The Lego Movie and a minifigure from the movie too.  He is so easy to please and such a mama's boy lately which is just fine by me. 

 

I am so enjoying this time of his childhood with Jack, and even though I often embarrass myself getting teary too, I secretly enjoy the fact that it's not uncommon for him to get weepy when I take him to school each morning.  This boy loves his home and his Mom!  Never stop being the sweet person you are, Jack!!  You are special to us beyond any words.

A typical Sunday

We have so many birthday parties in Spring and with so many kiddos of all ages and their friends.  So, anymore we usually have to split up.  Yesterday, Bryan took Warren and Jack to the shooting range while I took Nolan and Luke to a party.  Warren got his first bullseye with his rifle!  Super proud!!

 



 

Nolan and Luke had a blast too of course at the Little Gym.  Hadn't been there in years since I used to take Warren and Jack for regular classes there. 

 

 

Cuties circled up!

 

 

Beaming on the balance beam for Luke!!  I love his face :)

So...we're having a girl!

Crazy, huh?

 

 

The boys will have a sister.

 

Bryan will have a daughter.

 

I am buying things with scalloped edges and dizzying details that have me leaving the "girl section" of the store like a cross-eyed imposter.

 

She is due August 18th. 

 

Her name is Story Adelaine. 

 



Spring Break 2014

Today is the final day of Spring Break 2014.  Bryan is making is world famous (okay maybe only within the walls of this house famous) vanilla scones, Warren is still sleeping (of course), and I'm reflecting on what exactly happened in the whirlwind that was last week.

 

 

 

My little lefty up to bat practicing for his first year of T-Ball, which Bryan is coaching for his team.  Go Tigers! 

 

We made multiple trips to the school playground.  Nolan got a new "bus" on the preschool playground portion.  He was so excited to show us.  Nolan will be our third boy to graduate from this awesome preschool in a couple months.  We are so grateful for our preschool!

 

There were couch naps, using Lamby Pajamy as a pillow.

 

Jack and his BFF at Chuck E. Cheese for another friend's birthday party.  These two!

 

We toured Hammond's Candy Factory.  Mmmm free peppermint smells and even a few treats from the gift shop at the end.

 

We made at least two trips to the library, where Nolan channeled Elmer Fudd in his new baseball cap.

 

This kiddo loves to read and be read to and look at books.  Can't wait for him to put it all together in Kindergarten and take off reading on his own!

 

Jack's baseball team already started practicing, Warren and Nolan start this week! Jack is so classic cute and cool with a baseball glove!

 

We went to WOW Children's museum and played for HOURS.

 

Waiting at Nordstrom while Mama dropped off Nolan's new Kindergarten backpack to get monogrammed.  What you can't see is that they are looking through catalogues making colorful comments on which girls they would marry.  Amusing??

 

No Spring Break would be complete without a pricey trip to Jump City.  Luke always finds the "blue one."

 

Yep, another blue one, Luke!

 

My favorite picture of the whole break.  These neighbor kids! 

 

When we went to pick up Nolan's backpack, we totally lucked out and came across this mall buggy.  Of course we had to take it for a spin!

 

The final monogrammed product!  I am back on a major thrifting mode of shopping again lately.  Found this bag for only $5 and it is Pottery Barn for Kids brand and is so well made and loaded with details...including Nolan's initially now.  I had to double take and realize this was Luke modeling the bag, not Nolan.  Too bad Luke doesn't start preschool for a whole year after this school year gets out.  Sometimes he seems so ready right now! Well except that he is still nursing and isn't potty trained and isn't even 2 yet :)

::snippets::

::Apparently Warren is already penning an autobiography.  I'll admit, I was a little nervous to see what was behind the title page::

 

 

::In case you wondered what it looks like to go Christmas shopping with 4 kids on December 18th for their Daddy::

::Luke is 7 months old.  He is perfect and I absolutely love his one syllable laugh and the way he needs me.  The hormone that tells me my baby is the best in the world is in full tilt.  But for the record he really is the best one.  Really::

 

::He looks like me!  I'll have to fish out some baby pictures from 1980 to prove it, but I can see it so clearly.  He looks like me! Lucky dog::

 

The events in CT last week are heavy on our hearts.  We can't talk about it much because Jack and Nolan are not old enough to comprehend that kind of information or sorrow, but Warren knows everything.  He wouldn't go to school on Monday, so I picked him up and emailed his principal.  Since then, Warren has been "speaking" to the school psychologist (she says he won't actually talk about it but they play games in her office and he likes to go visit her).  I can't imagine really what that information meant to an 8 year old who previously thought nothing bad could ever happen like that.  It certainly rocked his world and took some of his innocence.  But, I am so glad to have my boy with his damaged innocence in the wake of what those poor parents in CT lost.  This IS the world we live in.  Bad things do happen.  We can't live our lives in fear though.  I, like a lot of people, have my own theories on why there seems to be such an increase of these angry detached young men capable of such horrific things, but I hardly see any point in sharing.  There is enough negativity and vitriol in the world.  What we need is to focus more on good things right now, and give our boys the gift of being able to seek out and give attention to good.  Foster the good in themselves, others, and their surroundings.  So, this new "thing" is just too perfect.  We will do this at least monthly though, not yearly.  I can't wait to get the conversation going about good.

 

::THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD::

 

We've been...

{in no particular order}

 

...eating ENORMOUS bowls of cereal.

 

 

...watching Luke master his walker.  He hurls himself around the main level right over to the Christmas tree usually, when he's not chasing mommy around.  Jackpot!

 

...saying "ooooh" when he shows off his glitter from a wrecked ornament.

 

...making rice crispy treat ornaments.  Nolan says "I love these Happy Holidays, mom."

 

...enjoying Warren dressing up as Santa Claus and taking down everyone's lists.

 

...taking LONG hot soaks on Wednesdays and Sundays.  I love this picture.  Warren REALLY looks like his little baby self here, which is rare to capture anymore.

 

...kicking butt at homework time.  These two come home everyday and straight up get the job done.  No whining or complaining.  So proud of what hard working, smart boys they are.

...marveling at the fact that Luke's head may very already well be larger than Nolan's.

 



 

...hanging out with our "best meatball guy," Benjamin.

 

...teaching or neighbor buddy tricks.

 

...holding our own bottle!  And actually TAKING a bottle.  Luke is still nursing for >90% of his feedings, but every now and then he takes a bottle.

 

...enjoying a month long break from cloth diapering while we introduced solids.  Whew.  That took some getting used to, but we are now back on the bandwagon and doing good with it.

 

...playing our new favorite game "Count Your Peanuts."  So great and good for Nolan to get in some practice counting and learning how to role dice, move your guy, take turns, etc.

...enjoying a 3 day all inclusive trip to Cancun with Bryan's company.  Wow.  The resort was top notch and the weather was superb and my husband has the body of a God.

 

...I rather liked the view from my chair.

 

...while Bryan did his best to channel "The Dude."

 

...enjoying Warren's artwork on display at the Butterfly Pavilion.

 

...thinking he is coming along as an artist!  Although he did say "I could have done better, mom."

 

...pigging out at Dairy Queen with our friend, Henry, staying the night.

...decking the halls for a truly epic Christmas 2012 (note the boy in only underwear in the entry of my house.  classy.)

 



 

...looking at old pictures of Bryan on his dirt bike as a kid.  Just because ;)

It's kind of funny even for me when I do these catch-up posts.  Someone might easily conclude that we have pretty exciting go-go-go lives.  When really, I am at home folding laundry, updating our desk calendar, and wondering how it is that every surface in my kitchen is covered in goo the vast majority of the time.  Reality versus perception :)