Turning 60 Like a Boss

We have lots of family birthdays in September. 

Another big one this year was my dad's. 

 He turned 60 on the 24th. 

 My mom has thrown my dad parties on his 30th, 40th, and 50th birthdays so we have known for months dad would have a party for his 60th. 

 We also knew his big birthday fell right in between mine and Olivia's due dates. Because of this, mom planned his party in early september so we could have it before both babies came. Well, our plans did not work out so well since Dylan made his arrival unexpectedly early. But, we partied anyway! 

 Even though Dylan was 3 days old and I had been in the hospital the whole week and mom had kept Kinley and Ty all week, the party was still on and we celebrated big. 

 It was fantastic and totally something my dad loved. 

 He is social and so fun and never meets a stranger and a more the merrier kind of guy. So, their party had an even 100 people at it, including Dylan. 

 Mom had a valet and catered La Hacienda and hired a bartender, it was so fun. 

 She had tables set up in the backyard with lights strung and all of his favorite family and friends. 

 It was a great party. 

 Oh, and I should mention she also "hired" our resident party photographer, Mendy. I am not sure what we would do without her picture taking time and skills. 

 Mom and I made dad a book of all his party pictures for him to open on his actual birthday, so there are only a few, mainly of family, posted here. 

Dad giving a little speech before dinner 

 

The party crowd 

Mom and I custom made these cups & koozies and I love how they turned out. 

 So fun that "like a Boss" is such a popular phrase right now and it's his grandpa name!

   

I thought I was crazy taking Dylan to a party with 100 people when he was 3 days old but, he's the third child.....

No, but seriously, 

we quarantined ourselves in mom & dad's room and barely saw anyone and left by 8:30.

 But, we did get to see all my grandparents in one place and that was so worth it to introduce Dylan to his all his great-grandparents at one time.

    More party pics

My brothers like to match... 

 

LOVE this pic of my family...Dylan and I had already left but, I just think everyone looks so cute and is posed perfectly and Bart even has his koozie turned the right way.

   

On Dad's real birthday Ben, Dylan and I rode with mom and dad and met up with Bart and Olivia and Matt and Sandy at Lawry's in Addison for a great family dinner. 

 When mom and dad came to pick us up I had cupcakes and candles ready for Boss so he could celebrate with Kinley and Ty also.

   

Happy 60th birthday Boss! 

 You are the best dad in the world, an amazing example of a husband, and a servant-leader to our family. 

 You give the best advice, even though you really mostly listen and guide us to make our own choices. 

 You are so consistent in everything you do, whether it be working out on the stepper every morning of your life, going to work everyday, or never wanting to be out of town on a Sunday so you don't miss church. But, in all of that consistency you are still the life of a party, love to try new things, meet new people, and travel new places. 

 You are solid source of praise and encouragement for all of your kids and grandkids. 

You have taught us all to have a work ethic that consists of always trying your best, being full of integrity, and letting go what you can't control. 

 Thank you that you have always been a standard for me in my life in how to be treated. 

Thank you for always seeing the best in people and never holding on to resentment. 

Thank you for always loving Ben like he was born your son and cheering him on just like you do me, Bart and Matt. 

 Thank you for always saying I love you and for ending every text or email with "love, Dad." 

Thank you for so many other things that I can't even put into words. 

 I love you so much and I hope you had the best 60th birthday!

Ty - 3 Years Old

My sweet Ty boy. 

 You turned THREE years old on September 14th. I can't even believe how fast these three years have flown by. 

I am so, so glad we had your birthday party early since your little brother made an early arrival. 

 But, we still wanted to do a little celebrating on the actual day. 

 

The 14th was a Sunday and after church Honey & Boss and Pops & Gram and Alex came over to eat, have cake and open a few presents. You were so excited about every single gift you opened. 

 

Family of 5 pic! 

 

Aunt Minnie made you this amazing shirt on her new monogramming machine. 

 

You were especially excited about your spiderman bicycle from Honey & Boss 

 

Not so sure about the helmet though

   

We took rice krispie treats to your school to sing happy birthday with Ms Lisa and your class. 

We went for your three year old check up with Dr. Scott and Dylan joined us too for his 2 week well-check. 

 This was the first of your yearly well-checks that you brothers will have together from now on.

 

You are 34 pounds 50th percentile and 38 3/4 inches tall 70th percentile. 

 I started the annual birthday questionnaire with you this year and your answers are so right on with what you are in to right now. 

 1. What is your favorite color? BLUE 

2. What is your favorite toy? THOMAS 

3. What is your favorite fruit? STRAWBERRIES 

4. What is your favorite tv show? PEPPA PIG 

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? BEEBELL SHELLS AND CHEESE (velveeta) 

6. What is your favorite outfit? THOMAS SHIRT 

7. What is your favorite game? HIDE & SEEK 

8. What is your favorite snack? FRUIT SNACKS 

9. What is your favorite animal? BELLE & BOWIE (baby elephants at the Zoo) 

10. What is your favorite song? PARTY IN THE USA 

11. What is your favorite book? THE GIVING TREE & THE BIBLE 

12. Who is your best friend? KINLEY....(as my mom heart melts into a pool on the floor) 

13. What is your favorite cereal? THE BLUE BOX (Toasted Oatmeal Squares) 

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? RUN 

15. What is your favorite drink? LEMONADE 

16. What is your favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS 

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? TWILIGHT TURTLE 

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? CINNAMON ROLLS 

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? PIZZA 

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? BATMAN 

 A few things about you right now..... 

 - You are still a great eater. You will pretty much try anything at least once. Your favorite restaurants are chickfila, chipotle and chilis. Your favorite meals at home are spaghetti, sandwiches, and all things breakfast (cinnamon rolls, pancakes, waffles, etc) and you LOVE fruit. All kinds of fruit and eat it with every meal without fail. And you still want to have a turn to pray at every meal. Even if dad or Kinley or I say the prayer, you want a turn too. 

 - You are still an amazing sleeper. You go to bed about 8:00 and wake up around 6:45 or 7 when Kinley is about to go to school. And when you get out of your bed and come to see us in the kitchen you smile and announce "Here my am!." On days you are home, you still nap about 2 1/2 to 3 hours a day. 

 - You are very in to all things motorized. You love cars, trains (obvi), planes, motorcycles, fire trucks, etc. If it has an engine and moves, you like it. You can still play for a very extended period of time with your train table and you are beginning to enter that make-believe world that Kinley is so fond of. You create scenarios and make up stories and make up different uses for toys and it is so fun to see your mind work.

 - This pretend world is starting to include playing dress up more and more. You like spiderman, buzz lightyear, hulk and stuff like that...but, if you could pick what you wear everyday, you would pick pajamas. All day, everyday. Right now you are obsessed with your captain america button down pjs and your yo gabba gabba and ninja turtles zip up footed onesies (seriously....and all hand-me-downs from Maverick) Sometimes you put on clothes just for an hour or so to go out of the house and come right home and put on pajamas again. 

 - You also LOVE bugs, insects, lizards and anything that crawls and you want everyone around you to be as excited about them as you are. If you see one roly-poly you come get me by the hand and take me to it to see it. If you see another one a minute later, I must see that one too. And so on and so forth for every bug you might see. Even if you spy it from inside the house. 

 - You also love yourself some TV, ipod, ipad time too. It is so strange for me because Kinley has never been into the ipod or ipad really. You are a different story, you can play games, navigate it, look up your favorite you tube videos and amazon prime shows all without my help. It is a little disconcerting and amazing at the same time. You are proving to definitely be a child of the technology age and I forsee many years of limiting your screen time ahead. 

 - Your absolute favorite thing to watch on you tube is thomas the train videos. And I don't mean episodes of the show. I mean videos that other kids or parents create of their actual thomas the train cars. Videos of them crashing into each other, naming every car in their collection, trains just going around the track to thomas songs, etc. It is such a strange thing. I often ask you why dont you just actually go play with your own trains rather than watch some other kid play with their trains. But, even Ben, after watching it for a few minutes couldn't deny its pull. And I guess they aren't alone because these videos have like 5 million views. Crazy. (all you need to do is search for thomas the train on you tube and you will see what I am talking about) 

 - You love, love, love your siblings. Kinley is still your BFF (as you said in your questionnaire). You miss her terribly on days she is at school, even though I think you do secretly love some more attention from mom. The minute she walks in the door you want to play with her and run around like crazy. But, you can switch gears on a dime and be the sweetest, most gentle big brother to Dylan. You ask to hold him multiple times a day and it is probably the only time you sit absolutely still all day and the only time you talk at a normal decible. 

 - On that note, you still only speak in a shout. It's seriously like you can.not. talk in a normal speaking voice. Everything is loud and exciting...all times of the day.

 - Although a majority of the time you are obedient and have great manners, you are definitely exerting your independence. You want to do "it" (whatever "it" is) yourself. When you get your mind set on what you want to do, or eat, or watch, or play with, you want it right then and it is almost impossible to get past that thought without some sort of meltdown. Kinley is amazing with you right now regarding this. She pretty much gives in to you constantly. I am teaching her that she does not have to give in every time and teaching you that you don't always get your way or get to pick first. 

 - This includes preferring mommy to do everything with you / for you. You still prefer mom to help you with almost everything. Putting your clothes on, pouring your juice, turning on a particular show for you, buckling your car seat, whatever it is, you want me to do it. You are slowly learning, especially with Dylan here, that dad is totally capable and loves helping you with those things too. Kinley learned it when you were a baby and now you are too, even if it elicits a small meltdown.

 - But, one thing I LOVE as your mommy and that I don't want to end is that you still love to sit and cuddle with me. I treasure it. When my lap is open, you crawl in it and I can still just hold you. You are not too big yet. 

 - My favorite time of the day with you is putting you to bed. Even though there are times it is a little difficult to wrangle you in bed, once I get you there it is my favorite. You want me to sing to you every single night. Even if I am busy with Kinley or Dylan while dad puts you in bed, you always, always request a song. It is a tradition that we have done since you were an infant and I would walk around your room singing and praying and holding you until you went to sleep. You still love it. We almost always sing Jesus Loves Me and Twinkle, Twinkle. Sometimes you want me to sing twinkle, twinkle three times in a row. Lately, you have requested songs that Kinley likes to jam in the car like Taylor Swift or Party In the USA and sometimes you even make up a song. Like the "moon song" you made up. When I tell you I don't know how that goes, you sing it to me and then ask me to sing it back to you. The whole time we sing I lay down with you and we cuddle and hold hands and I kiss your face and hands and you let me. It is the sweetest thing. I never want it to end. 

 TyTy, you are the sweetest, funniest, most full of life three year old. 

 You are a constant source of joy and fun and laughter for our family. 

 I love you and your brother and sister and dad so much that sometimes I think my heart might burst. 

 I praise God everyday for my four greatest blessings. 

 I pray daily for you and for your future. I pray that you continue to have an unfiltered, sweet and innocent heart. 

 I pray that you keep your sense of humor and your ability to make people laugh. 

 I pray that you are a good friend and have a solid group of friends to walk through life with. 

 I pray most of all that you seek and find Jesus and make him Lord of your life. 

 I pray you have a hunger for learning and digging deep into God's word and a passion for prayer. 

 I love you so much TyTy. 

 I am so thankful God let me be your mommy. 

 Happy 3rd Birthday!

Ty's First Day of 2 year old Class

Ty's first day of school was supposed to be before Dylan was born but, instead Dylan was a week old. 

 So, we didn't get a full on photo shoot with Kinley or pics outside or anything. 

 But, I took a few and here they are. 

 

Your teacher this year is Ms Lisa and we were SO excited to have her. 

 She was Kinley's aide in her 4 year old class last year and we love her and know her well. So helpful for me with Dylan being such a new baby and me missing so much right at the beginning of school. 

 She also asked me to home room mom this year and it will be my first time. 

 I have purposefully avoided it but for Ms Lisa, I am happy to do it.