Gabe's actual birthday included a present scavenger hunt, a trip to the park/splash pad with lots of friends (actually a birthday party for a friend of Gabe's), and dinner with family friends at Chic Fila. His actual party took place in New Orleans with family. A HUGE thank you to GiGi and Pops for hosting the party and for making the whole weekend wonderful. I've been reflecting about Gabe's birthday celebrations, and I think in the future I want to focus a little less on things and presents and establish family birthday traditions that create memories rather than "stuff". Ideas? Thoughts? Experiences?
In May, (actually on Mother's Day), Brian was extended a new calling as Branch President of the 4th Branch (Spanish Speaking). We're both overwhelmed (Brian with caring for and growing a flock of the Lord's sheep, me with sitting alone in Sacrament meeting with 3 young kids), but mostly really excited. The branch is small, but close knit and loving. And I get free Spanish lessons in Relief Society. It's great! This week I learned the word for a person who gossips a lot.
Here are some pictures from other happenings in the last month:
Aunt Tiff, Grandma, and cousin Peter made the trip from Utah to Texas to visit. We LOVED having them here, and for a whole week after they left, Josh would ask upon waking, "Pe-er? Tissy? Gama?" Then he'd proclaim where he thought they all were. "Nap!" (Which they probably were, just not in Texas. We wore poor Peter out.)
Then there are these eyes. She gets kissed a lot. I took the poor girl to her "well"-child exam this past week and it turns out she had bronchitis. And a cyst on her head.
Josh graduated from the pacifier for about a week. And then he got sick. And started working on 4 molars at once. So the cries of "paci, paci, paci!!!!" grew more frequent and I gave in. Maybe we'll try again once all those molars work their way through.
Marguerite has recently discovered her hands, fingers, thumb (in mouth), and feet. Here she is admiring the shoes and matchy-smatchy outfit her aunt sent her.
Brian and his band, "Off Our Rocker" played at a festival in a nearby town held this past weekend. The coordinator of the festival RAVED about them.
We've had candy sitting on our counter for the last week, waiting to make it to Brian's new office at the church. It finally got the better of my boys. Gabe threw all this candy to Josh (he's always watching out for his younger brother). When I found Josh, he was like this, but what you can't see are the 5 pieces of candy he sucked on for two seconds, just to throw down to try the next piece.
And Marguerite just encouraged their delinquency with this smile.
This is how Josh gets away with most of his mischief. He just distracts you with this smile and a laugh. He thinks everything is funny right now and will just sit and laugh sometimes. Most of the time, I can't figure out what is so funny.
Going to kiss his sister.
I told Gabe to give me a look of pure joy for this picture. So he smiled big and told me all about his bow and arrow (the hanger). Gabe is a jitter-wiggle-squiggle bug right now. If he's forced to sit, he's jiggling a leg, tearing something apart with his hands, or gives bursts of yells like he's suffering from turrets. He's taking swim lessons right now and that helps use some of his energy.
