Bike

One morning over spring break Steven suggested to the boys that they take their bikes down to the park and ride around. Will wanted to take his "motorcycle" a.k.a. tricycle, and Matt wanted to take the Strider bike. Steven wanted Matt to take his real bike for a spin, so he toted that down too. I didn't arrive on the scene until after the action happened, but I'm told that Matt just needed a couple pushes on his bike and he took off after that. I got down there and he had the biggest grin plastered across his face just cruising around on his bike. So proud! He did great and was loving every moment of it. We're pretty sure all that time on the Strider bike really helped him learn how to balance and steer. The transition to the bike was a piece of cake!

Will, not to be outdone, scooted around on his motorcycle with an equal amount of enthusiasm. You may not be able to tell, but in this video he has a cheesy grin on his face the whole ride up to the camera. I love Matt weaving in and out of the frame. Now Steven has a cycling partner! Look out, here come the Jones boys.

Strawberry Farm

To kick off our spring break last Monday, Joy & I took the kids to Sweet Berry Farms in Marble Falls. We first took Matt & Ava when they were 1, and we've been back every year since. Following a rainy weekend, Monday was slated to be a sunny, gorgeous day so we loaded up the kids and make the trek. The big kids and little kids immediately paired off.

We got out to the rows and rows of plants, and we were all amazed at how large and red all the strawberries were. Quite an impressive crop this year!

I was glad to have Matt there to help fill up our basket and carry the thing.

Will wasn't big on picking the strawberries. He enjoyed traipsing through the mud and going up and down the rows. And making faces at and harassing Henry. Eventually, Joy & I both had our baskets filled up. And we were all caked in mud.

We walked over to visit the goats, but they were oddly uninterested this year.

Will & Henry picked up sticks and shot each other repeatedly.

We found this awesome tree for the kids to climb on.

Will loved it until a bug landed on him. He has got to shake this bug phobia; it is simultaneously hilarious and maddening. After a quick change of clothes in the parking lot we enjoyed a delicious lunch complete with pie at the Bluebonnet Cafe. It was a perfect way to spend our morning.

Will fell asleep just as we got into town. Thankfully he continued his snoozing once we got home. And now we have a huge basketful of beautiful strawberries just waiting to be made into something delicious.

Sports Day

Yesterday Matthew's elementary school had a sports day. It was a day of active, outdoor fun that they have apparently been practicing for for months now. We of course wanted to come watch him. Because, seriously, look at that face...the boy was ready to show his stuff. Conveniently, the day fell on Steven's day off.

It was a field day with all sorts of different events that they rotated around to.

Matt has his first experience being tied to a girl. Not so coordinated together. That team needs some work.

Some stellar sack jumping.

Watching kindergarteners hula hoop is quite the hoot.

They had a lot of fun with these scoop things.

They went to the gymnasium for a few events like a rope climb, gymnastics, and the rock wall.

I think Matt's favorite part of the day was that we ate lunch with him in the cafeteria. Matt talks about the lunchroom SO much, and he was thrilled for us to experience it all in person.

After lunch Will reached his limit and was ready for nap time, so I took him home. Steven stayed for the much anticipated baton relay race.This video is beyond words. His facial expression alone while running full speed is classic enough, and then he finishes it with an amazing victory dance that even gets his teacher giggling. It's truly a keepsake. I could watch it all day.

The kids were rewarded with popsicles after the last big event. It was really fun to see Matt in action and to see him interact with his classmates. His school does some great things, sports day included, and we are loving it. I can't believe his kindergarten year is almost over!

We've expanded

Basically since Will was born Steven & I struggled with the decision to go for #3 or not. You think about it, and of course we knew we wanted to be parents so having #1 wasn't a question, it was just a matter of when, and then we didn't want an only child so it was a no brainer to have #2. But that #3...we thought about that one for a long time. Everything feels so nice and balanced with two and things are pretty easy. At least for now. Did we want to disrupt that nice balance and invite what we believed to be total chaos into our lives with a third child? Could we have 3 kids in this little house? Can I squeeze 3 kids into my Passat wagon? Can I stand to be huge and pregnant one more time? Can I commit to nursing for another year? Can I handle schlepping this poor 3rd child while I shuttle his older brothers to and from school? Will we have room for another fridge one day? Will we ever get out of this house? Will we ever be able take this group on vacations?

After much prayer and seeking the Lord's wisdom, I felt He gave me a clear answer. It got to the point where I couldn't get it off my mind, I was thinking about it constantly; I was ready to make a decision one way or another. God laid it on my heart that we should do it, and once I gave myself over to that I have had complete and total peace about it since. I know it's the right decision. I'm not so sure if Steven was quite at that same level of confidence as I was, but he willingly, if slightly begrudgingly went along. God is faithful and allowed us to get pregnant almost immediately. I am amazed at how He works and how He answers prayers.

The pregnancy has been great so far. I've felt great all along the way. A little tired in the beginning, but not too bad. I had a sonogram 2 days before Christmas where we learned it was another boy. My motivation going into this was not to "try for a girl" even though it would have been fun to get to experience raising a girl. As soon as the sonographer put the wand on my belly he said, "well, you sure you want to find out?" and there it was. Total boy! I'll admit I was initially disappointed, but that lasted all of 3o seconds. God had blessed us with another healthy baby boy, and I was excited. Matt & Will were there with us too. Matt expected a girl all along, but he was fine with the revelation that it was a boy. Will had no idea what was going on. He thinks he has a baby in HIS tummy. He'll get it here in a few months. :)

I am now 29 weeks, and my belly is HUGE. It's quite a sight for onlookers. At 4'8" I do look ridiculous with this huge basketball of a belly. But where else is it going to go? Straight out, that's where. I've had people ask me if I'm due any day. No. May 14th. "Oh honey, I don't know if you're going to make it!" Thanks for the encouragement!! Seriously people. Please don't say anything but kind, positive words to a pregnant lady. I'm emotional enough. I am most appreciative of those who tell me I look great or that I'm almost there. While I may not agree that I look great and I sure don't feel cute, I am counting my blessings that it's been a healthy pregnancy and that I feel great.

This sweet little boy is thriving in there and growing right on track. He's measuring a few days ahead and was already 3 lbs. last week. Could be another big one. I'm hoping to strike a balance between Matt's 9lb. 3 oz. 20.5 in. and Will's 7lb. 1 oz. 18 in. We shall see! His name has yet to be decided. We're still struggling with it. But, you all will find out when he's born! It's a 3rd c-section for me which hasn't been scheduled yet. Cut along the dotted line there, Doc. I pray the recovery won't be too bad. As the day approaches I get more and more excited to meet this sweet baby boy and hold him in my arms. What will he look like? What is his personality? Life with 3 boys is going to be a blast. It will be loud and messy, and they will eat us out of house and home, but I am so thankful for the blessing of these boys. God knew what He was doing when He gave us 3 of them, I am confident in that! This little guy is going to fit right in.

Clearly, I've fallen behind again

I think I'll start way back at the beginning of the month with the Super Bowl. It was another fantastic year playing for the Whole Austin Fantasy Football League or WAFFL as it is known. While I made the playoffs this year, I did not take home the trophy. This year Sarah was the big winner!!! A fine performance, Sarah, and way to bring it back to the ladies. If you're keeping score, that's 4 wins for the ladies and 1 for the dudes. Yesssssss!!

You can see the guys' distaste for the situation...

We dined on waffles and other breakfast delights as is our tradition.

At least we're guaranteed that every kid will be agreeable to eating a waffle, right? Even picky Will.

The kids piled in one of the guest rooms for a movie marathon while we watched the game. Matt kept running out to catch the score and watch a few plays. He was pulling for the Giants so he was more than exuberant when they won. And he of course now says that he will play for the Giants one day. Or the Cowboys.

Steven took the boys to get me some Valentine treats at Lammes candies, and they took some home for themselves as well. Steven & I enjoyed a nice little Valentine breakfast at Kerbey Lane while both boys were in school. Then we came home and cleared out Matt's room to get ready for the arrival of the new bunk beds. So romantic! But then every moment with Steven is. :) Aaawwww...

And apparently Valentine's Day is a big deal at school because Matt had a big party and everyone in his class exchanged Valentines. This is how he chose to decorate his bag while at school. While the words love are all around the edge, you'll find a fight to the death there in the middle. His dude won, of course, with 65 points.

Then Matt expressed his nerdy side with a written forecast for Austin, Taos Ski Valley, Goldthwaite and Port Aransas. He is one funny and complex boy.

With this "winter" we're having, we've been able to get outside quite a bit. The boys have enjoyed stomping and sprinting across the bridge at the park by our house.

And....(drum roll......)....Steven has purchased his first bike! I know, you're like what? Steven is a cyclist? He's into that? Tight pants and tiny seats and all that? Well, not exactly, but he is sure excited about his new form of leisurely exercise, and his kids are thrilled for him too. He looks ready to ride for his country, doesn't he?

Matt got a sharp new yellow helmet to wear while riding his bike. Lately though, he's enjoyed Will's Stryder more than his own bike. He's ridden it down the street with Steven in the lead on his bike, and they've taken it down to the park. It's pretty cute.

And, this is what Will did for about a week. He had some kind of virus or something that left him feeling puny, fussy, sleepy, whiny, and generally miserable. Praise God he is finally feeling better and acting like my silly little Will; strong willed as ever. Believe me, I'll take that any day over limp, holdmemommy, don'tleavemysightmommy, crywhinecrywhine Will. Good to have him back.

He's growing up

I'm not sure why...maybe it has something to do with him going to school and being around lots of other kids, or maybe it's his age, but since Matthew turned 6 some things in him have begun to awaken...things about him I didn't know were there. It's been unfolding over the last few months, and it's fascinating to watch.

Matthew has always been the cerebral type; an intellectual if you will. He's been known to spend lots of time drawing maps but never really drawing pictures. Lately though, he's been drawing very elaborate pictures of his school. He's drawn his classroom, his art class, and a detailed drawing of him and his classmates running around the track. Track days are a big deal to Matt. Apparently, they have broken themselves down into teams and collect points for the number of laps they run and what place they finish. This has breathed a whole new spirit of competitiveness in my son. It sounds like he and his classmate, Finn, are always battling it out for first place. I've learned that there is a punk kid named Max who likes to push. This doesn't seem to bother Matt though because he just breezes through fighting for first. He did confess that he teases the others as he runs past them. He's said he even runs extra laps so his team will get more points. The kid is motivated and he likes to win. He is always so proud on the days he comes in first place.

Matthew has begun some creative writing as well. This piece he wrote right before Christmas. He had told me that he and his friend Anna write stories for their chapter book while they're at recess. This one he wrote down one day in Art class after he'd finished with his work. This is what it says......The Adventures of Matthew and Anna; Book 1: Super Kids. One day at dawn some zombies showed up. They took us to jail. But Matthew Gun Boy got some break out of jail juice. That was our first book 1. So awesome. I can't wait for the second installment!

Matt has never really been interested in sports; viewing nor participating in them. As football season progressed, he became more and more excited by watching the games on TV. By the time playoffs came around, he had favorite teams and would sit and watch the games with us. He nearly cried when the Saints lost in the playoffs. I think the original pull to it probably had to do with his love of numbers. He was interested in the scoring and how the game was divided up into quarters. Then he began to pay more attention to the actual game, and a passion for football developed.

Now, he plays football in the house and out in the backyard almost daily. He tries to convince Will to play with him, but when Will isn't agreeable he plays the most hilarious games of football outside all by himself. It's like he's play-calling and running the plays at the same time. My favorite is when he tells me to watch the replay of a certain catch, tackle or touchdown. He re-enacts the entire sequence in slow motion falling dramatically to the ground or reaching up with a face torn in concentration to make an amazing catch. It's a sight to behold, let me tell you. He will either tell me to keep score on a sheet of paper or he will run inside after each play and keep score with his magnetic letters and numbers on the fridge. What's confusing though is the matchups are often a college team versus a pro team. Baylor has been known to play the Redskins. And Texas has been known to play the NY Jets.

Matt really loves the afternoons that Steven is home and will actually play football in the yard with him. They run and throw the ball and tackle each other and imagine all kinds of glorious scoring drives. Again, it's a real treat to watch. What's my favorite part? It's difficult to choose between Matt's sheer determination and tenaciousness, Will's enthusiasm and complete non-understanding of how the game of football is played and his natural instinct to run in the wrong direction, or Steven hustling back and forth across the yard being brought down by two small people. There's a lot to love about this particular photo: Steven's face as Matt wraps his arms around him and crushes his tenders, Matt's unrelenting desire to bring Steven down, and that Matt lost a shoe in the process. So, so funny.

Riding on the heels of his recent love of football, I have signed Matt up to play flag football in March. He is super duper excited. If he can match the intensity and enthusiasm with which he plays his games at home with playing on a team, I think he's going to be amazing. Can't wait to watch him!

Willybird turns 3!

Will has been excited about his birthday for a LONG time. We've probably talked about it daily since Matt's birthday back in Nov. when he was reduced to tears that the bounce house was going away. That's when I told him he'd have to wait until his birthday in January to see another bouncy house in the yard. Oh mercy, it's been a long wait. He would mention his big day and say, "sing happy birthday, William??" I'd tell him we'd sing to him on his birthday which was months, weeks, or days away and he would lose it. If I sang him happy birthday right then and there he would get so mad--"no Mommy!!! Don't sing it!" I think he really wanted me to fast forward time and miraculously make it his birthday.

Praise God the day finally came, and he was overjoyed! He & Matthew began bouncing before the party began. One traumatizing moment: Steven decided to switch the cord that plugged in the bouncy house to a different outlet, and he unplugged it while Will was still inside bouncing thinking that he would be fine. Well, the castle walls began to slowly fold in on him and he LOST it. He was terrified. Steven made it all better by laughing hysterically at him. Poor Will. He recovered, thankfully, with the help of a bowl of Cheetos and greeting his friends that were beginning to arrive. The rest of the day though he would point at Steven and say, "Daddy, you not turn it off!!!"

We had a Chick-fil-a nugget tray for lunch along with the typical fruit, veg, and chips. Yum!

It came time for cake, and Will was super excited. All along he told me he wanted a "race car Lightning McQueen birthday". Ok. So, I did a very fun #3 race track cake.

And a Lightning McQueen cake. And guess who's been eating the leftovers all week? Me!

His big moment came. We all sang happy birthday and he grinned the entire time looking all around the room at all the smiling, singing faces.

The McQueen pinata received a beating from almost every kid in attendance. Matt was the one to give it the final blow this time. You can imagine the pleasure he got from that. "Mommy, I can't believe I busted open my first pinata ever in my life today!!"

Cousins. They love each other they do.

The party eventually came to an end, and Will took his nap. He woke up and we had more family bouncing time. It took a major effort to get my pregnant self up that thing, but hey, I did it!

What, you don't pile up at the bottom of an inflatable slide and eat potato chips as a family? You're missing out.

After we'd jumped all we could and formally said good-bye to the bouncy house deflating it after gaining Will's permission, we came inside and watched Will open his gifts.

Tuesday was his actual birthday. He went to school that day, and I sent him with cupcakes to share with his class. Before school he opened the gifts that were from us. A super sweet Strider bike! And helmet. It's funny, he won't get on the bike now without wearing the helmet. With that helmet on it looks as though he could topple over at any moment. He's been striding around the house on that thing all week.

We gave him some new Cars cars as well. He absolutely loves them. His gnarly crashes have resulted in some small, delicate pieces breaking off his precious cars.

Tim & Pam came over that afternoon and gave Will this awesome ukulele. That boy loves to make music.

Matt got his turn with it and Will shouted out some indiscernible lyrics on the mic. Boy band! It was a pretty fabulous birthday for Will. I think he even understands that it's over now and hasn't asked for "happy birthday William" since. I gotta say, it's been nice! We are so thankful for our Will. He spices up life around here and keeps us either laughing hysterically or negotiating his often ridiculous demands. He intensely loves his brother and adores playing with him. Tonight we tucked Matt into bed and Will said, "I want to sleep with Matthew!". He got all snuggled under the covers with him. Not tonight, son, but soon. The bunk beds have been ordered!