Brunch for Baby

One of our favorite things to do as a family is "brunch." We refer to it as "Hobbit Breakfast"
and it usually, especially takes place on Sundays in our home. Bella was born on a Sunday.
I feel like God knew she should come in on the Sabbath.

Cheerful, sunshine glory -
she's our Alleluia, deep rest, skip to Church and run down the aisle girl.

Our little pancake. Our little bacon. Our little syrup. We take turns lavishing sweet names on our
baby girl as we gather Sunday after Sunday to brunch, to take her in, to breathe deep and just BE alive
together. The boys especially love our nickname game for Bella... "our little coffee creamer!"
I will never forget these days. They are everything.

And so it just made sense to ring in her first year with a "Lady Bella Brunch".
Full of her favorite fabric flowers, Curious George, warm syrup and a pancake bar!!!

Thank you, Jesus, for our Sunday baby.
We love you, Bells. XO.

A Pirate Party

Judah recently turned four years old!!! I love to throw parties for my kids, and this year
my little guy wanted "PIRATES". He also wanted a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" -
"Batman" - "SpongeBob" - "Goldfish" - and a "Red" party, but I wasn't sure exactly how to
hone in on all of that. So "PIRATES"!!! I'm not Pinterest, son.

In fact, I promised myself NOT to get on Pinterest to plan his party.
Because panic attack. I just created the good old fashioned way, straight from my brain.

And can we all just pause and stare off into the distance together for a minute?
I have a FOUR and a FIVE year old. And an almost ONE year old. What is going on!?!?
I am so thankful for each of them. The adventures of a lifetime.

Especially thankful for my Judah, the birthday man, this month!!!
He brings such a WILD JOY to our family!!! His whole life is a celebration!!!



FLAG: Some old fabric from Hobby Lobby with a skull mask (yes, we literally just had
that lying around) puttied to the front. Tacked to the window frame and fabulous.

TABLE COVERING: $3 brown bag wrapping paper from Target.
We DIY-ed "PIRATE MAPS" as a family!



LABLES: Used a large hole punch and a lighter to make a burnt fringe to layer and label.
Stuck them on skewers and straight into limes.

WINDOW FLAGS: Old red and black cloth napkins from Target tied together.

Nathan made an incredible "Treasure Map" for Judah!!! It took him and his little buddies
on a hunt around the house and yard to find the buried treasure! He is STILL talking about this.





PIRATE GRANDPA: Free. And so fun!

PINATA: Target. Of course.




CAKE: I ended up finding a plain wooden "treasure chest" and "canoe" at Hobby Lobby for super cheap.
Painted and accessorized - I was pretty proud of the results ($3 total)! Found gold (chocolate) coins
and small pirate figurines at a party store. Coconut for ocean. Crushed graham crackers for sand.
HE LOVED IT!

PIRATE FLAGS: Found a great FREE print on Google images and resized it before printing.
Cut and pasted to toothpicks.





Such a fun day!!!
So thankful for all our family that came out to celebrate with us!!!
Happy Birthday, Judah!!! You. Argh. Loved.

Spider-Man Birthday Party

I always felt like I was more of a "girly girl" and that all the femininity would just spill
over and produce a flock of baby girls for me. But no. I am mother to a small band of brothers
and I can't believe how PERFECT it feels. The whole "boy mom" gig is totally my thing.
Their wild, adventurous, fearless spirits absolutely have my awe and attention.

I love to make all their boyhood dreams come true. Even if it means letting them jump off the arms
of couch in their super hero capes or run around the house in their underwear, in the name of
"Tarzan". They bring dirt, sticks, rocks into our home -- seeing the potential for EVERYTHING to
be wielded as a weapon. They tell me to "calm down, momma" and it makes me smile...

their masculine hearts telling my own, so very different, that they've "got this".

It's really an experience beyond anything I could have ever imagined. My "girly girl" world
is beautifully tainted with all the wonders of "boy". There are flowers on the table and a candle
lit on the piano, but it wouldn't feel complete without their bucket of trucks, tools, action
figures strewn across the floor. It all compliments well.

This year, Judah wanted a "Spider-man" birthday party - and it was so much fun!!!
Thanks for letting me be part of your boy world, baby!!! We love you so much.




_________________________________________
We should go to parties together...
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Judah || My Lion Turns 3

You are wild and wonderful!!! My lion-hearted baby - roaring and marching to the beat of your
own drum since the day you were born. There are not enough words in the English language to tell you
how greatly I love you. I'm glad God chose you for me - and me for you. (birth story)

I didn't know how much I was going to enjoy having you and your brother, Zay, so close together, but
God knew. Best surprise of our lives (miracle story). You two are inseparable. Mistaken for twins by
the public eye multiple times a week - you are the peanut butter to Isaiah's jam - so it makes sense.
I pray you always have each other.

You are strong-willed, determined, friendly, out-going - making friends wherever you go - smiling all
the while. You have a knack for memorization, a magnet for disaster, and the cutest, little "man" voice
that makes me laugh. But when you reeeeeeally want something you use this tiny, manipulative, baby
voice that none of us can resist. You'd think it would get old. But no.

Your name means "PRAISED - FIERY ONE"... and I think it's fitting.

I can't believe you are THREE today. You still seem so "baby" to me. But you like to remind me on
a daily basis that you are NOT the baby - and that the REAL baby is inside my belly button. I'm glad
God gave us all this time with you as our "little one" - it is ALWAYS a JOY to be with you, learn
from you, watch you grow!!!

I love you so much.
Happy Birthday, J-baby XO

- momma