Sawyer Turns Two.

Well, here we are again ... another birthday for a Boonie Boy. It's been two years since Mr. Sawyer McKinnon Boone entered our world and our hearts; our world changing forever for the indescribable better.
Sawyer is always on the go, rarely sitting still. He wakes up in the morning asking for chocolate milk and a show which right now means either Joseph: King of Dreams, Rango, or one of the 457 Land Before Time's. He will watch about 20 minutes as he adjusts to the morning before taking off all his clothes and begging to go outside. In a perfect world he would never, ever wear clothes and seems very annoyed at their existence.

Here's some deets on Sawyer Boone these days:

-We weighed him today and he weighed in at 33.4 pounds ... Meaning roughly, he's a moose. When he and Dalton are wrestling around you can hardly tell a difference in their size, however when standing Dalton is about a head taller.

- He is wearing size 3T clothes, and size 9 shoes ... Biggin'.

-He is in size 5 Diapers ... when he's wearing them. We've actually been "kinda" working on potty training. He will sometimes use his potty chair and does show interest in potty training. But he's also still VERY much in diapers.

-After losing his top two teeth last year, he now has six left on the top, and eight on the bottom.

-He goes to sleep at 8:30pm and usually wakes up between 8:30-9:00am.

-His favorite drink is by far chocolate milk, but he'll drink apple juice and (iced) water occasionally. Some of his ever-growing list of favorite foods include: POPSICLES, bananas, strawberries, grapes, avocado, turkey, cheese, yogurt, chicken, pancakes, scrambled eggs, mac 'n cheese, fruit snacks ... I'm kind of laughing as I type this ... the boy just doesn't really have many foods he doesn't like.

-Sawyer Boone is FEARLESS. He will jump off anything, loves water, and pretty much loves giving me a heart attack with his antics. I do not miss a night of begging God to protect this rowdy boy with THOUSANDS of angels. Please Lord, please.

-He has been talking up a storm lately. I get a big kick out of how if I ask him if he's a baby he'll say, "No, I a big boy!" But, when I'm getting on to him he's says oh-so-sweetly, "Mommy, I a baby!" My, oh my.
 He says all kinds of little sentences/phrases ... not sure how much of it the average person would understand, but his family knows exactly what he's saying: "I play golf tomorrow?" is a favorite question ... that boy loves a golf course.

-Loves, loves, loves his family. He plays hard with his brother and sister all day, I seriously could easily forget that he and Dalton are two years apart, they play together allllll day. They are both really into dinosaurs since they found all the Land Before Time movies on Netflix and spend lots of the day in dinosaur wars. They are also expert expeditionists in the little green space behind our house. They spend about 75% of the day trudging through the "wilderness" in just their undies and crocs, clutching big walking sticks and bows and arrows. Gahhh, I love them so much.

-He is just The. Funniest. Thing. He has SO much personality and his little expressions are priceless. He is just a HOOT and we are over the moon for him.

- He also kinda has an "awful" streak ... He's not at all mean or necessarily trying to be bad, but the kid just loves to make a mess. He gets in all my canisters on the counters at least once a week and mixes up the coffee into the flour, the flour into the sugar, the sugar into the coffee ... ugh. He just walks through the house pulling things out of drawers and leaving a trail. It's lovely. I'm hoping that that all fades out by birthday number 3.

-Lets end on a good note, a dancing note. As soon as any music starts he SQUEALS and starts dancing his socks off (well, he would if he ever wore socks). He can move like no one else; flips, turns, hops and kicks are all part of his routine. It is truly a sight to behold.

Here are some pics of our sweet boy this year:

Look how much you've changed in two years!

  Dear Sawyer Boone,
I am just head over heels in love with you. I have to scoop you up and smother you with kisses multiple times a day because I just can't snuggle close enough sometimes. I think you are the most precious thing I've ever laid my eyes on and I truly love being around you. I love your darling personality and can already tell you are going to bring so much joy to the Boone family, I'm sure you will be quite the ham.
Sawyer, I pray each and every night that you will do big things for His Kingdom. I pray that you will use all the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with to bring Glory to His name! I know you will be such a Light and I'm so glad I get a front row seat to see you grow into the man of God I know you will be.
You are dearly, dearly loved.
Lots of x's and o's,
Mommy

Happy 4th to My Dalton!

Today we are celebrating my sweet Dalton's 4th bithday. Something about the fact that he is in 4T/5T clothes and has been for several months softens the blow of having him growing another year older. And he definitely seems four. BUT, I have to throw in the cheesy line that it's hard to see him getting older. Every time he yells across the playground "I love you Mommy! I think you're bee-you-ti-fulll" my heart kinda breaks a little because I know this season is so short-lived, that he won't be a mama's boy forever (cue the tears). I mean, I don't want him to be, but, okay ... I kinda do.

When Dalton was born, I fell hard and fast. My mama's heart was already prepared on how to open up and love a baby (with Avery I was so overwhelmed with the responsibility it took me a few months to fall head over heels). But with Dalton, I just loved him from the first millisecond and was completely obsessed. I still am ... he's my sweetest child. It's true. All three clearly fill my heart equally, but Dalton just lovveessss his mama. He loves me to sit (and preferably sleep) right by him at all times, he gives me random undeserved kisses all through-out the day and just makes me feel like the bestest person in the whole wide world. He is a baby lamb. Dalton Boone LOVES all animals in every shape and size. I've been grilling him about birthday wishes and all he will ask for is more tiny animals. I finally got out of him he wanted a sword and shield and maybe a bow and arrow ... but really he's always happy with a little animal from Tractor Supply, but he will have to pick them out himself- no telling what he would want ... Other than that he's just very low maintenance.

I'm excited to spend this weekend at the lake with him ... swimming, jumping, treasure hunting, tubing and of course dining on delicious grub (which he's asked for ribs ... of course, he did). He's SUCH a boy. HE is constantly wanting to be naked (although he has recently discovered that wearing underwear makes a perfect holster for his swords (see above picture).

He gallops like a horsey everywhere he goes, constantly holding a club, sword, stick or some time of cooking utensil pretending it's s weapon. He just makes me laugh. And cry. And smile. He's lovely.

Dalton Boone, you are delightful in every way. You are so sweet, so fun, so loving and you just make every day more special. I love having such a helpful big brother who is so quick to watch out for his little brother AND big sister, how big are you?!?! You already have a heart for Jesus and love hearing all the bible stories. Your nightly prayers are the sweetest little things I've ever heard. I love how much you love animals and your swords, you are such a tender warrior- I pray you will you use all your love of adventure for Jesus, and I just know you will make such a splash in The Kingdom.
You are my most favorite four year old in the whole world, and I can't wait to see how much more special you become this next year!!!
I sure do love you sweet boy!
xoxo, Mommy

Celebrating Avery.

As Avery's birthday was approaching we explained to her that we still haven't met a lot of kids here and there really wasn't any way to do a "party." But Mom and Rach have PROMISED Avery that she will get her cake decorating party when we get back to AR. So, we asked Avery what all she wanted to do for her day of fun ... she said she wanted a shopping spree at Target, a trip to Chuck E. Cheese, and wanted to go read books and get a cupcake at Barnes and Noble. For some reason this totally tickled me, I mean ... my birthdays aren't much different and I'm 26. I just love her. ;)

I didn't snap as many pics as I would have liked, buecause everyone was hardly sitting still. All the blurred pics of kids on the move were confirming that it's officially time to start pinching pennies for a fancy schmancy camera. The iPhone was just not cutting it.

After waking up to her requested breakfast of pancakes with strawberries and sausage we got ready and took off for Vestal, NY for our day of celebrating Miss Avery. Part of the Target fun was letting Avery fill up the cart (I tried my hardest to not pressure her into MY wardrobe preferences) and going in the dressing room to let her try everything on. Being that usually when you're in toddler sizes you don't have to actually try things on ... because everything just happens to always fit and look great. The child had a BLAST putting on a fashion show for us in the dressing room. Dede and Pop Pop sent her some blow money, too. So she was able to have QUITE the spree and still has a mani/pedi to come. It was so fun to see her match and pair little outfits and explain to me what event they would be perfect for.


This was during her shoe shopping ... Before she shed her Matilda Jane bday dress and cute cowgirl boots to change in the car into new Target duds and Hello Kitty glitter shoes  (that I bit my tongue and chose to look the other way about).
Avery, I just think you're the cutest no matter what you're wearing.

While we were in the dressing room Cody called to tell Avery Happy Birthday. Avery has had a MAJOR crush on Cody every since he and Aaron became friends. After he called she threw this dress on and wanted me to send the pic to Cody ... she is constantly making me laugh.



Chuck E. Cheese was a hoot. Dalton and Sawyer were pretty much on this horse the. whole. time. Every time Sawyer would ride it he would dismount, come to grab another token and then mount up again. I was rolling. He just seemed so big!

**Funny tidbit: We came to Chuck E. Cheese a couple weeks ago there was a grown man on this horse. Like ... he was balding and had a mustache. On this horse. Most of us were laughing so hard we were crying. Hilarious.

Moving on ...







Fun for all ages.





After emptying our wallets at Target and filling our bellies at Chuck E. Cheese we went to Avery's last request: Barnes and Noble. She knew she'd gotten a coupon for a free b-day cupcake was bound and determined to get one and a new book. After looking through almost every book there she finally settled on The Giving Tree which I was shocked when I realized we didn't have it! So it was a great pick!






Decisions ...  decisions ...







We came home to fix Avery's favorite dinner- tacos. We had several of our new friends over and Avery decided it was her best birthday she'd ever had. And well ... you can't beat that.

Happy Birthday Avery, you are so loved!!