Dinosaur Party (3 years old/Kieran)

Kieran had a really busy, loud, but incredibly fun dinosaur birthday party earlier this month.  It was so busy that I didn't get many pictures of the small amount of décor or the CAKE!  Hello!?!  It was awesome though:)

We had to open presents first because it was just too hard for the little boy to wait.  He was like a magnet and he knew they were for him.  He was patient and didn't get upset with all of the kids hovering around him.

Lots of big sister help!

Whoah!  A marble run set!  Kieran got a lot of dinosaurs and he's been obsessed with all of them since his party.  He lines them up or he makes his big dinosaur eat them. Papa gave him a soft dinosaur that you put your hand in and then you can make it chomp.  He especially likes this dinosaur to eat his little dinosaurs. 

He also got a sandbox, which has been a huge hit.  He LOVEs to play in the sandbox and we've spent tons of time there! Ryder had fun too!

Anticipating the cake!

Here it comes!!!  This was the first time that we actually invited "friends" to a birthday party.  We've always just had family birthday parties, but guess what....we actually have friends now.  And, these said friends have children that our kids love too!  It's kind of a new thing for us and we love it!

It was fun to see him interacting with his buddies!

It took him forever to eat his cake until he finally switched back over to his left hand. First piece for the birthday boy!

At the last minute I ordered these dinosaur masks from amazon for the party.  I'm so glad I did because these were a HUGE hit and Kieran got SO excited!

RAWR!!! 

Happy birthday sweet boy!  We love you!

The girls!  Haley, Lauren, Maci, and Svea.  Such a goofy girl.  She's always wanting to do silly pictures.  I love that she likes to have a good time and be funny!

Maci and Svea!

Papa came for the birthday party too!

Giving a hug to his spiderman punching guy thingy:)

It was a beautiful summer afternoon/evening!  Playing on the swings!

Saying good-bye!  Thank you for coming!

What do you think?  Should we attempt to take family pictures this fall?

Will these two smile for it:)

Will we get a good pic of all of us!  I love taking tons of family pictures and hoping for one good one, but also smiling and laughing at the fact that one or two of us always are doing something funny.

Gaga was here too!  Grandpa Ron got called into work so he couldn't be there.  It was a great day and a great 3rd Dinosaur Birthday Party!!!

Big Pine Photo Dump

 Sitting at the kitchen counter that I sat at as a little kid!

 Grandpa Ron enjoying the lake on the dock!

 I have missed this view, this beach, this perfect swimming hole.  It was so good to be back again.

 The kids lived in the water!

 We had perfect weather!

 We swam...

 ...and swam!

 We relaxed, played, and breathed slower.

 We snuggled....

 ...and loved on each other.

 The kids made memories together....

 in a place where many of my good memories come from as well.

 We have a picture of my mom holding me like this on the beach when I am a baby.  Now we have one of her with Svea too!

 The cabin....looks the same!

 I love this place!  I love this girl too!

 Svea throwing rocks in the water.

 Kieran running on the beach.  Gaga and Mom picked a few weeds because you instantly resort to your old habits of feeling invested in this place.

 We are so incredibly thankful to experience Big Pine all over again!

Thank you God for a peace and joy filled experience!

Happy 3rd Birthday Kieran!

I tried to do the interview questions with Kieran this year, but I couldn't hold his attention long enough so Dan and I answered half of them for him based on our own observation.

(answered by mom since he just wouldn't answer all of these)

1. What is your favorite color? green

2. What is your favorite toy? (dinosaurs, cars/trucks, sandbox, and superheroes)

3. What is your favorite fruit? banana

4. What is your favorite cartoon? (Bo on the Go....next week it'll be something else.  Update:it has now become Dinotrux)

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? peanut butter bagel

6. What is your favorite thing to wear?( superhero pajama top) 

7. What is your favorite game? (chase, tackle, and wrestle) 

8. What is your favorite snack?  (peanut butter bagel)

9. What is your favorite animal? ladybug

10. What is your favorite song? (baby finger, baby finger where are you?  Here I am, here I am, how do you do?)

11. What is your favorite book? ladybug girl (just because we "just" got done reading this.  He LOVES magic school bus books right now) 

12. Who is your best friend? Ryder

13. What is your favorite thing to eat for supper (peanut butter bagels with bananas...do you notice a trend here?)

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? (go to the park or play in the sandbox) 

15. What is your favorite drink? chocolate milk

16. What is your favorite place to go?  (to the pool, park, and any grandparents home.  Sometimes he wants to go to "Jesus's house!)

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? (water bottle and paci....we've broken paci at daycare though.  50% there!)

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? a nana

 19. What do you want on your birthday? a dinosaur 

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? (spider man is our best guess.  that is what type of backpack he picked for school this year. Our baby is going to school!) 

We love you little boy!  You just got new hearing aide molds and we are just tickled to hear all of what you have to say.  Some of our favorite phrases are , "It's stuck in there, I did it, huh?, let's do it, and I love you" You are so loving and smiley and at other times you can get this guttural voice to tell us something you don't like.  You love to have fun, play with your toys, run and run and run, climb, and play with your friends in the neighborhood.  Your birthday party was so much fun!  We love you Kieran...as your sister says to the moon and back 100 times!  Will post party pics next!