Faith's 5th Birthday Party

For Faith's 5th Birthday, we offered her a choice of going to Build-A-Bear with one friend, or staying home and inviting many friends over for a traditional party. She picked Build-A-Bear, and I was so grateful! Jonathan's proving to be more of a handful than I remember newborns being. It doesn't help that he takes 45-60 minutes to eat, and wants to eat every 1.5-2 hours. Whew. So there's little time to plan an execute a party. So Build-A-Bear was a win-win! Add to it the discounted gift cards I learned Costco sells, and it's win-win-win for mommy, Faith and our wallet :)

Faith, getting her new friend stuffed.

They had her pick out a little heart and hold tightly so her friend would feel her love, then she put it in her bear and they sewed it up for her.

Next, it was off to the "air wash" for a scrub down.

Here's Faith with her best friend.

Nathan and Ruth also made new friends. Literally.

And scrubbed them down.

Faith & her BFF

Ruth and her new friend

All 8 party guests, ready to go home for a birthday tea party.

My first memory is my 5th birthday party, at least my first memory that I can place in time. I had a princess dress cake. So when Faith asked for one, I had to make that happen for her :)  But there were complications.... Faith's friend is on a gluten-free diet, and mommy has little time to make/decorate a cake.... And silly mommy thought one gluten-free cake mix would make a dress. Um... it made 1/4. So that dress is actually piecemealed.... 1/4 gluten-free, 1/4 yellow and 1/2 strawberry. Cause I had to work with what I had - I was not going out to the store! I still am in awe it held together!

I had no time to decorate. So I iced the cake quickly and let the kids decorate it. Best. Idea. Ever. Ok, next to Build-A-Bear. The kids loved it. I didn't have to do it. Win-Win, again!

There may, or may not, have been some eating of the decorations and liking of the fingers involved... 

While the kids worked, I looked over and saw they'd set up all their new friends with a play-spaghetti tea party. haha. 

"Happy birthday to Faith!"

The kids had a birthday cake tea party with their new friends. 

And then Faith opened her present - dress-up fun from the movie Frozen.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FAITH!

See Daddy at SeaWorld

Life has been quite chaotic lately. We're all being pulled in lots of directions between work, school and church. So we were in desperate need of a family day. Saturday we planned to go visit a local pumpkin farm for the morning. But, as life (mostly baby) would have it, we couldn't get out the door early enough to go to a real farm. So we went down the street to a petting zoo pumpkin patch. Upon arriving, it was evident it would not be worth our $$. So we quickly came up with a backup plan - SeaWorld. It was close, free, and Daddy had yet to use the season pass we bought him in March! So off we went to show Daddy SeaWorld.

Jonathan slept from the moment he got out of the van to the moment he got back to the van. He missed it all. But we only stayed just over an hour. And we didn't get to see any shows. Not that he would have cared much ;)

But the kids got to ride their favorite rides.

Nathan tried to hide from mommy.

But I caught him being silly!

Can you spot Daddy?

Hint - that's Nathan holding his hands in the air on the kids favorite "rollercoaster" ride,

Last stop for our short visit... the aquarium.

Yay for an impromptu SeaWorld visit.

Boo for summer heat still lingering in October!

Mini Mommies

The other day the girls took Jonathan for a stroll around the house. In the baby doll stroller. He enjoyed the attention, for a short time. He lasted longer than I expected! And Faith and Ruth loved it too!

Remember when Nathan and Faith took Ruth for a ride in that same stroller?

Bath Time

Jonathan's had a few sink baths. He hates them. Well, except for the time Gramma helped me wash his hair (before his cord fell off). He loved that. 

This was his first official bath. Not a fan.

Even once he was warm and dry, still not a fan.

Then this past weekend, I thought I'd put him in the tub with big brother. Mostly out of laziness (the sink was full... ha). Jonathan LOVED bathing with his big brother!!!

He just stared and stared at Nathan, and nothing else but Nathan.

And Nathan got a kick out of it, too. He thought it was extra special that he got to bathe with his baby brother.

It was the first of many brother baths to come.

Photos of Jonathan

Over the last week or so, we've attempted some newborn photo ops. In between the almost constant feedings, and busy schedules of his big siblings. Wow, 4 kids makes life busier than I thought! Anyways, here's a few photos we've taken so far.

Daddy & Son

 

Jonathan, wearing his Grampa's tie.

 

 

Wide awake, and pretty jaundice - you can see the yellow in his face & torso.

 

Big brother got that truck for his first birthday.

It's nice of him to share with his baby brother!

 

Little toes, and poor heels that I have been pricked almost 10 times in a week :(

 

So peaceful!

 

You can see the cephalohematomas on his head pretty well in this photo.