So Long, Farewell

 May is coming to a close and with that we say farewell to many events. So long to baseball, Awanas, Bible Study Fellowship, and MOPS  (not to mention chicken pox, skin rashes, ear infections, strep throat, broken backs, runny noses, and sickness in general! All of which are things I NEVER want to see again)! Summer is here and it's time to take a break! Hawaii is three days away!!! However, there are stories to be told and pictures to be seen BEFORE I obsess over Hawaii. Did I mention we leave in a few days!?!

Isaac had a wonderful first time experience playing baseball! He did an amazing job! While he may not be a huge fan of outfield, it's obvious he likes to hit! He was the last batter of the season and man did he smash it! I'm so proud of him!

While baseball fed Isaac's athletic needs, Awanas fed him spiritually! He memorized his Bible verses fast and was thrilled to get his patches at every awards night!  

There is an air force base a few miles from our house and every year they do an air show! We watched the Blue Angels and many other jets practice from the window in our loft! They were so loud and so cool that Isaac said they must be dropping bombs! This, of course, meant we had to go watch! Very impressive! 

Oh you may think this looks like a little steam boat... But it's not. It's actually a gun!

"Isaac, Parker, give Blake a kiss on the head!" Oh Parker!

And with that... Good-Bye May and hello summer!

My Heartbreakers

A few weeks ago I was feeling very ambitious (not to mention brave) and decided to take the boys to get their pictures taken. Shaun was working and I needed something to do! The boys don't typically do well for "studio" portraits and the last time we went it was a horrible experience. I love the outdoor, natural shots anyway! However, I really wanted pictures so I went knowing it would be a long and difficult process. To my surprise I love how the pictures turned out! You would never know that Blake wouldn't nap before we left and was super tired and that the older two play off each other and were totally crazy! I forgot to scan the pictures before I framed them all over the house. Soooo.... Here are the pictures of the pictures framed all over my house! :)

Count your blessing... Count them one, two, three!

Isaac, today you are 4 1/2 (and 6 days) years old. Thankfully you are my healthy child and I never have to worry about taking your temperature! However, if you had a volume control button, I would constantly be turning you down. You're a goof and we're always telling you to be normal. But, you can focus and you can be very serious so we're not too worried. You ask a lot of questions about the Bible and you can't wait to get to heaven to see what new body God gives you. You're still not sure how he's going to do it but, there's the child like faith I wish I still had. I love when you try and explain all this stuff to Parker too. It shows me that you're really listening and that you understand what you're learning at church. Thanks for letting us love you and for being a great big, big brother!  

Parker, today you are 2 1/2 years old. I just look at pictures of you and can't help but get a huge smile on my face! I even had to sign a release form for this picture because the photographer loved it and wanted to use it in her portfolio! It's been rough for you lately. Spots galore. Last week was an allergic reaction and this week may have been hand, foot, mouth. Or was it an allergic reaction again? You keep us guessing! I love that you have hit the "why?" stage and that you bug Isaac with questions instead of me! Your prayers at night are so precious. You pray for your attitude and that it will be good and not bad. You are still obsessed with Star Wars and call me Princess Leia more than mommy! Thanks for always making me laugh and for being a terrific little, big brother!

Blake, today you are 9 months old. You are 22 1/2 pounds of solid love! You've had quite the week too. Tooth number five broke through, fever of 102, ear infection, and the chicken pox! Where these things are coming from... We'd like to know! I know you're mine but, I truly believe you are one of the cutest babies in the world! Everything about you is beautiful! I love your deep laugh and how you squeal with delight! You still have no interest in crawling but, seeing as how we're taking a five hour plane ride in a week and a half (Hawaii, wohoo!) I'm ok with that. You'll be much more content to just sit there! Thanks for going with the flow and being a perfect little, little brother!   

Painful Mother's Day

Everyone gets a birthday every year just because they were born. Everyone gets a Christmas, Easter, and Valentines too. But, this holiday we call Mother's Day is earned and paid for by blood, sweat, and tears!

This year, instead of going to church, I took my poor, cranky Blake to the doctors. Blake has been nicknamed Mr. Happy by most of his teachers. They always tell me that he is the one kid that will play and be perfectly content the whole time! This little fact makes it easy to tell when something is wrong. I had never seen him so upset (other than the time I locked him in the car) and fussy! Turns out he had an ear infection and is now on antibiotics. Because he wanted to be held 24/7, which also made for some long nights, my back began to hurt a little. It got worse during the day and then when I bent over to get something out of the cupboard I couldn't stand up! I stretched, took some pain killers, and began to feel a little better a few hours later. Until, I reached down to pick up Blake from his stroller. That was it... I wanted to throw up from the pain! My back was done and I couldn't move. Blake was sick and wanted to be held and I couldn't do anything to comfort him! It's now Monday night and with the help from the chiropractor today, I think I'm going to live! I think! But wait, it gets better... On top of the fever, ear infection, and my broken back, Blake developed spots all over his arms and legs! We've concluded that they are either chicken pox or something that's called hand and foot disease (sounds gross but, I know he's been exposed to both resently). There is no medicine for either of these so they just have to run their course! Shaun left for work this morning but, only because my mom is here and my dad drove in to do some tennis stuff with my brother. They have had to do everything for the boys and me today! I may be the mother of three but I sure felt like the baby today! 

    

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For those of you that don't have facebook or live far from us... This was our issue last week. Friday night Parker got a rash. It was worse by Saturday morning so Shaun took him in. The doctor thought he was allergic to something he ate so they did some blood work and put him on steroids in the meantime. Sunday morning was worse but, by Sunday night it was hardly noticeable. What he had still remains a mystery to us due to the fact that all his tests came back normal.

His body was covered!

In case you were wondering about the middle picture... He was watching a movie and needed to hold a gun. He didn't want to go get one so he just used his fingers! He does this often. When his teachers ask him to put his "guns" away for story time he lets them know that they're just pretend so it's ok!

Things that are cute at 3 years old... Not 30!

Before I put Parker down for a nap today, I let him eat a banana in his bed. As I laid there watching him chow down I couldn't help but think how sweet and cute it was. The way he took such big bites and how he would have to pucker to try and keep his mouth closed as he noisily chomped it down! I chuckled to myself because if I had been laying that close to Shaun (or any other grown person) while they ate a banana, I would have been completely grossed out! It got me thinking of all the things that little kids do that are considered cute but, disgusting or weird if an adult were to do it! Here's what I came up with...

Eating a banana!

Picking their nose!

Yes, I think it's cute!

Running around in underwear that is a little baggy!

Thinking your brother's underwear is super cool and then trading for the day!

When coming out of the bathroom they announce, "I went poop a yat! A whole yat! A big yat!!"

Tooting!

Thanking God for themselves when they pray at night!

Having a serious fight over who gets to be Darth Vader Higgins!

Getting mad at the smallest thing and then yelling "Oh! My! Word!"

Slurping their milk!

Bedtime silliness!

Trip #.... I've already lost count!

Even though I can't remember what number trip this was, I will NEVER forget this trip. You see, when going to Disneyland with three little boys there is one item that can NOT be forgotten... A double stroller! Yup! We pulled into the parking garage, I turned around, and freaked out. "Shaun Higgins where in the world is that stroller?" Shaun was mad at himself for about two seconds (he was incharge of getting the stroller in the car and I was incharge of everything else). He realized he made a mistake and then was able to brush it off. I, on the other hand, was just beginning my heart attach! We did the best we could to carry everything to the tram and then to the park entrance. I was just going to throw all our stuff in the bottom of the stroller so I didn't even have a backpack to put it all in. We felt like tourist (and not pass holders) when we walked up and had to rent two strollers! We never noticed how many were rented until now. Disneyland sure makes a lot of money just off strollers!  

Thankfully not many people were there and we could enjoy the warm day... The day that had been predicted an 80% chance of rain. HA! Oh, we also had to buy sunblock in the park because of it. Sooooooo didn't need those sweatshirts and beanies I brought! 

The highlight... Isaac finally got to fight Darth Maul! BUT, he wasn't the only one that got to...

Parker stood at a distance. However, when Darth Maul singled him out several times, Parker was quick to apply the force and send Darth Maul flying backwards! I was sitting in the middle of them and was able to capture part of their stand off!  

Darth saw me taking the pictures and stuck his face right in the camera! This was kinda freaky! How are kids not afraid of him!?!

And with this I say... "The End!"

Parker wanted a picture with Jesse but, when he walked up to her he turned his back and wouldn't look at me. Soooo, she did the same! It was perfect! So funny!