Bigger, bigger, bigger!

There's just something about boys and fire. Instant manly poses.

  

Three boys, all getting so big. Tomorrow is Levi's 5th birthday, in a few weeks Micah turns 2. They are all growing and changing so quickly and I have been so bad about writing it all down! I just want to be in these moments and live in them and rest in them so I don't end up recording it all as much as I used to but then I forget so quickly. Mason asked me the other day what his first word was and I couldn't remember. Thankfully it's written down somewhere!

We'll start with Levi . Ahem, Birthday Boy. He informed me this weekend that he didn't want to be called Levi. Birthday Boy, please. Okeedokee. So, birthday boy... greatest loves... TV, movies, food, Jesus, brothers, video games, books. He is always hungry. Always ready for some screen time :) But his sweet little heart is developing and is often now so apparent... he is often the best at getting Micah out of a toddler-funk, and will do almost anything to make him laugh. They invented a game where everytime Micah claps Levi makes a silly face or falls down, and this can keep both of them going for a nice long time. He is my little sports nut, insisting he is ready for basketball "lessons", always up for a game of backyard ball. Whether or not he actually cathches the football, there is always a full-body roll/tackle to finish off each play. He lives life all out, all or nothing, high highs and low lows. But the lows are always fleeting, he is always up for fun.

Micah. The beloved baby of us all. We all coddle him, smile at him, love him. And now that he's almost two it's getting dangerous! He is suddenly very sure of what he wants and very sure about how to get it, whether or not we like his methods. His greatest loves... his family, milk, doggies, coleslaw, buttons/electronics, music, salad, his Superman pj's, drawing, play-dough, cookies, climbing, his t-ball set, puzzles, sorting, keys, roaring. In fact, roaring is his primary method of communication. He doesn't speak many words yet but he is fluent in Lion. His second language is Beeps. You can have whole converstations with him as long as you ask all yes and no questions,;he is very sure about what you are saying but also sure he doesn't want to try saying it. Put on a cartoon, though, and he readily copies all the animal noises and electronic sound effects. With amazing accuracy. He has a heart melting smile and a silly, fakish, creaky, huh-huh laugh. He is loud at home (again, lots of roaring), but out in public he just quiety watches, taking it all in.

Words he does say: Mama, Daddy, No, Nah (yes, rhymes with yeah), Go, Fruff-Fruff, Mine, Ball, Nemo, Home, Big, Two, I and E for this and that (I have no idea where this came from), Baba (bubble, button, bottle, blanket, boat, book), Na-na (shark--as in the Jaws theme), Gigi, Faye, Jo-Jo, Tutti (Tuggie), Bubba. If you ask him where daddy works he'll say AO. It's vowels, right?

Mason. Oh, so sweet. And oh so smart. His questions are difficult, thoughtful. He challenges us to really think through what we are telling him, especially as he explores faith in Christ and all those hard questions that go along with it. It was easier when he was little and it was all black and white. Now he is seeing the land of the grey and its so interesting and wonderful to see him really processing it all. Today we were reading about Adam and Eve, and we were talking about the serpent as Satan, how we don't like Satan, but Mason pipes up, "but, God says to love our enemies!". I never wanted my babies to grow up but as they get older I see how fun it is, to have real conversations, to ponder together rather than just to instruct... the boy Mason is growing into makes me ok with leaving babyhood behind. Sometimes :) He is playing violin, not loving to practice, reading everything, always listening. He is beginning to love art, building, Legos, sculpting, singing, puzzles/mazes. He still loves anything that will fit in his pocket; his special box is constantly being reorganized, decluttered. So like his daddy :)

Speaking of daddy, is this not an amazing one?

No boat, no problem.

His boys will still learn how to ski!

This is how my mom keeps track of her dog.

Did I mention how sweet my big boy is?!? After a 4-wheeling ride he brought back a bouquet for mommy. Ladies, I am training you up a good husband! Get in line now!