Seth turned FIVE last week.  Wow...that went by fast!  Seth is such a great brother, especially to Bryce.  If the baby is ever crying, Seth is the first on the scene to help me out.  He wakes up so happy and always gets dressed before coming down stairs.  Cereal and fruit is his go to meal if he is ever hungry or doesn't like what we're having for dinner.  He's learned how to ride his bike without training wheels, which makes family bike rides so much fun.  He loves to dress up like a ninja and play spy games.  He enjoys eating whole packs of gum and usually hides them behind the piano.  Since school started the week of his birthday, we had a pool party the week before with some of his friends.  Then on his actually birthday, we went out to dinner as a family and I made a cake with one of his favorite action figures on top.  We love you Seth, HaPpY bIrThDaY!

Bryce slept through the first half of the pool party.

Dinner at Red Robin!

Can't decide

I've done a few posts like this before...I periodically like to find photos of all my kids around the same age to figure out who looks like who?!!?  I often can't decide...what's your opinion?

Seth

Bryce

Jake

Max

Growing Like Weeds

Look who's three months old today...it's Bryce!  Bryce has really transformed into a delightful baby.  It was a little touch and go there those first few weeks, he gave me quite a run for my money.  Now he is so happy and content.  He is 14 lbs and 13 oz.  He loves to smile, talk, take naps, and sit in his bumbo and bouncy seat.  So happy to have my little Bry Guy around.  The boys are really enjoying him and love to help me when he cries...thanks boys!

Bryce isn't the only boy growing like a weed around here.  Jake has grown to love finding and playing with little critters around the yard.  You can see here, Jake has found a worm and in the picture below a three legged frog.  He also enjoys chasing rabbits and birds in the back yard.  He has really become aware of the world around him...everything is new and exciting for him!

Look who's learned how to ride without training wheels...that's right, Seth!  He is such a great bike rider, I knew it wouldn't take long for him to figure it out, thanks to his determination and a great daddy!  He rides that bike everyday.

 And my first little weed, Max.  I was so sad to hear he had a loose tooth.  I think I was more upset about him loosing his first tooth than him going off to kindergarten last year.  Loosing teeth really changes a kids look for good...it's all over after that...in my opinion anyway.  He was thrilled and thrilled that I was sad about it.  He was practicing his piano and suddenly stopped and shouted out that his tooth fell out.  That boy has really grown up this summer!

The good thing about little ones growing up is that you can enjoy spending time and talking with them.  We spent the evening catching fire flies the other night...it was fun watching him catch his own.

 I'm trying to enjoy all these stages in my little boys' lives.  It's so easy to forget how fast it's all going by!  Wish I could put my four boys in a mason jar like those fire flies in Max's hand and keep them small forever.

They Do Look Alike

Everyone that has seen my new little one (Bryce) within that first week of his birth, said something to the effect, "He looks so different from the rest."  I truly think they all look similar from day 1.  I think it throws everyone to see one of my boys with dark hair and a head full....they all started out that way and then grew their golden locks.  Here's a newborn shot of each one....I think it makes it easier to compare, what do you think, can you tell which is which? My goodness they grow so fast!

One Week

I love to have my newborn's pictures taken before they are a week old...their little bodies grow and change so fast.  Luckily I know a great photographer that brings all her stuff right to my house and is extremely patient...it makes it super easy for a new baby and mom.  So here are a few that we had taken of Bryce on the first Saturday of his life.

It kinda looks like Bryce is smiling in the one below with Ben...love this one! 

When we had pictures taken of Jake two years ago, it was like pulling teeth to get Seth to sit in front of the camera.  This time, he was so helpful and even ran upstairs to put on some cute clothes to have her snap one or two of him.

Now don't get confused, the next two pictures are of Jake, I just can't believe how much they change in two years...so much growth and personality! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Max brings home some pretty cool art projects from Kindergarten. Today he hopped off the bus with this great creation, we had fun playing with it and taking pictures of our little leprechauns. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I know right?!??!

So here are pictures from the first day of school....yes, school started when your kids school started...I'm way behind on posting...I know right?!?!? So here is big Max going off to Kindergarten. It's everyday, half day. I love having him home for lunch! I wanted to drive him to school, but he didn't want any part of that. "I want to ride the bus because it is really long, it has lots of seats and has its own stop sign!" The swagger wagon can't compete with that.

This was also Seth's first year of Preschool. He was so excited and totally ready. After taking Max the previous two years, Seth has already become aquatinted with the school and the teachers. It was like Cheers! Everyone knew his name!

And of course our little fella, Jake. He doesn't miss a beat! He loves to help me watch for the bus and get those boys off to school. He is my little shadow. I love our time just the two of us!

I guess next school year I'll have two shadows, one to follow and one to carry!

"Money Money Money by the Pound"

This is such a late post, my little Sethy turned 4 on August 23rd! He has grown into such an amazing kid. He is my tender hearted peace maker. He's very adventurous...I often loose him because he sneaks out of the house and rides down to his friend's house on his scooter. The moment I realize I need to look for him is the moment the phone rings telling me my little one is at the neighbor's. Seth loves to snuggle and be close, I love it. He loves to rock out when we're driving in the car to songs like, "Another one Bites the Dust" by Queen or "Beat it" by Micheal Jackson.

Seth's favorite toys are LEGOS. He loves to build them, show me pictures of future lego purchases, go to friend's houses and build their legos...he just loves them. Which is good and bad for me, I'm happy he is doing something constructive, but I never know when I'm going to step on one of those little pieces. So, you can see what inspired his Birthday Cake this year. I made the actual cake, Ben always does the creative portion, including idea and execution.

Seth has been enjoying the movie, "Pete's Dragon" this year. One of those Disney Classics from the 70s. It's full of music, and Seth knows just about every song. This was the first year he understood Birthday cards and the possibly of money being inside.

As soon as the money fell out, he ran to his piggy bank singing, "Money Money Money by the Pound", a song from Pete's Dragon. It was pretty hilarious.

A Birthday's not complete without dinner at Chuck E Cheese! It was a perfect night, there was hardly a soul there. Seth had a blast!

Happy Birthday Buddy Boy!

Final Days

Well we are down to the Final Days of Winter, and Mother Nature is holding on to this season for dear life! Who am I kidding, where we live Winter holds on through the first part of Spring too...year after year after year. Yesterday, the snow was beautiful...a wonderfully white day. Everything was covered perfectly, I took a drive with the boys just to look at all the snow.

These are also the final days of Jake being a baby. On Monday he will be turning ONE! This year has flown by, but we'll save the rest of all these sappy heart felt feelings for Monday's post.

Through all this reflection, of the season's changing and my baby growing up and reaching his first major mile stone, there is still funny and crazy stuff happening here at the Hale House...

A few days ago, I was putting Jake down for a nap and the big boys were playing. When I came down, Seth says to me very matter of factly, "Mommy, I went pee pee in a bottle and put it in the garbage." Of course a million things began to race through my mind: I never relined the garbage when I took it out, did he keep it all in the bottle during the process, oh please tell me he recapped that bottle before he threw it away, what was Max's part in all this...was he cheering him on, or tell him this wasn't the best of ideas, etc. I got down to the kitchen, stepped into the scene of the crime (a few splatters on the tile), and opened the garbage to find this:

Thank goodness it wasn't as bad as I thought. I was mad, but laughing enough on the inside, to stop in the heat of the moment and take a picture. They're just too cute to stay upset with them, and here's the pictures to prove it.