Austin's Birthday Party

   

     Well what kind of birthday party do you throw for a baby that likes to eat?? "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" party of course!  It was a fun day of food and play for my sweet baby boy Austin.  
     The day started with love from big brother and sister and Austin's first sprinkled donut for breakfast.  He's one right?  Why not give him TONS of sugar! Tacos with lots of avacados of course and a perfect caterpillar cupcake cake were the main dishes for the party.  Austin had no trouble digging in and enjoying all of his food.  He was a little overwhelmed with all of the people and the food there!  Such a sweet baby boy, it did not distract him from enjoying every bite.

   Let's just say that everyone slept very well that night with tummies and dreams full of happy birthday memories! 

One Year Old!!

     "A first child is your own best foot forward, and how you do cheer those little feet as they strike out.  You examine every turn of flesh for precocity, and crow it to the world. But the one: the baby who trails his scent like a flag of surrender through your life when there will be no more after - oh, that's love by a different name."

~Barbara Kingsolver

     Well baby Austin you are one year old!  Actually as I'm typing this you are fifteen months old, BUT, mommy is busy working full time and running around after the three of you so at least I am writing this before you turn two! The pictures are of you at twelve months, that's the easy part.
     So what have you been up to? Well, just about everything.  You are so big and so completely happy that it warms my heart.  You are a very content little man and just LOVE your brother and sister.  You simply adore them and want to follow them everywhere.  What is your current mode of travel? ME! You have refused to walk! (Technically speaking you can walk and have walked but simply choose not to because why should you? You have ME!)  Other than that, here is a snapshot of your final month of being a baby:

• You have your top and bottom molars now and you barely put up a fuss!
• You pretty much love all of your food, no worries there.
• You still sleep like an angel, so soundly and ALL night long.
• You give the sweetest kisses and love to give me nose kisses in the morning and when I pick you up from school.
• You are still super attached to mommy but that's okay by me!  I know that one day you'll make me drop you off down the street or something so your friends can't see me so I'll take all the snuggles I can!
• You say Momma, Daddy, Aba (Ava), and a phrase that sounds like "I dropped it and I did it".
• You really do get into everything, such a little stinker.
• You have found your voice and don't mind speaking up if something bothers you.  You are VERY vocal.  It looks like all three DePalermo babies have no trouble there!
• You lounge instead of sitting up.  Even in a swing outside you'd rather lean back than sit up straight.  Oh how I have spoiled you.

     You are quite honestly a delight and a constant reminder of how God's plans are infinitely better than mine could ever be.  I believe that God sent you to us to remind me how amazing He is and that He knows the plans for my life, my job is to be faithful and obedient. I love you to the moon and back sweet Austin, forever and always.

Eleven Months Old

How is it possible that this sweet bundle of joy is one month away from one year old? I am amazed daily about how much love there is in my heart for my sweet baby boy Austin. So little love, what are you up to now?


• You are finally pulling up on everything and trying to walk.  I have to admit you are a bit lazy and love to be picked up.  Ava and Michael are just too fast for you and it frustrates you to no end.  Get up and walk baby and then you can keep up! (although honestly, I'm not sure I'm ready for that).
• You are my happy eater, my word can you eat.  You cry when the food is all gone but I know I couldn't possibly feed you anymore! I haven't fed you anything that you don't like.  Honestly, you eat it all!
• You have started to babble and talk and it is so cute to hear you play.
• You love Michael's train table and you constatnly pull his trains off.  I think you know this frustrates him but you do it anyway.
• You protest very earnestly if you don't get your way.  I was worried that being my last baby you might not stand up for yourself but I think you'll be just fine.
• You still only have four teeth, but that doesn't stop you from enjoying any food that I can give you.  Your favorites are eggs, biscuits, lasagna, pancakes, blueberry waffles, peas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, strawberries, bananas, avocados, cheese, turkey, hamburgers, grilled chicken ... and on and on.

Well my sweet love, you are my last little baby and you have grown up too fast.  I do believe that you are an amazing gift from God and I am thrilled at how much you love your brother and sister.  I will enjoy this next month becuase I know that all too soon, you will be walking and talking and eventually running.  I love you sweet baby Austin.

 



Four Years Old

"I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

As long as I'm living,

My baby you'll be."

-Robert Munsch



 Well Michael Dean, it has been four years now since God blessed us with your life and it has been an amazing adventure.  I remember when I first held you and the overwhelming love that swept over us.  You taught me how to love unconditionally and I am still in awe of the fact that I am your mother.  You have a kind heart and a very literal mind right now, both things that are uniquely you.  So let's see what you currently like now that you are four:

• You still love Thomas the train but now you like Chuggington too!
• Yes, you still love Cars, Cars 2 and anything related to Mater.
• Your favorite color is green!  You are very adamant about that and I find it incredibly humorous.  I'm not sure why but you seriously LOVE green!
• You genuinely love Austin and Ava.  You are so excited to have a brother that I have to ask you to please stop hugging Austin because you are choking him.
• You and Ava have hit a lovely bump in the road called being siblings.  You know just what to do to set her off and she loves to get you all wound up.  It is funny and frustrating to watch all at the same time.
• You love Mother's Day Out and VBS.  I am so glad to see you make friends and play with others.   You have a sharing heart and have really become a caring young boy.
• When we took you to your four year old check up at the doctor, you got nervous and asked if we could pray.  I'm so thankful that you realize you can look to God for strength.
• You like things done a particular way and there is no other way.  Sadly, you may have inherited this trait from me, but I have been told your Daddy was exactly the same way when he was little.  I don't understand why you won't let your food touch on the plate?! Silly boy, it all mixes in your tummy!
• You are a great big brother and you constantly make sure that Ava and Austin are taken care of.  We will never leave anyone behind as long as you are in charge, that's for sure.
• You love to play baseball and shoot a bow and arrow.  I have to say that you are good at both!  You are very coordinated and I am looking forward to being the momma on the sidelines one day soon.

I love you so incredibly much and I love the little boy you have become.  I remember bringing you home from the hospital and many sleepless nights as we both tried to figure it all out. Now, four years later, you still have my heart.  I love you to the moon and right back sweet Michael.

Michael Is 4!!

 

Well, it is safe to say that Michael's 4th birthday was a fun filled day with swimming, a picnic and a "Cars" themed birthday party!  I had to stop and look around in disbelief that he is actually four years old.  I say this repeatedly but I cannot believe how quickly time flies and I wish that just once it would slow down for just a minute.

We set up a refreshments stand, a movie screen and caution cones for Michael's big drive in movie party.  It was beautiful outside so we spent the whole night out in the yard.  Of course his party wouldn't be complete without Chik fil A nuggets to enjoy!  Michael LOVES the color green so he loves Chik Hicks from the first Cars movie.  Krystal made a fabulous green Chik cake for Michael and he would not stop talking about it.  It is safe to say that he thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

After dinner and cake, the kids sat down (for just a second) so that they could watch Cars on the outdoor screen.  But, bubbles and running in the yard was too much fun to pass up for Michael and his friends.  It was a great day and my sweet 4 year old went to sleep a little bigger and very tired.