Thanksgiving

We went up to mom and Dave's house for Thanksgiving this year. The kids were excited to get some grandparent time and see Uncle Eric. Both of them constantly wanted to be involved in the kitchen (Bonnie because she loves helping in the kitchen, and Riser because he just wants all the attention). 

Grandma was so patient always willing to let Bonnie help and finding things for her to do. Bonnie set the table for breakfast each morning and was so proud.

We did walks around the yard, played hide and seek, and took rides in a bike trailer.

Riser got to sit in the family high chair.

Bonnie was begging Uncle Eric for piano lessons. It was short-lived when she realized it wasn't as easy as she'd hoped. Now she can't stop talking about learning guitar. 

We went to the park nearby. It was cold! But we have lots of energy to burn.

Riser supervised Grandma in the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning.

Bonnie didn't leave Grandma's side.

This was me pretending I was just as involved in preparing this feast.

The chefs!

It was a great spread!

Everything was so good. Dave cooked the turkey and mom did all the sides - truly one of the best tasting Thanksgivings I can remember. Everyone agreed. 

We took a little walk in the afternoon, it was a beautiful day.

Grandma and Dave did a puzzle with Bonnie, and we played a lot of hide and seek with the kids and with Maggie while everyone else watched football.

Friday morning we went to meet up with Dad for breakfast. It was great other than the fact that Riser was knocking over, spilling, or throwing something on the floor every time I turned around. 

Thankfully Shug took him on a stroll to keep this busy little boy occupied.

Once we got back we spent some more time outside and played lots of games, which was so nice! We had a rousing game of hand and foot that was a nail-biter until the very end.

On one of our walks we ran into their neighbor Mary, who was happy to get some snuggles from Riser.

We may have a future Caps fan.

Poor Maggie couldn't find a moment of peace with this boy constantly wanting to play. But I think she actually enjoyed it toward the end. 

Practicing her 'kitar.'

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving. We couldn't be more grateful for our family, near and far. Happy Thanksgiving!

Bonnie is four!

Bonnie is 4 years old! Her 4 year well check was rescheduled so I will update stats after that. We have seen big changes in our girl this year. Her years of sleep struggles seem to (we are always hesitant to say) be a thing of the past. She loves now sharing a room with her brother and they have so much fun playing in the morning together. She still has a quiet time separate from him, which she doesn't love, but handles it well. She still naps about 70% of the time.

Bonnie has learned so much this year. She is very articulate and is constantly impressing us with her vocabulary. She knows at least 50% of her letters - the sounds they make, how to recognize them, and is working on writing them. This year she has started drawing actual pictures as opposed to scribbles which is fun to see. She is also currently in the stage of asking questions faster than we can answer them, all day long. 

She mastered her balance bike and then asked me to take the training wheels off her real bike her second time riding it (last week). She took to it immediately and hasn't looked back since. She enjoyed gymnastics in the Spring but was ready for a break, and is now asking to pick it back up again. She did swim lessons this Summer where she learned to swim at the end of the season - only short distances, but a big accomplishment. She is excited to try soccer as well as any type of dancing/singing. 

Lately it seems like we can't throw enough challenges at Bonnie. She impresses us daily with her development and venturing further outside her comfort zone. Right after she learned to ride a bike she learned how pump herself on a swing and write her name. She has a thirst for learning new things right now that we are trying to capitalize on!

In terms of personality, Bonnie is really so sweet. She still has a wall up, but we have seen major strides in her coming out of her shell. She is much more willing to acknowledge and talk to people she doesn't know as well, and does not seem afraid to stand up for herself in most situations. She loves her friends and always would prefer friends to be involved in whatever we are doing. She is a rule follower, sensitive, funny, and incredibly thoughtful. 

I am so impressed by this girl every day and can't believe I get to be her mama. We are so blessed by her life and love watching the person she is becoming.

Bonnie's birthday

Our girl is 4! I can't believe it we have a 4 year old. This girl was spoiled this weekend! We had asked her if she would prefer a party or an outing like the zoo with just our family. She said she wanted to go to the zoo. However last Wednesday we had our annual friendsgiving and (as in years past) combined it with a little celebration for Bonnie's birthday as well. So she technically did have a little party too. We did the zoo on Saturday, and on her actual birthday (Sunday), her cousins came over for spaghetti and cake. This girl was celebrated! Rightfully so. 

At friendsgiving, she was given a little princess wand and tiara, which she was thrilled about.

The zoo on Saturday was perfect! The weather was great and it wasn't too crowded. 

Just a Riser and a monkey sucking their thumbs.

The kids got to pet and feed the giraffes, which was just hysterical. 

On her actual birthday, we went to church in the morning and as soon as we walked in everyone in the hall started singing to Bonnie. She also graduated up to the pre-k room which meant she got to sit in the big service with us for the first few songs which she loved.

She is now back in the class with one of her best little friends and they had a random party that day so it coincided perfectly with her birthday.

When we got home she opened some presents.

She asked to skip her quiet time that day so while the boys were napping, I snuck her out for a 'mommy-Bonnie date' to build-a-bear. She had never been before and was enthralled with the experience.

She named her bear Fuzzy and has been very protective of her.

Katie and the kids came over for dinner and cake. There's no one this girl would rather spend her time with besides her cousins. It was the perfect end to her birthday!

All the kids made truly the sweetest cards, it was so so sweet to see. Jane even made her a little bracelet that she has been wearing every day since.

This year she specifically requested a chocolate cake with strawberry icing, white sprinkles and a cherry on top.

Please take note of Riser living his best life eating cake.

It was such a wonderful few days celebrating our sweet girl - we are so blessed by her life! Thank you to everyone who made it so special.