A Letter to Ben

Dear Ben, 

About a week ago, your teacher shared this story with me about an event that happened at school. As I read it, I found myself getting emotional and my eyes filling up with tears- I was just SOOOO proud of you buddy!!! Until you become a dad, I don't think you'll truly understand the happiness that comes from being a parent and hearing about your child making good choices and showing kindness and love to others. 

There are so many things that I want in life for you Ben. I want you to be happy, successful, loved and cherished. I want you to laugh often and bring joy and laughter to those around you. I want you to do well in school so that you can have a career that you love doing. I want you to be surrounded by great friends that will enrich your life, never stop making you laugh, and push you to do great things. I want you to find real love (when you're like 30 haha). Not just lust but real love. A love that demonstrates respect, that laughs often, that can be silly and fun, that forgives, that is built on trust, that always puts the other first (even when it's hard), that is focused on others instead of self, and is shared with your truest, bestest friend!!! 

I want all these things and more for you Ben because you (and Nathan) are the most important things and I love you with an indescribable love. And when I hear stories like this one from your teacher it makes my heart burst with joy because it shows me that you are on the right path to becoming a man of character. Way to go Ben! I am SO PROUD OF YOU AND I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!

Love ya forever, Mommy

BMX State Races

Easter weekend Ben participated in the BMX State Races (held in Ventura, CA). It was a super long day but I love cheering Ben on and watching him do what he loves which is ride! Here are some pics from our day at the State Races.

Sleepy Nathan at the track, he still loves the Ergo carrier even at 3yrs old.
Thank goodness he only weighs 30lbs haha. 

After trying and trying to get Nathan to nap at the track
there was nothing left to do but take a quick car trip. He passed
out in about 30 seconds haha!

Silly faces with Ben

My racer boy being silly

Gosh, this kid makes me smile!!! We have fun!

A picture that was taken by a photographer there.
Love the look of determination on his face!!!

Can't wait to cheer Ben on for BMX Nationals (May 2-4)

... GO BEN!!!!!!!!

Spoil Alert: The Tooth Fairy Is Not Real

Ben lost his first tooth about a week ago and we were all so excited!!! When thinking about becoming a mom and all the firsts I would experience I for some reason never thought about my son loosing his first tooth but this was a really fun first!

Ben had been working on this tooth for awhile so when he got to school his friends told him "just pull it out" so he pulled on it and it POPPED out! He loves having a missing tooth and tells everybody about it haha!

When I told him however that the tooth fairy would bring him $ for his tooth he quickly looked at me like I was crazy and told me "yeah right mom, you and dad are the tooth fairies, I already know that. Don't try to trick me".... Um, wow- ok haha! So mommy and daddy left him some money for his tooth and that was the end of the tooth fairy in our house haha!

Update: we are now working on loose tooth #2- stay tuned :) 

EGG-cellent Work Boys

These pics are from a few weeks back but mommy is a little behind on blogging haha. Here are some pics from our egg dying adventures. Nathan's technique was: get as many colors as possible. Ben took a more careful approach picking a design for each one. Loved watching their little minds at work!

The Perfect Combo

Fella has some very specific favorite things: pirates, books about underwear (he thinks they are so funny) and reading books. The other day at the library, we found the perfect combo of all his favorite things! 

This book will be going on his Christmas list for sure- he hasn't put it down haha!!!

Our Team Consists of.....

After a rough weekend 2 weeks ago, I wanted to get my girls all thinking about what makes up a good team and what types of things they need to bring to our team in order for us to be successful (and I don't just mean winning). I love this picture showing all the words that they chose- great job girls!

Open Up Wide

The boys went to the dentist this morning and as always... they did great. Both boys have gone to the dentist since they were 2 1/2 yrs old and love the dentist. 

Everybody was cavity free, the way to be :)

(3yrs 2 mo old)

Nathan practicing his brushing skills haha 

(5 1/2yrs old)

Steckel Park Adventures

Yesterday the boys and headed to Santa Paula to explore Steckel Park. We saw all sorts of neat birds in the aviary and then hiked through the woods down to the river. We played, threw rocks into the water, splashed in the cool water , saw a snake, and found more sticks than I could count. Soon we started to get hungry so we hiked back up and had a picnic. The weather was amazing and it was a fun morning- I love little boy adventures!

making splashes with big rocks

Fella's "fishing" pole haha

Nathan found this waterfall and insisted in standing in it haha 

lunchtime with this cutie

ben put sticks in this tree stump and made a bear LOL!

Fella in the waterfall agin

Spring Break Fun

The boys were on spring break last week and this week and the weather has been really nice the past couple days so in addition to library trips, play dates, and such we have been trying to get out and explore and enjoy the nice weather. The boys love riding bikes at the beach and playing in the sand so off we went and we had a great time!

These silly little faces

rock collections

collecting shells and such

A Little Banged Up

This past weekend, after BMX, the boys were with my mother-in-law heading to play at her house for a little while daddy worked on a project when they were in a car accident. They were crossing through an intersection when they were T-boned who ran a red light. The driver was a 94 yr old man. His car ran right into Ben's door but thankfully other than some cuts and bruises they were ok. The pedi said that along with a sore clavicle, Ben also had a bit of a concussion but he is doing much better with each day that passes. Nathan had trouble sleeping the first couple nights and wanted a lot of mommy time but he seems to be doing with each day that passes as well. In the end, I am just super thankful that the boys are ok. If the driver had been going faster or had been driving a larger car- this all could have turned out a lot different than it did. Praising God that the boys and my mother-in-law are all ok!!! 

his his little head

Papa Dave giving Nathan some ni-night tickles while in the ER

Geering Up at BMX

The Ventura BMX track is gearing up to host the upcoming State and National races happening this month. They built a brand new track which is bigger and harder than the past track but it hasn't slowed Ben down one bit and he has already won a first place on the new track. 

Nathan and I spent last Saturday cheering Ben on while daddy helped Ben up at the gate- GO BEN!

Checking in and Checking Up

This morning the boys had their check ups at the pediatrician and they did great! Here are their current stats:

BEN

Age: 5yrs 8mo

Height: 49" (95%)    (He is taller than 95% of boys his same age)

Weight 52lbs (75%)   

BMI: 15.4 (50%)    (Perfect)

*Trying out a new medication for the next 30 days to try and get his breathing issues under control (without effecting his mood or behavior). His breathing machine meds make him hyperactive and were not good long term solutions

*Also, his shoulder height is significantly misaligned so we will keep an eye on that in the next 3 months

NATHAN

Age: 3yrs 2mo

Height: 39.5" (90%)   (He is taller than 90% of boys his same age)

Weight: 34lbs (50%)  

BMI: 15.5 (24%)   (A little low, we will keep an eye on it)

*Both of the tubes finally fell out of his ears. He got them when he was 11months old and we were told they would probably only last a year- guess we got our money out of those tubes haha

*He hears great and actually has really sensitive hearing about loud sounds but he failed his hearing test 2 times today we will take him to get it tested by a specialist in Camarillo just to verify that everything is ok

*He is still going to therapy for his "W" sitting which has messed up his hips but he is making great progress with that

*They tested his developmental age today and he is off the charts advanced. His tests show he has the approx developmental age of a child that is 4.5 years old... WAY TO GO FELLA!!!

shots are NO fun

but special treats at In-N-Out sure are fun!

Overall, the boys are doing great and growing bigger by the day. Ben got his Kindergarten shots today and is ready to start K in the fall and both boys thought peeing in a cup was just about the funniest thing they had ever done... Oh the joys of raising boys!!!