August Samuel Turns FOUR!

We had the joy of celebrating our Auggie Boy alllll week. I have been saying for awhile now that I was not going to let him turn four. I remember when I wanted him to be two forever, and then three forever....but alas, Auggie Boys don't keep and he is indeed four years old. I am really not sure how that happened. I remembering falling head over heels for a sweet little blonde baby just yesterday. Now that baby loves all things farm and ball. He loves baked potatoes, asking no less than one million questions a day and making us laugh. Thankfully he still loves to cuddle and he still loves me the most. August Samuel has taught us patience, how to look at the world in a little bit of a different way and how to find excitement in the littlest things. Since June 9th, 2015 at 7:51pm we have been saying that there is no one like Auggie. That fact still holds oh so true. 

We love you so much, Auggie. Happy 4th Birthday Bud!

We let him plan birthday week and we successfully did all of his favorite things....meaning we were outside and moving from sun up to sun down. He wanted to swim, go to a farm and play outside. We did all of that and more. He also requested to have a farm themed birthday (again), with the exact easy cake I made him last year, but at his favorite place on earth, Ballard Nature Center. 

My man is easy to please. We had so much fun celebrating him--his birthday is such a great way to really kick off our summer.  So here it is. August Samuel's 4th Birthday Week Recap!

On Monday we hit up my personal favorite summer spot, the Newton Pool. Best pool around. Last year Auggie was kind of funny around water. One day he would love it and the next he would refuse to get in it. Thankfully this year he seems to be 100% fish. Emery is a mermaid at heart so I knew she would be in heaven. I have said this before, but all things feel so new for Bennett this summer. In everything we do, his curiosity and growing excitement is so fun to experience. He did not like the pool when we first got in. He acted like he had never walked before and clung to me like a star fish (in his pink floaties--sorry third child). But by the first break he had fallen in love with the water. So in love that he screamed his head off when we got out and ran back into the water as fast as he could. I think B might have found his new favorite place. Good thing we will be back. It was the perfect way to kick off the week....and my drive home was nice and quiet. 

Tuesday during the day we just played at home and made sure all three kids got naps. I ran B to Grandma Susie's for a sleepover....the rest of us got to go to the Cardinal's game! Cardinals games are definitely a treat and we have Nana's boss to thank for these memories. Auggie talked the entire way there (we have learned that excitement equals non-stop Auggie). Nana treated Auggie to a new Cardinal hat because his old one broke/was to small. Em's treat was cotton candy. It started pouring when we got there but thankfully the rain delay wasn't long and the big kids were happy to walk around and check things out. They both felt so big and easy at this game. We might have left in the 5th inning (and still got home after midnight) and the Cards might have lost...be we had an awesome night. 

The kids were of course tired on Wednesday so we took it easy-ish. After I had cheerleading practice, we went to the park for a picnic lunch (have I ever mentioned that I love eating outside? No kitchen mess!) and some fresh air. After the park I really needed to get my groceries for the rest of the week so to Wal-mart we went. During nap time. I knew it was a bad idea going in, and it was haha. But some how they still got ice cream sandwiches out of the deal (I blame Nana). After groceries we all took a much needed nap and then played outside the rest of the evening. After supper we decide it was time to start practicing our "Happy Birthday" singing and for Aug to start practicing his candle blowing so we stuck four candles in an ice cream sandwich and made Auggie smile from ear to ear. 

On Thursday we packed a lunch and headed to Ballard Nature Center. The first picture makes me laugh. It sure does show their personalities...Emery Kayt, sweet as can be. Auggie and B....ornery as can be! We fed turtles, watched birds, walked trails and got hot! We finished with our annual big rock picture. I have one from every year since Em was two. Auggie had been asking to go see Grandma and Grandpa since B got to go out there earlier in the week, so Douglas and the kids headed to Grove for supper and farm fun that night. 

(Wondering why they keep putting their hands up in pictures? Bennett has decided that that is what he should do when asked to smile for a picture--I think getting his picture taken at the Alma-Mater confused him. So we put our hands up now.)

Friday was the big adventure of the week. Recently a friend told us about Willoughby Heritage Farm in Collinsville. It is like Ballard, plus a park, plus a petting zoo, plus tractors.  Oh and it is completely free. So the most perfect place for kids! The big kids loved everything about it. We were there for close to four hours and they would have stayed much longer. Em loved swinging, checking out the trails and petting the animals. Auggie loved sitting on the tractors, petting the animals, and sitting on the tractors some more. And B spent his time trying his absolute hardest to keep up. I bet he falls down 30 times a day but nothing seems to stop him. Well until he up and decides that he needs a paci when you are out on a trail. Bennett Lee had a melt. down. after a few hours or so and refused to move or be moved. Bennett Lee can be quite emotional and his crying really has zero affect on me (yes, I am the mom taking a picture of her screaming kid off in the distance instead of running to him) but his screaming totally breaks Emery's heart. She babies B so much, so while it was frustrating to deal with the sweaty breakdown, it was sweet to see her comfort her Bubba. Besides the meltdown, the day was so fun and we will be back! We pulled in the drive way around 4:30 and before I could get into the house with Bennett, Emery and Auggie were walking back out the door in their swimming suits. They had made plans on the way home to play in the hose. We decided we could do better than play in the hose and jumped into our pool for the first official home swim of the season! The big kids love our pool and if Bennett could talk he would have been saying something like, "WHAT! I didn't know we had a pool!!" He was so excited. So for the rest of the summer, you know where to find us. 

Saturday was busy. Auggie had T-ball. I was told that he listened good and hit good. Go Auggie! Em, B and I missed T-ball because Em had a dance rehersal. After that, Emery's bestie Charlee came over to play and I made Auggie's birthday cake (he requested the exact cake I made him last year. Easy peasy.) That evening Emery had a dance recital. D, Nana and I used it as a girls night. Em did so good and I was so proud of her. Of course I think she is the cutest little dancer, but really I am proud of her because I know I can drop her off and I never have to worry about her not minding or not listening or not being kind to her peers. I take her for granted. Douglas and the boys played outside, ate Chipotle (B loves guac) and played games all evening. 

August Samuel was up bright and early Sunday morning. No surprise there. I found him at 6:30 in the morning trying to get dressed so he could go to his party and turn four. I realized that in his mind "birthday" and "birthday party" were the same thing. After talking him into cuddling on the couch instead of getting dressed in the dark, I wished him a Happy Birthday, which confused him. I had to explain to him that the whole day was his birthday, not just his party. "Wait....so I am four right now?" I don't know if I have ever seen him smile so big after I told him that yes, he was four right now. He got to do a PJ donut run with Daddy and we played outside until nap time. Well first I had to hose him off. Then nap time. After naps we headed to Ballard for his party. We kept the meal simple but yummy, he got the perfect presents, and I think everyone enjoyed the evening fishing and visiting.  Thank you to everyone who made him feel special on his special day!

Auggie didn't want to go to bed last night. He didn't want his special day to end. 

As I look at this picture, I can hear him telling everyone "thank you" after opening presents. I can picture him sitting on his Daddy's lap asking baseball questions at the Cardinal's game. I can feel him holding my hand as we walk in the park. And it might sound strange but I just realized he really is four. I realized my little boy is growing up. Its too fast but its also too fun.

Happy Birthday, Auggie. Love ya.