Playin' With Cousins

On Father's Day my family came over for dinner and Levi got a chance to play on his new play fort with his cousins. Here are a couple of cute pics from that day.

This is the new play fort...

It has a telescope that Levi clearly thinks is a blowhorn

and a little phone which makes Levi feel so cool.

Levi and my sister's daughter Brook.

Levi and his cousins Brook and Casey.

To a wonderful man, husband and father!

SOOOO we had such a good time on Father's Day that I forgot to sit down to the computer to post this which I had already written up but I still do mean it all. On Fathers Day Levi and I got up and made Daddy breakfast, his favorite German Pancakes and guava juice, we went to church, came home and had some good family time and then had my family over for dinner. It was a great day and Michael sure does deserve it.
It is such a joy to see him interact with our children. He loves them the way Christ loves us, he plays with them like it is his favorite thing to do, he sacrifices his own desires to make them happy, he involves them in his daily life and allows them to "help" even though it takes twice as long and they love him for it!

Here are some other reasons they love Daddy so much!!!

(Levi)


I love when Daddy...


1. ...gets up with me on the weekend and spends time with just me before Mommy and Makayla get up.


2. ...lets me help him make breakfast and sit on the counter. Actually I love it when he pretty much lets me help him do anything.


3. ...knocks on the door when he gets home from work and lets me answer it and jump into his arms.


4. ...talks to me on the phone when he is at work.


5. ...tickles me and makes me giggle until I can hardly get a breath in.





(Makayla)


I love when Daddy...


1. ...puts me in the "sleeper hold" and rocks me to sleep at night.


2. ...falls asleep on the couch with me when Mommy and Levi are gone.


3. ...sits me on his lap and makes me smile.


4. ...tells me I'm his pretty girl.


5. ...holds my binky in my mouth when we're driving. (I hate the car!)

Fun Family Times

So, we just recently purchased a bike trailer that converts to a double stroller and since we have had it we have had some really fun family times. Levi and Makayla both love to ride in it and it makes it a little easier on Mike and I since this way neither of us need to carry a child. This first picture I took the first day we got it. I put it together in the family room and then we had to try it out.

Here we are down at the Eastbank Esplanade on the East side of the Willamette River watching the fireworks that kicked off the Rose Festival.


These two pictures are of Levi playing in a mud puddle and Makayla taking a ride along the Sandy River at Oxbow Park.

And the last two are of Levi playing peek-a-boo with me behind a park bench in downtown on the waterfront and Makayla once again just enjoying the ride. I took the kids down to the Waterfront Village to watch the rides and walk along the waterfront. The three of us rode one ride and Levi and I shared an elephant ear. For a day that was suppose to rain it was sunny and beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Recently I have really been trying to take advantage of the time I have with my precious little ones. I become more aware of how fast time flies everyday and I don't want to waste the time the Lord has given me with them. I want to take every opportunity to teach them about Christ and to model to them what it means to live your life for Him. I know that at this point in their lives there is no better person to do this than me and even though I feel completely unworthy of this calling I do feel it is a calling and I want to do my best to make an impact in their lives. This has also made me think of our time here on earth and how short it is. I can't help but think that Christ feels the same way about my short life as I feel about the short time I have to spend with my children. It is a good reminder to me that I need to have an eternal perspective.

Levi's Recent Vocabulary

Over the last couple of weeks Levi's vocabulary has really expanded and every day we hear him try to say more words. Usually he is repeating what someone else says with the exception of the words below which he says on his own. It is fun to hear him talk and he is always "talking" and it is also nice to know that we may begin to get over the whining and screaming for everything phase. It will be a great feeling to know what he wants when he wants it because there is no doubt that he truly does!

Oldies but Goodies:
Dad- "daddee", "dada", "da", "dad"
Mom- "mama", "mooom", "maa"

ball- "bawl"
car- "caw"

bye- "bu-bye"

hello- "hi"

yes- "yeah"

Within the last few months:

sister- "sisser"

night-night- "nigh-nigh"

wow- "whohw!"

Just the last couple of weeks:

please- "tees" (with a big smile)
teeth- "teee" (while pointing at teeth)
shoe-"soo"
outside- "ouw-sigh"
milk- "mil"

Last but NOT least used:
no- "no!", "naa"

the attitude we're working with.

the happy, joyful, content, sweatheart we are excited to see grow, minus the binky or in this case binkies, which will be another battle for the future.