Isaac David: 3 1/2 Years Old

Isaac is officially 3 1/2 years old today.  

If we're "rounding up," that means he is closer to 4 than 3!  

Four--even 3 1/2--sounds so big...here is what my favorite little boy is up to at 3 1/2!

Reading, reading, reading....

I mentioned in a recent post on Isaac's funny sayings that he loves to read.  Our local library has a drive-up (best thing ever!)...so, every time I say we are going to the library, Isaac always asks if we're going to the drive-up to pick up reserved books or going in (his favorite!).  During our last few trips to the library, he has sat at a small table and looked at book after book while I find new books to take home.  He also loves to "give" Emma books in her stroller to read while he reads at the library table.  :)  

Horses

Isaac is quick to tell anyone that "horses are my very favorite."  One day, I asked if I was his favorite, and he said, "No, mommy--horses, hot dogs, and Landrie are my favorites."  :)  He asks to play horses every single night with Daddy.  Often, Isaac will tell Daddy to be a quarter horse and that he (Isaac) will be the big draft horse.  And--in case you ever play horses with Isaac--he will make sure you are walking around on your four hooves, not crawling on your knees.  :)

Isaac loves all animals.  I took this picture of Isaac at Homestead Farms a few weeks ago.  We went there to buy goat milk for Emma; and, of course, we visited the goats.  And, Isaac kissed the goats.  :)

being a big brother...

Isaac continues to love Emma.  Seeing my two children begin to play together and make each other giggle is so precious...it's a dream come true to this mom!

Yesterday, Isaac helped his daddy hang a beautiful cross in Emma's room.  This morning, when Emma woke up, Isaac pointed to the cross and said, "Emma, do you like your cross that I hung with my daddy last night?"  Then he mimicked a little girl's voice and said, "Yes, I do like my cross.  Thank you, big brother!"  

Cooking, Baking, & Helping

Over the past few months, we have moved to dye-free eating in our home, which means that I have been cooking and baking a lot more from scratch.  Isaac loves to help in the kitchen.  Even though it still takes me longer to cook and bake with his help than it would without his help :), I love that he is learning to help in the kitchen AND it's a sweet time together.  

"Look, Mommy, I made the letter 'I'."  :)  

Isaac has also started having consistent chores.  Each morning, he unloads and sorts the silverware from the dishwasher and then reloads dirty dishes & silverware into the bottom rack.  He is also learning to vacuum the kitchen each evening with our small vacuum.  

Uncle Mike

David's youngest brother, Michael, moved in with us in March.  To say that Isaac loves having Uncle Mike around is an understatement.  One Saturday morning, he quietly stood by Uncle Mike's door and waited for Uncle Mike to wake up for a long time.  David & I finally convinced him to come downstairs and play until Uncle Mike woke up and was ready to play.  :)  Isaac also loves to wrestle with Uncle Mike, and this past weekend Uncle Mike started teaching Isaac how to "play" soccer (i.e.: kick, don't throw).  :)

And, Uncle Mike loves to take pictures like this and send them to Mommy while she's out on errands! 

It's definitely bittersweet seeing my little blue-eyed toddler grow (and grow and grow) into a bigger boy.  But, it is such a joy to see Isaac become a fun, spirited, energetic preschooler!  We love our son to pieces.

  

Easter 2013

We had a wonderful Easter weekend celebrating that Jesus is alive! 

Our weekend was busy with Dave and I both serving at Keystone for two services, but it was a privilege--and a lot of fun--to serve on such a huge weekend at our church.  I (Bethany) attended the 11:00 Sunday service at Keystone, and there were so many people that I ended up sitting--along with many, many others--in overflow seating in the lobby.  Keystone also had a petting zoo set up for the kids to visit during each Easter service.  Of course, Isaac was thrilled about the animals and even told me that there was a "bull" in the petting zoo!  :)

Easter has taken on a new meaning as we see Isaac slowly grasp the concept of Jesus' death and life.  Earlier this afternoon, Isaac said: "Jesus died on the cross. He had to take all the bad things that we did.  The soldiers were mean to him.  Jesus died on the cross.  Then he went to a big tomb.  Then he rose again because He had to take all our bad things."  

Yesterday, Isaac was playing dinosaurs and play dough.  Isaac hid the dinosaurs in the middle of play dough, pulled them out, and said, "The dinosaur rose from the dead!"  Well, we have more teaching to do.  :)

Easter baskets on Sunday morning--I think Emma is more interested in looking at Isaac's basket :)

Easter morning at Keystone Church

Emma was already tired by the time we arrived at my parent's for Easter dinner!

After several lamb cake disasters over the past few years, this year's cake turned out.  Isaac was especially happy about the lamb having a green ribbon.  :)

Isaac, Emma, and their cousin Amanda all took naps after Easter dinner, and then we did a little egg hunt outside.   

Uncle Mike gave Isaac this soccer ball for Easter, and he was so attached to it that he wanted to carry it around for most of the egg hunt.

  

 

my grandma with the little ones!  Emma, Amanda, & Isaac

Isaac and Amanda were looking for "Pokey the Turtle" with my dad

Isaac wanted everyone to "play soccer" with him--even Grandma Joan!

We also had a lot of fun at an Easter Egg hunt the previous Friday at a friend's house.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10b
We hope you had a wonderful Easter, too!

A Few Favorite Isaac Stories

Isaac is so much fun right now.  Actually, he's always been a lot of fun--but I feel like he is changing so much right now.  It seems that his vocabulary is growing every minute--today I found myself explaining the difference between fiction and non-fiction books to him.  (Yikes!)    It is such a joy to watch him become such a fun, imaginative, and always energy-filled boy.  

I long ago decided that I am not a scrapbooker :)--and so, this blog is my place to record quotes, stories, and pictures about our family.  Here are a few of my favorite Isaac stories from the past few months.   

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It is Isaac's routine to spend "some time" on his potty chair each morning after breakfast.  Lately, he's been sitting there each morning and reading books for a looooong time--sometimes up to half an hour.  This morning, he'd been in the bathroom for about ten minutes when I went to check on him.  As I walked into the bathroom, he looked up at me from his book and said, "Greetings and salutations!"  Then he laughed and laughed!  Occasionally, my dad says "greetings and salutations"--apparently Isaac remembered!

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"Mommy, Emma can be Baby Jesus, you can be Mary, Daddy can be Joseph, and I'll be the horsey in the stable.  And, Uncle Mike can be a horsey, too.  No.....Uncle Mike can be the fireman fighting the fires in the stable."

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Isaac loves his daddy.  Last Monday, Dave worked in Decatur for the day and was then going to head to Oklahoma for the rest of the week.  I drove up to Decatur last Monday evening to have supper with Dave before he left.  Isaac insisted that he wear his "work boots just like my daddy."  (As you can see, his "work boots" are actually green rain boots that were given to us by my mom's neighbor.  Several weeks ago, my mom tried to wash them; Isaac got very upset and told her they needed to have dirt on him just like his daddy's.)  Isaac also wanted to wear his "work gloves (snow mittens) just like my daddy."   He was so proud that his jeans got some dirt on them from climbing around the machinery, too.   :)

 

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Isaac: "Mommy, when I grow up, I would like to be a workerman like my daddy.  No, I will be an astronaut and fly in a rocket.  You will look out your widow and see the rocket."

Me: "What do you think Emma will be when she grows up?"

Isaac: "Emma will be a princess & live in a princess house."

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Isaac had been excited to have a play date with some friends, but on the morning of the play date  my friend called to say she was sick and couldn't get together.   When I told Isaac we couldn't play with our friends because their mommy was sick, he immediately dropped to his knees and said, "Dear God, please help Aunt Corrie be better. Amen." 

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Isaac: "I would like to go visit Nana by myself."

Me: "Maybe someday when you are six, because you have to be big to do that."

Isaac: "Well, I am big.  Can I go tomorrow?  Nana will say 'yes'--you can bring me and then go back to Texas by yourself."

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Also, I can't resist sharing this photo.  Dave & I received a few brochures for our tenth anniversary trip.  One morning, I found Isaac studying one....

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Isaac loves to read books.  Besides the picture above, another funny place we've found Isaac reading is on his horse...

...and with his bike helmet on (we weren't going on a bike ride anytime soon) :).

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My grandma lives in a memory-care center in Southlake.  We went to visit her last Monday, and, as we were leaving, Isaac asked her, "Next time, could I please spend the night with you?"  :)

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This is probably my very favorite Isaac story from the past few months. 

"Mommy, now that Emma is a big girl, when is God going to send us our next baby?"  

I told him that Daddy & I had been praying that God would show us the next baby for our family and then asked if he'd pray for that too.  Right away, he folded his hands, closed his eyes, and said, "Dear God, please send another baby to our family.  Amen!"

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We love this boy!

Tot School: Easter

Easter is early this spring, so we've already had fun working on a few Easter-themed activities. 

I'm linking up with Tot School Gathering Place to share some of our recent activities.

Matching Sound Eggs

I found an idea to make sound eggs from The Iowa Farmer's Wife.  

I filled our eggs with only items I had on hand: dry pinto beans, Valentine conversation hearts, soft mini-poms, small pieces of foam, and wrapped candy. 

Just like a regular Memory/matching game, we took turns by trying to find matching eggs.  I loved how Isaac put the eggs right next to his ears and shook them.  :)

a match--I love this smile!

Easter Sensory Play in the Bathtub

Isaac and Emma also played in the bathtub with a very messy tray of vanilla pudding, ice cubes, and Easter eggs.  

Isaac didn't know that the mixture was vanilla pudding--Emma figured out first how sweet it was!

Emma spent most of her time licking the vanilla pudding and tapping eggs together. :)

 Isaac loved getting really messy.  :)  He also hid ice cubes in the plastic eggs.

Tape-Resist Eggs

 Isaac put strips of tape on two of the large paper eggs, and he helped me put tape in the shape of an I and an E on the other two.  (I had masking tape on hand, but I'm sure blue painter's tape would've worked better.)

Isaac painted the eggs and then added lots of glitter.  :)

I've found that doing painting projects on a cookie sheet makes for easier clean-up.

Several hours later, I peeled the tape off.  

Happy Easter!

Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday: Our Birthday Babies!

Isaac's First Birthday~October 2010

Emma's First Birthday~ February 2013