when ian turned three

it's been a surreal process leading up to ian turning three. 

my heart has had a hard time with the reality that ian is now the age that avery was when he was born. 

the fall that he was born was insane.  i hardly remember it, except for blog posts/pictures.  

sleepless nights, ash too cute at a year and a half, and starting to officially do preschool with avery. 

 it's a blur. 

those few short months when they were all so little are gone.



and though those months were crazy and exhausting, i look back at these pictures with such a sweet nostalgia.
there is something about the year that your last baby is a baby.
there is nothing quite like it.

i know that 3 and 4 and 6 are all still young ages.  but things are different now.  no babies; no toddlers. ian turning three feels like a turning point for our family.

here he is with his birthday donut and balloon the morning of his birthday! 

there is little chance (save a miracle) that a little houle baby will ever grace this home again.  (sniff, sniff, tear) and though i've spent many a moment bemoaning this fact and whining to dave about how our babies are no longer babies, Jesus has met me these past few weeks. 

he wanted a train cake again!  easiest cake in the world and so fun!  

he helped me pile the candy into the train cars! 

like a river, He's rolled in on me, washing away discontent and filling me with such a joy and delight at our three and where they are all at right now.  

each moment is a gift.  every single one.  

i have 3 children.  3!?!  how blessed am i.

if i ache for more how can i be fully thankful and beyond amazed at the blessing that these three are?

they are growing beautifully.

if i wish for time back, how can i be fully engaged in the life-giving ages of 3 and 4 and 6?

the girls making necklaces while ian and mommy decorated his cake. 

every moment that i spend feeling sad about all of the growing, is a moment that i've missed out on the joy and pleasure they each bring me right now. 

i don't want to miss it.

i don't want to waste moments on sadness.

that's just silly. 

we're so proud of our big three year old. 

birthday party baseball with cousins. 

of course there always will be a part of my heart that relishes those years of pregnancy and babies and toddlers, but i refuse to let that steal away the joy that this next season will bring us.  

don and dave manning the grill.

aunt alice and aunt erin in the kitchen. 

eating his birthday dinner!

ian is a ball at three. 

he loves trains.  and cars.  

he loves people, is afraid of no one and is quite the dare devil.  

he's learning quickly where his sisters buttons are and is not afraid to push them. 

he opened several thomas train cars. 

he's the littlest of this crew of cousins, but he holds his own.  we're super thankful for toby. ;)

lots of new train tracks!

and the grand finale....a train table! 

happy birthday, ian!

God was gracious indeed to give us you. 

you are our gift.


"the joy was always there for me in the moment i decided to go ahead and give thanks."
ann v. 

thankful today for big kids.