Curious George and the Birthday Party

We planned Klayton's 4th Birthday Party for today and it couldn't have been a better day for it! Not because the weather was beautiful-which it was; but because the theme was Curious George and George visited the local bookstore in the morning! What a perfect way to start the day!
Klayton watches Curious George-DAILY! I wasn't really sure what he would think of meeting George in person though. He is not too crazy about "mascots"; but I wondered if George would be in that realm of people in his eyes because he is such a part of our daily life! But, Klayton was eager to stand in line and wait!

When it was our turn though, he started to have doubts.

But, when asked to help Curious George spell his name, Klayton didn't have to be asked twice!

And, before we left Klayton gladly posed for a picture with George!

I was thrilled for the picture pose! I was excited to run and get a copy of the picture made for the birthday party that would start in 2 hours! Busy morning with lots to do; cupcakes to frost, lunch bags to be packed...
There is not much on the market for Curious George party decorations, unless you want to spend an arm and a leg as well as order it all online. So, I went with red and yellow for the colors, used library books-giving each table a theme from Curious George books and used lots of free online resources! The tables had placemats that guests could color!

I made the gift table and cupcake table stand out with the red table clothes and balloon bouquets!

I had sack lunches ready for the guests! When they came in they could just sit and start eating! Since the theme was focused on a child, I served hot dogs, a bag of chips, Curious George fruit snacks and a Capri Sun in each bag! This also allowed easy clean up-BONUS! On each lunch bag I attached characters from Curious George and if your bag had George or The Man with the Yellow Hat you won a door prize!

The meal was simple; but the table conversation was fun and I was able to relax without running around making sure I had enough buns, etc.!

I also set up an area based off the book, Curious George Goes Bowling! If the kids could knock down all 10 pins they received a sucker! They loved it and it helped them working on the skill of taking turns! Haha!

Of course we had presents with the birthday boy, front and center!

Klayton received SO many nice gifts this year! A bike-what a surprise that was! He received cars, a chainsaw, planes, dinosaurs, coloring books, a farm animal set and one of our personal favorites, the armor of God!

After presents we did the Birthday song and didn't have to stop! And Klayton blew out the candle without prompting!

Everyone enjoyed their chocolate chip cupcakes with a banana on top and monkey juice! Then with grateful hearts we thanked everyone for coming and let them go at their leisure!
And I decided that birthday parties are A LOT of fun and work-I am EXHAUSTED and I can't help but sigh as Klayton asks for another party...

Klayton's 4th Birthday

I love birthdays and I LOVE celebrating Klayton's birthday! I think this birthday has been the most fun we have had so far...there is a strong possibility that I say that every year! However, this year it was fun to wake up and drop Klayton off at school with juice boxes and treats! He came home to his birthday lunch, homemade pizza-chosen by him! But, before lunch was the best part of the day for the birthday boy-presents!
It was hilarious, Klayton came home from school and went right to his presents! He didn't wait for me to get my camera and just started opening his presents!

Thankfully, I managed to sneak a few pictures. I really wish I would have snapped one of him opening his fishing pole! Klayton has been fascinated with fishing the last few months and every time we go to Wal-Mart or the local K-Mart we are summoned down the fishing aisle to check out a Cars fishing pole. We are also told, the he WILL buy it with his coins! My Grandma sent some birthday money for us to shop for Klayton with and we used some of the money for the pole! Best present ever-yep, even better than what Joseph and I had chosen for him!
Later that night we had a small birthday party with my family!

We did the obligatory singing of, Happy Birthday! And in the middle of the song the tears came and we had to stop singing to the birthday boy! Klayton then decided that he was not interested in blowing out his birthday candle and Pops had to blow out, not once; but 4 times!

Since Pops was successful, Klayton did manage a quick blow of the candle as well! I was thankful just so I could get a cute picture!

The cake was yummy and time with the cousin was fun!

Overall, it was a great day that left us looking forward to the BIG party day on Saturday! And, a little party memory from the evening; my mom made Klayton a camouflage afghan. She spent A LOT of time on that afghan and that was not appreciated by my Klayton. He opened the gift and promptly said, "I don't want it" and gave it to my mom! We are hoping the other gift she has for him on Saturday will be better received!

Justus-5 Months

Justus you are 5 months old!

This month:
*You discovered your toes!
*Roll from belly to back.
*Like to take your morning nap on your belly.
*Very much a chatterbox.
*Laughs A LOT at big brother.
*Love to sit in your Bumbo!
*Still drooling...seriously, is there a tooth in there somewhere?
*Have decided that you no longer like to take a bottle.
*Wear 3-6 month clothes, sometimes 6 month.
*Size 2 diapers.
*It may be a coincidence; but every time baseball is on tv it gets your full attention..you seem to like it.
*Like being outside.
*Have quite the grip.
*Good at grabbing things.
*Have discovered your carseat toys and enjoy playing with them.
*Do not like the sound of a vacuum.
*Like to play and chew your keys!

Dear Justus,
To be honest, I have backdated this post on the blog. As you can see in the pictures above you were not happy. I really wanted to retake the pictures and get some happy shots! But, then I realized and accepted that this is reality, this is what life seems to be like most days. Maybe it is teeth? I can see little bumps on your bottom gums...two in fact. I am pretty sure that a day will come where I will laugh at the above pictures and smile as I miss these days. So, today I am choosing to cherish even the tears...the many, many tears because if there were no tears there would not be a YOU!

Love,
Mama

Klayton is 4

Klayton you are FOUR years old!

Things to take note of from this year:

*Go to preschool now. Four days a week and you love it.
*Love Curious George.
*You describe things you 'like' with, "I love it!"
*Favorite drink, lemonade.
*Favorite food, spaghetti and tacos.
*Know how to roller skate.
*Enjoy riding your bike.
*Know all about the 4 letter word, G-O-L-F!
*Speech has finally flourished since starting preschool and speech therapy. I am super impressed and grateful.
*Fully potty trained.
*Take SHOWERS!
*Became a big brother.
*Enjoy playing Hide and Seek; but to be honest, you are not very good at the hiding part!
*Like to help people.
*Are very expressive.
*Like playing in the dirt with your shovel and rake.
*Love to paint and cook.
*Enjoy fixing things with your tools.
*Favorite color, blue.
*Favorite number, 2.
*Love to play any sport that simply involves a ball.
*Being outside is your favorite place to be.
*Love to give kisses and hugs.
*Still just as stubborn as ever.
*Love to wear shorts, it is hard to find you in anything but your shorts.
*Have developed quite the imagination.
*Very much a daddy's boy.
*Like to mow the lawn.
*Still a little fish in the water. You took 12 weeks of lessons and did wonderful.

Unforgettable moments:

*How you like to pray with Pops in his office before church service. And there has been many random moments where you will come and get me or daddy to pray with you. I believe you will be a prayer warrior for many people in the years to come.
*A couple weeks ago when we were flipping through the photo album and you randomly said, "There's Barb" and "There's Lori!" Yep, those are your GRANDMA's and how you know their first names is a little crazy to daddy and I!
*The amount of kisses you bestow upon brother are in a ridiculous abundance.
*I had to run to the doctor one time after brother was born. Grandma and Pops said I might come out with a baby sister and you cried, "No sister!"
*On Mother's Day you picked out a balloon for me and let me keep it just long enough for pictures! You toted that balloon around for the month following.
*How when you see a train you tell us to race it.
*Whenever you see a freshly made bed you want to get under the covers.
*When we ask you to say your last name, Barnhardt you say, "Heart, heart!"
*You are always trading Daddy's drink for your own!
*Your shorts, they are always on or in your lunchbox/backpack...they are almost like a security blanket of sorts!
*How you pack your tools in any place they will fit if you are told that your toolbox is not allowed to come along.

Oh Mister,
I love you so much more than I can even describe. You are a little boy now-no longer a baby. The days are slowly fleeting of your dependence on me as you now dress yourself and even help yourself to your own drinks from the fridge. A few weeks ago you asked me to snuggle with you and I didn't let you ask me twice!
Tonight I write this and the time is approaching 7 p.m. and at this point 4 years ago I still had 45 minutes to go before your arrival. In so many ways I can still feel those first moments. I can still hear the first words of the people around me as you were born. I kept hearing, "He is SO precious!" The moment I first held you left me in awe and unbelief that you were mine and that I actually carried you! Breathtaking moments.
I am SO thankful for the day you were born and for every day since. I love how your heart is so tender and compassionate. I love how you love to serve others. I love even the cute faces you make when you are being naughty-though those faces don't get you out of trouble! And yes I have caught on to how you want to give me a kiss right before you get in trouble...you are such a stinker! Your personality is really shining through!
Happy 4th Birthday-I can't wait to see how you blossom this year!

Love, Mama

Klayton and Preschool

Klayton turns 4 on Tuesday! Seriously, how did this happen?! Ok, I DO know how it happened-he grew, just as he should. It's just hard to believe that he is getting so big and is my not so little boy anymore. In the past I have always done posts all about him a few days before his birthday. I am having a sleepless night-no surprise there-and have been trying to decide what to blog about in regards to him.
Preschool! This has been one of two big changes in his life this past year! First, it was gaining a little brother and then going off to school 4 days a week! Joseph and I had always talked about when the time came that it would probably be a good idea and a good experience to send him to preschool. When the opportunity arose of a preschool opening that had a 3 year old program I was instantly excited as I envisioned how I knew he would love being with other kids and how his speech would improve. I have not been disappointed. It's not been just preschool for him, it's been a time in his life where I have seen him grow and flourish. I am SO thankful that God has allowed me housekeeping jobs to pay for this opportunity. I am also SO thankful for the teacher he has, she is good for him and I know she has come to love him! I know how could she not?!
His favorite thing to do at school is paint, as long as it's not finger painting! He also enjoys cooking! Klayton has also acquired the art of singing since going to school. Until this time he has never tried to sing and now at church I can sometimes hear him singing above my piano playing! The other day as I went to pick him up from school I arrived a few minutes early and from the window I could see him playing the drum as he was singing with his classmates. The smile on his face was priceless, in fact I tear up just picturing his face in that moment. When I stepped inside the pick up area it had become his turn to stand at the front with his teacher and sing. He was doing his part proudly and loving it! As I drove him home that day, he sat in his car seat singing, "I am 'pecial"! What a special sound that was to my ears! Klayton is really such a special boy and I get reminded of that daily and I hope he grows to know that He is special to God and that God DOES love him as the song says:
I am special.
I am special.
God loves me.
God loves me.
Someone very special that is me,
That is me!
In school he is learning the Pledge of Allegiance, his job is to hold the flag! He takes his job VERY seriously-the flag never touches the ground in his care. Klayton is also learning the Christian flag pledge, memorizing Bible verses, the alphabet and sign language for each letter. He is also learning colors, shapes, numbers as well as learning to recognize words, especially his name!
When I drop him off at school I enjoy watching him see his friends! They usually exclaim, "Klayton, I missed you!" Then they all run to each other and hug like they haven't seen each other in years! I have seen though how peer pressure works even at a young age; but in this case for my good! Haha! When I pick him up from school as the other kids take charge by exclaiming, "Mom" and running to their parent with a hello hug-Klayton will then follow suit and do the same! I love those hugs!
Klayton's teacher discovered that he learns best in certain situations when he is able to sit on a ball and bounce! I am thankful that she looks for ways to encourage the best learning possible for him and realizes that not all kids learn the same way!
Before bed the other night he told me, "School, I love it!" That makes my Mama heart so happy and content!

teach me to braid: if my child marries yours

teach me to braid: if my child marries yours: If my child marries yours... I just want you to know that I'm praying for you. When I'm awake at night - feeding babies, bu...

One Week to 4

A sneak peek of Klayton's 4 year pictures!

Pumpkin Patch Fun

A couple weeks ago we were driving home and saw a cute pumpkin patch getting ready to open for the season! I was instantly excited and anxious to make time to take Klayton-I was sure he would have fun! I was not disappointed...it was more than just pumpkins-it was an afternoon of fun and games!
At the pumpkin patch you were able to choose to pick your own pumpkin from the patch or get one that had already been picked. It wasn't a hard decision, especially for Klayton as he ran over, grabbed a wagon and off to the patch he went!

We had decided that each of the boys would get a pumpkin and we quickly discovered that picking out pumpkins is a difficult; but fun task!

This pumpkin looks acceptable for Justus and thankfully Klayton is willing to "let" Dad be the one to cut it from the patch!I should confess here...that the original pumpkin chosen for Justus never made it home. A certain big brother dropped it and therefore it became damaged goods...

Now we have to find the perfect pumpkin for Klayton!

Maybe this one?

Nope, it was only good for a picture and the search must continue!

And, finally the perfect pumpkin! Daddy gets to help cut it from the patch once again!

When we had started our search we had told Klayton if he could pick up the pumpkin we could get it and as you can see he knew how to handle it and loaded it in his wagon!

Off to our next adventure!

Like obligatory pictures!

And can I just say that getting pictures taken of TWO boys is TWICE the work now?! Ha! Apparently, my little guys were looking at a different camera?

I was really impressed with all the extra activities the pumpkin patch had like, pumpkin ring toss! And no Klayton does not realize that those rings are actually hula hoops!

Bean Bag Toss!

Pumpkin bowling!

Corn shucking!

A corn kernel sensory bin!

The cutest scarecrow EVER!

We also enjoyed a hayride; but no pictures to prove that we ALL enjoyed-and yes that includes Justus. He, however, wasn't too thrilled with the bumps on the path!

We spent two hours at the patch, left with two pumpkins, a bag of popcorn and a caramel apple-all for $10! Not to shabby if you ask me and it was money well spent...in fact Klayton keeps asking to go back for more pumpkins!