Happy 2 years, Logy bear!

Happy 2^nd birthday my Logy Bear!! Oh man, I cannot even begin to write how much I love you, my boy. You are SUCH a gift to your momma. I am so much better off for having you in my life. Since you were born we have called you our little joy giver. There is something about you that just knows no boundaries to loving people and getting them to smile. Sometimes it seems like your mission in life is to get people to laugh—not just a small chuckle, but rather a belly laugh. And then you join in encouraging the belly laughing to continue for longer. You bring out the joy in a situation and you help others to find joy when it seems like they are down.

I call you mr. intense sometimes because you love fiercely, you are passionate about what you want and you will make sure your voice is heard above all others ;). When you care about something you care deeply and strongly about it. If you want a certain toy- you WANT that toy. If you want a hug- you hug long, hard and tight (those are my favorite things ever- I call them your intense hugs- never quit hugging your momma).

You LOVE others. You love people with a deep enjoyment. Your big sister is your best friend. You do everything she does. If she gets a snack- you want a snack. If she plays dress up- you play dress up. If she spins in circles- you spin in circles. You have become a protector of your baby sister. It took a little time to get there- but we knew you would. Now you are so gentle with her (well, maybe I should use gently loosely- I think it is your form of gentleness ;)). You are alert to her cries you and always ask where baby Ruby is. Sweet boy- you have a big job being a brother. You are going to be bigger than your older sister and you are older than your younger sister—protect them. This world needs brothers like you- fun, loving, strong, fighters. Fight for your sisters and learn from them. Learn what emotions look like. Learn how to play with baby dolls because maybe one day you’ll be a dad. Learn how a girl should be treated and be that example to others. Your dad is good at this.

You are your grandpa’s boy. Oh.my.goodness. If I have ever seen such a sweet bond it is that between you and your grandpa braker and your grandpa weber. You sing about them when you aren’t with them and you constantly ask me where “bapa” is at. In the grocery store you will at random start screaming on the top of your lungs for your bapa. Who cares about the mother who carried you, birthed you (you 10lb 4 oz tank of a baby, mind you) and kept you alive- go ahead and esteem bapa as your favorite. It’s okay, I actually love it.

You are your daddy’s right hand man. Whenever there is a project going on you’re right there handing him tools and learning from him. You love to rough house with dad and wrestle. You are two peas in a pod and you are good for your papa.

You are a stinker. You KNOW how to press your mama’s buttons already and you make sure multiple times a day you do so. I often say “It’s a good thing you are so cute” because otherwise….boy I don’t know if we’d survive somedays. You give me the “I know this is wrong but I want to make sure you’re watching” look and then you proceed against all wisdom and direction to do whatever it is you think is a hilarious idea. A lot of times you learn the hard way. I pray for your protection A LOT. A LOT. You remind me of your Uncle Tony and his sense of adventure and love for life. SO that makes me pray even harder sweet boy of mine.

Logan Anthony, you are my sweet, tender, fierce, tough little boy. I can’t imagine life with you. You made a grand entrance into this world and since that day two years ago you continue to help me grow and learn and see the world through new eyes. I never knew I could love tractors and trucks so much. I never knew the perseverance you’d instill in me, already. You have taught me a new kind of love. I am not the same person because of you. Hear my heart, Logy boy- you are such a deep, sweet, incredible blessing to your momma. I will always always always love you and be cheering for you and believing in you. I’m so proud of you already. Now tackle this world, my boy, with a firm trust and resolve in Jesus, with a heart that is so for others and love them deeply and be unwavering in what is right in the eyes of God, not man.

I love you my logy boy with all my heart!

maternity shoot (3rd kid)

First off, i'm realizing how dated this blog looks. It's in need of an update majorly. I probably won't get to updating it soon, honestly, but know I notice.

Okay, if i'm honest I have been dreading doing this maternity shoot. First off, I feel huge. Secondly, it takes a lot of effort and I'm tired these days. Thirdly, I would much rather be the photo taker than the subject. But we put it on our "things that we would like to get done before baby comes" list. My husband kindly agreed to making this happen and being my photographer. The guy can remodel a house and take pictures- he's got skill.

My main push to do these pictures is to capture this time, this season, this gift. I don't take lightly or for granted the gift this little girl growing inside of me is and it is important to me to honor that gift. Photos are, for me, a huge way of honoring something. They elicit a lot of memory and emotion for me as I look back on them years later. Everyone has their thing and photos are one of mine.

We put this in our calendar to do a few weeks ago but had to keep rescheduling it due to all kinds of reasons. A lot of the time- because I was too tired or unmotivated.

This Sunday marked 36 weeks for me so something inside said "it's now or never". So I pinned a few inspirational pictures, told Seth the game plan, prepared for a few meltdowns and we attempted it. I told him my goal is a few good pictures to capture this time and if we didn't get them then we could just snap something later when we were all in our everyday clothes or maybe it just isn't realistic. I've learned over time with kids to set my expectations very low so anything is a success ;).

It went like this: Logy wakes up from nap with runny nose and not super happy and Gracie was being bribed to be in a good mood. And we went for it. What you don't see in these pictures is poor logy having a few meltdowns and Gracie dancing around and trying her best to comfort her little brother. I had to crop out little blondie's head in a few pictures because the poor boy just wanted his mama to hold him. Mean old mom.

I'm hugely surprised at the results and give huge kudos to Seth for his budding photography skills. And to my kids for hanging in there and trying to help their momma out by appeasing her crazy love for pictures all the time.

maternity shoot (3rd kid)

First off, i'm realizing how dated this blog looks. It's in need of an update majorly. I probably won't get to updating it soon, honestly, but know I notice.

Okay, if i'm honest I have been dreading doing this maternity shoot. First off, I feel huge. Secondly, it takes a lot of effort and I'm tired these days. But we put it on our "things that we would like to get done before baby comes" list. My husband kindly agreed to making this happen and being my photographer. The guy can remodel a house and take pictures- he's got skill.

My main push to do these pictures is to capture this time, this season, this gift. I don't take lightly or for granted the gift this little girl growing inside of me is and it is important to me to honor that gift. Photos are, for me, a huge way of honoring something. They elicit a lot of memory and emotion for me as I look back on them years later. Everyone has their thing and photos are one of mine.

We put this in our calendar to do a few weeks ago but had to keep rescheduling it due to all kinds of reasons. A lot of the time- because I was too tired or unmotivated.

This Sunday marked 36 weeks for me so something inside said "it's now or never". So I pinned a few inspirational pictures, told Seth the game plan, prepared for a few meltdowns and we attempted it. I told him my goal is a few good pictures to capture this time and if we didn't get them then we could just snap something later when we were all in our everyday clothes or maybe it just isn't realistic. I've learned over time with kids to set my expectations very low so anything is a success ;).

It went like this: Logy wakes up from nap with runny nose and not super happy and Gracie was being bribed to be in a good mood. And we went for it. What you don't see in these pictures is poor logy having a few meltdowns and Gracie dancing around and trying her best to comfort her little brother. I had to crop out little blondie's head in a few pictures because the poor boy just wanted his mama to hold him. Mean old mom.

I'm hugely surprised at the results and give huge kudos to Seth for his budding photography skills. And to my kids for hanging in there and trying to help their momma out by appeasing her crazy love for pictures all the time.

{a mom's letter} happy birthday logy bear (and some party pictures).

Logan Anthony,

You’re one today. I am having a hard time even typing that as I am in shock that your first year of life flew by so quickly. My heart swells with overwhelming love and thankfulness for you baby boy. Daddy and I have continually been blown away by the joy that has come with being your parents. We call you our little joy giver.

A year ago today you came into this world with a rather mammoth entrance at a whopping 10lbs 4oz (though the doctors still think you were 10lbs 6 oz, actually). That, paired with the fact that you were 10 DAYS OVERDUE, should have clued me into your warrior spirit and your persistent personality. But oh baby boy, when they held you up for me to catch my first look at you, I was in love. Instantly I had a son. You were my boy and that whole mommy/little boy connection thing totally happened. You know, you just know how to melt me with your little flirty smile. That whole “you had me at hello”…yeah… I was taken by your sweetness and the little tender warrior heart I already saw that day you were born.

Logy bear, you’ve stolen lots of hearts along the way with that smile of yours and your infectious laugh. I think mine most of all, though. Daddy laughs at me because he knows that you have me tied around your finger.

We have a million nicknames for you, affectionately:  logy bear, little tiger, Logy Tony, butter ball, brother bear, Log’s, as grammie calls you- her hunky boy…rarely do you actually get called Logan… welcome to our family- where we don’t ever use your real name.

You’ve built our family to something that I would never have imagined it could be. Already you’ve blessed me with sweeter joy and you’ve challenged me in many ways—good ways, ways that I need to be pushed in growth- and if you’re anything like your namesake (your uncle Tony)- that whole pushing your momma to grow thing will only continue.

Speaking of your Uncle Tony. I just told Grammie the other day that you are beginning to remind me so much of that guy. I had thought for a while that you would be my laid back, easy going, obedient kid (right…) but lately you’ve been proving that thought wrong. Lately you’ve been getting a kick out of doing something- that you know is obviously wrong because not only have we told you several times but we’ve also tried as much discipline techniques as a one year old can receive on said issue- and even though you have tears streaming down your face from the consequences of your action that we are trying to get you to stop doing, you still look at us (in fact, you make sure we are looking at you by obnoxiously yelling) and laugh and do it again. When I told Grammie this and she laughed that knowing laugh because Uncle Tony was much the same….oh my momma heart.

I love watching you and learning who you keep developing and growing into. We named you Logan Anthony with the meaning Tender Warrior. And it amazes me how that is so reflective in who you are. You’re built like a warrior (remember the whole 10lbs 4oz birth weight…yeah I did not forget that) and thankfully so you’ve kept up with that because your sister loves to pull you around, sit on you and try to lift you when I am not watching (sorry.). But you’re such a tender heart, too. You love people and are happiest when you’re with people (especially your sister), making them laugh and smiling at them. You are so forgiving and I am so grateful for that. You LOVE to snuggle when you wake up…favorite thing ever. You love to watch your sister doing silly things and you just sit there and laugh- the way you eg each other on is too fun sometimes. You guys are the best of buddies- your faces light up with you get to see each other in the morning and already you’ve got that sibling connection going on.

You spread joy by being who you are, and it is truly the deepest delight to be your parents. We are so proud of you and so so thankful for you. We are celebrating the gift that God gave us in you and who He keeps making you to be. I pray that you will grow to be a man of integrity- that you always do the right thing for the right reason, no matter who is watching or what they think. I pray that you will do everything in love- seeing others with the true heart of Jesus and sharing His compassion and Truth. I pray you will be brave and courageous and unwavering in your faith. Especially in this world that you will be growing up in, we are going to need men who battle with courage and stand up for what is right.

But for now, for today, just be my one year old little baby. All too soon you’ll be grown up. And I am not ready to think about that yet because right now I can’t believe you’re already one year old. I love you deeper than words can say and I am so for you.

Happiest birthday to my Logy bear.

Love,

Your Momma

We had your birthday party this weekend. I decided that I wanted to do a lumberjack theme for you and had way too much fun looking for party ideas online. You are so much fun to celebrate buddy!

This was your invite :)

I asked daddy if he could build me a log cabin out of cardboard boxes and we put our minds together and came up with this log cabin. It has been a hit with you and your sister.

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Oh brother I couldn't help it. I found this lumberjack beard on amazon and without thinking twice I ordered it. I mean come on.

this is your happy place- with both of your grandpas. You are such a grandpa boy. 

My guys.

attempting to "open" gifts...you didn't really like that we kept making you open more gifts instead of letting you play with the ones you already opened. 

You lit up when you opened this. It didn't take you but a few seconds and you knew what to do. Such a boy.

Since we call you our logy bear I attempted to make you a bear cake...let's just say I don't work for hire on cake decorating.

we got you all ready to smash that cake.....

let's just say that you weren't a fan of being stripped down, every watching you and me trying to stick your hand in your cake. Hey it's your party- noone said you have to eat your cake.

Happy birthday buddy, we love you so much!