Summer Bucket List

It's that time of year again. School's out and to prevent the boys from saying they're bored starting at 8:30 in the morning, we made our annual summer bucket list.

We are a wee less ambitious this summer than last year. With a newborn in tow, there will be no trips to the Vatican, no weddings to attend across the country, and we even reduced the number of parks to visit from 30 down to 20. Which is still a lot.

We do hope to make it out to Lake Michigan towards the end of the summer. Because summer just wouldn't feel like summer without sandcastles, high humidity, evening walks to the lighthouse, and seeing all my loved ones back home.

In the meantime, we are going to enjoy some summer staples. Picnics. Boating. Swimming lessons. Weekly movie theater passes. Ice cream. Baseball. Splash Pads.

And we have some very loose plans to get Blake to stop sucking his thumb and Nash to potty train.

Let the fun begin.

I didn't come up with a new design this year but you can still click here to download last year's version.

Memorial Day Weekend in Instas

Fun with friends in the gorgeous mountains, enjoying the view and the thrill on the Alpine Coaster and Alpine Slides.

Preschool Grad

Blake officially completed his Preschool education this week.

He performed with his class in a program and then received his diploma.

It was a bittersweet ending. He cried the whole way home on his last day because he was going to miss his friends and teachers so much. But he is also thrilled to be entering Kindergarten.

He's Here

I realize that birth announcements are becoming obsolete. When you can instantly share stats and photos minutes after delivery via six social media routes, there isn't much purpose to sending out formal announcements several weeks later.

But the designer in me can't pass up an opportunity to combine fonts and photography and cardstock in one beautiful little envelope.

And since almost all of our family is out of state, I can still justify sending out birth announcements.

Crew's Newborn Pictures

When Crew was just three days old, we hurried and got his newborn session in. We met with our photographer first thing in the morning so the boys could be in a few shots before Troy continued driving them to their grandparents' house in Arizona.

Crew | One Month in Instas

Dear Crew,

It’s been a month since you joined our family. A whole month of watching you grow and change. I had forgotten what it was like having a newborn. The jerky movements, the startled cries, the rooting mouth. The first month seems to go by the quickest. Maybe it’s because of the lack of sleep and constant nursing. The days start to run together. One day you have a brand new babe and next you have a one month old. A month of loving on you and falling in love with you has come and gone. Everyone around here is completely smitten with you baby boy.

You like to eat. A lot. I've watched your cheeks grow plumper and plumper the last four weeks. You are a great sleeper so far. In fact, you sleep the best during the chaos of your older brothers running around you and making all sorts of ruckus. You like to be swaddled tightly at night. But you are very strong and many nights you maneuver your little arms out of the swaddle.

We've been co-sleeping ever since we brought you home from the hospital. I didn't co-sleep much with your brothers because I was scared of the transition. This time I don't really care. You love to cuddle with me and I love to cuddle with you. I know how soon you will grow out of being a newborn and sleep on your own, so for now I just can't bear to be apart from you. Plus, it makes nighttime feedings so much easier. If we can both get a couple extra hours of sleep then it's fine with me.

You are my first baby to take a pacifier. It is incredibly convenient to satisfy you by pushing that binky in your mouth when I am trying to take care of the other boys. You also make a great shopping and errand running and dropping off and picking up your brothers partner. You are such a calm baby.

These next months are going to fly by. I know they will but I still find myself saying "I can't believe it's already been a month." Your movements will get less jerky. You will start to smile and coo and get into everything. You will grow and change every day and I am so glad that I will be here to witness it. I wish you could understand the love that so many people have for you already. You have stolen hearts, including mine, and you don't even know it yet.

I love you baby boy.

Love,

Mama