Mickey Mouse Birthday Party

I really can't believe my boys are 2 and 4 already, really, where does the time go? Above is the invitation we sent out, I wish I had more recent pictures, not that I don't have more recent ones but to find on where they are looking...that's next to impossible lately so I used a few professional ones we had done last summer. Cooper looks the same but Cameron, we'll he's really changed!

Before things got "messy" I snapped a few pictures.

The food was delicious! We had hotdogs/chili dogs, homemade mac and cheese, fruit, chips and dip. We kept is simple. Thanks to my mother-in-law for everything! Without her, this party would've been boring.

I had the cake made from Hy-Vee, almost a catastrophe because I went to pick it up and they thought I needed it for Sunday...Ah no, I need it NOW! So they quickly made it up for me and got me on my way within 10 minutes! 

We borrowed a photo booth from a friend, it was the cutest thing, not many participated but it was fun while it lasted.

I think most of the kids got in there and had their pictures taken. Linda also had several kid friendly games set up with each kids getting a prize! It was awesome and I think the kids really enjoyed it.

Cake time!

I love the look on Cooper's face, he was so excited. Cameron he just wanted to dig in.

And dig in, they did! They both had black/red lips all day!

Present time...Cooper loved opening ALL the presents, because Cameron really wanted nothing to do with it, so Cooper got to open Cameron's as well.

The boys were spoiled as usual and we can't thank our friends and family enough. I really don't know what I would do without them.

Cooper (year in review)

I really want to start documenting what is going on in our boys' life but I just can't seem to find the time. If I keep waiting for "time" it's never going to happen, especially with baby girl on the way.  3 kids 4 and under...yeah where am I going to find time??

So today I'm writing about Cooper..he turns 4 in March and he CANNOT wait for his birthday! I especially want to start documenting each year for each child starting now! All these photos were taken in 2015 except for a few this month.

So many things have happened all year...warning this may be a long post!

You turned 3!!

Not sure where the time goes however writing this post today, it scares me how much you've grown and what you're going to become. I downloaded over 50 pictures of pretty much just you but can't seem to place them all on here, so I may create a book just for you. I don't know where to start with this post because I want to document everything but there is just too much.

So I'm going to start with what you love to do lately.

• Your favorite thing to do at night is play house. You name who everyone is going to be. I'm usually still the mom, Dad is the big brother, Cameron is Dad, Calvin is the dog (obviously) and you are usually the baby. You cradle up in my arms, and sing rock a bye baby to you. You make this sucking sound, not sure what that is, but its funny. You must think babies make that sound.  It doesn't usually last too long but we sit in your room, when its "nighttime" you turn off your bedroom lights and we pretend to go to sleep. Then you sound the bell and it's time to get up. We do this over and over.
• You also love to play Frozen. You're usually always Elsa and put on one of mommy's dress shirts to act like a girl. I'm usually Anna, Dad and Cameron are usually Christoph or Prince Hahn's and Calvin is Sven the rudolph. When we play Frozen we usually have to watch it and sing Let It Go! 

This is you dressing up...here we're at Jazzercise but if we had dresses like this at home, I'm sure you'd be wearing them while playing Frozen.

 You've asked me once "when am I going to be a girl?" I'm not sure if you think you're going to change or what, but if you did, you'd be a cute little girl. But I like you as my little boy!

• You are so smart. This year you started 3-year old preschool and you are excelling at school and everyone just loves you. You bring home "prizes" about once a week. You say they are because you took a nap, but I think it's more than that you just haven't told me yet. We get sent home a lot of these little notes and it makes us so very happy!
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• You have a heart of gold. You brought this home to mommy for Mother's Day and I absolutely just love it.
  
  
  
  
  
   
•  You love your little brother so much and you love teaching him new (and bad) things. You try and read to him, however he doesn't like to sit still much, but you try. You also fight like your brothers too, I know, I have brothers..but deep down you love each other. You're always trying to hold his hand and help him up and down the steps, it's so sweet to watch and I can't wait to see you both grow up!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• We took a couple vacations this year, aside from camping. We went to Adventureland Park, this is your first time at an amusement park and you LOVED it.
  
   You loved every ride you went on and didn't hesitate once. Even one small ride where you had the bars over you and everything. I didn't get a picture of that but it was a frogger one where you bounced up and down.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   Yes that's you way up there. You went on this thing at least 2 dozen times and all by yourself. Cameron was too little, he'd have jumped out!
  
   
• We traveled to California to see your cousin's. We all had so much fun! You loved travelling via airplane and we got to ride a choo choo train..OMG that's your favorite! You both did so well on the plane!
  
  

Not sure if you have underware on or not but it seemed like you and Lane kept running around naked and didn't seem to mind a bit..BOYS!

We went to the Sacramento Train Museum and had a blast!

 

And we even got to ride in our own little train.

Big boys going for there own ride!

• You went to the dentist for the first time! You did great, no cavities and you were in the room all by yourself. We went to Dunkin Donuts after for a breakfast treat! Ever since that first dentist appointment you always remind me to brush your teeth before we go to bed. You don't like doing it in the mornings, only at night, we'll have to work on that. We go back to the dentist in a couple weeks!
  
  
• You love to swim so we started you in swim lesson over the summer and you LOVED it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  We have beach now while camping..it's not mom's favorite because sand get's everywhere but you love it, so we'll see how it goes this year.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Swimming at Whitetail and eating Ice Cream, your favorite
  

• We went to our very first movie together.. we says Peanuts, it was in 3D, bad mommy moment but you didn't seem to mind at all, you even wore the glasses for most of it. I think you like the popcorn and pop the best. You love watching movies at home and we always have to eat popcorn while watching them.
  
  
• We found out together that you're going to be big brother again and you're having a sister...it's really what you wanted.
  
   You really love reading to your baby sister. You've been reading Peek-a-Who to her, you point the book to my belly like you're showing her the pictures, its so adorable and I love it. You're going to be a great big brother to your sister and you're going to protect her! You ask to feel her all the time. One of these days you'll actually feel her,
  
• Superhero and silliness...you love playing dress even not with dresses. You love getting your face painted and just being silly.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
   
   
• Sleeping...you can sleep just about anywhere, you can be picked up, thrown around and you'll still stay asleep, its so funny some of the positions I find out in. Especially in the car
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Fun in the snow...you went sleigh riding, all by yourself, for the first time this winter. You crashed into a tree but got right back up the next day, hurt leg and all, and down the hill. You just had to go under the swing...there was one tree you could run into and you did, but thank God you were OK. I was very scared!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
• You love to help out with chores around the house, I sure hope you keep this up.
  
  
  
  
   

Cooper there are so many things I'm grateful for and one of them is that you're mine...I don't know what I'd do without you and I can't remember what it was like without you. You bring so much joy into my life I can't even explain it. You said to me a few months back. "mom, you're my best friend" and you put your arms around me and gave me the biggest squeeze ever. It literally brought tears to my eyes. You're daddy and I are so proud of you and I can't wait to see what 4 years old does to you. Keep doing what you're doing and shoot for the starts buddy!