Summers A Beach

Let’s just say we found a new favorite beach and there is nothing like a nice cool lake on a hot day.

Sunshine. Sand. Water. Beauty. Friends. Food. Floaties.

Baby #4

Gage is growing up so stinkin' fast! He is so much fun and such a spoiled little boy but we all just can't get enough of him.

The other day in the car Braxton was sitting next to Gage. I went through the drive up at the bank and the teller gave me 4 stickers, one for each kid. I handed them all to Braxton to disperse so I could drive. Gage wanted more then one of them and when Braxton said that he only got one he threw a little fit. So what does Braxton do.... yep, give him his sticker as well. I said to Brax, "Braxton, that's why Gage is acting like a little brat because everyone gives him whatever he wants!" Emmett then agrees, "yeah Gage, you are a little brat." I felt so bad. I don't think brat is a nice word and I have never allowed my kids to use it. So here I am, referring to my own baby as a brat and here is my sweet 4 year old agreeing with me. Oops. So I clarified that Gage was not a brat but we need to teach him to share and that no, we shouldn't call people brats even if they are unkind :)

I often tease Jeff that Gage is his favorite. Obviously not true but Gage sure does love his daddy and it's reciprocated. Whenever Gage sees either of Jeff's work trucks he gets really excited and says, "dadda, dadda, dadda." He is particular about who does what for him and he will either say momma or dadda when he wants something and if we try to step in for each other he makes it known that he does not approve. Right now he loves to do raspberries and have them done to him on his belly. He loves reading books, playing catch, riding bikes, throwing all of our belongings in the pool in the backyard, ring around the rosie... and going anywhere. He loves going bye bye and if I am getting ready to leave he automatically assumes he is coming and starts telling everyone, "bye bye."

Gage is a beach baby. He loves the beach and the sand and just as of this week he loves the beach water again. We spend most every weekend at the beach or the lake with either my mom and dad or friends so the boy has gotten used to being around the water. He loves the boat, loves driving the boat with Umpa and our friend Mike, and he loves the water and loves being around other people. 

The baby is so social. He loves being around older kids and thinks he is one of them. He has his favorites of the kids friends who he always wants to sit by, or actually sit on and now he likes to give everyone kisses.

He likes to wear hats, on his terms of course. I saw this hat and had to buy it for him. His first sentence was, "hat please." That's what he says to the kids when they take his hat and they all think it's just hilarious.

His hair is crazy, thanks to the two calics on the back of his head. He got a nice new buzz for summer though.

This picture cracks me up. Reminds me of that Kenny Chesney song, "No Shirt, No shoes, No Problems." My friend thought he needed a cigar hanging out of his mouth. lol.

He looks like a super chill kid, which he can be, but that wouldn't be how I would honestly describe him. 

I am thinking more along the lines of; happy, funny, bossy, popular, flirty, daring, determined, naughty, super cute...

The baby eats everything and loves it. He drinks my hard core green smoothie with me every morning without even flinching. Adelle asked me if he had taste buds yet when he drank down the one with the cayenne pepper. He loves beets, fresh crab, eggs, apples, tofu, peanuts, walnuts... you name it, he loves it. He must have Jeff's metabolism too because he is always eating and is still such a little peanut.

This illustrates Gage perfectly (and Adelle and Braxton are illustrated pretty well in this shot too). So in this picture I have just swept and scrubbed my floor while my kids and their friends played outside. I start to make dinner and Gage comes into the kitchen, hungry, now! I get out the bag of peanuts and then Jeff calls so I leave the room on the phone. I can hear more kids come in, and then I hear hysterical laughing. More laughing, more laughing. They had gotten into the peanuts. That's fine. They had gotten a container for the shells. Awesome. Gage dumped out the shells everywhere. Typical. They laugh. He does it again, and again and again. I come out and he just flashes me his big beautiful perfect smile. I sweep the floor again. 

I just love this baby. He knows it too. This week when Jeff was gone he would not go to bed. He usually goes down so easy and he pitched the biggest fit that night screaming, "momma no, momma no." I gave in and asked him if he wanted to come to bed with mommy and he started laughing and smiling and saying, "yeah, momma," and pointing to me. 

He is a bit of a momma's boy but that's just how it's supposed to be, right. I am his go to for whatever he needs so why wouldn't he milk me for all I have. Sometimes I refer to him as a little leach, sucking me dry in more ways then one. I don't say this to people (ha, except on my blog I guess) but I whine this to Jeff sometimes. My mom always comments how he thinks he's an only child and he's actually baby #4. He is super picky about little things like what shoes he wears. If you grab the wrong pair, there is no way you will get them on his feet if he has his mind on another pair. The kids are learning that it's easier not to argue with him about little things. 

Gages favorite words: momma, dadda, bro bro, yeah, no, mine, me, yes, please, ball, roof roof (dog), hat, Bumpa (for Umpa), bye bye, num num (for eat), duck...

When he wants his plugger (pacifier) he gets your attention and then points to his wide open mouth.

When he wants me to nurse him he does the milk sign in sign language and if I comply he starts gleefully laughing. If I don't comply though he moves on to something else which is a huge relief in public places.

He can jump on the trampoline like a champ and he loves to play duck duck goose.

All of that said though, this baby is so good. He gives so much love to all of us. He puts up with so many missed naps and late nights because we are all out having fun.  He can roll with the punches so well and usually ends up being the life of the party. 

The Grand Finale of our Road Trip Vacation

On Thursday two of Jeff’s sisters and their families came to Idaho, along with Jeff’s parents, to spend the weekend.  We all set up tents in the back of Andrew and Rachel’s property. The weather was so beautiful it was pretty luxurious camping.  We did most of the cooking and eating outside though and entertained ourselves with yard games, water balloons, swimming in the river, and holding a tarp during a wind storm.

Gage had Teagan and Taitum to play with and Braxton was thrilled to see Alex once again. The big boys rode scooters most days and bikes.

Adelle and Riley and Laney danced on the porch, swam and chased each other back and forth from the tree fort.

There was lots of play. Lot’s of worn out kids by the end of the day too. Lot’s of photo bombing took place.

If I didn’t know where Braxton was he was always on the trail, riding his bike over jumps. He called this special spot the “skate park, made of dirt,” and man, did he put on the miles here.

Everyone worked together, we all brought food for organized meals and helped clean up. Jeff’s mom had almost all the grandkids together at one place and one time.

On Friday, it was the 4th of July and we went together, all of us, to Idaho Falls for their big Firework Show. It was a super hot day but we got seats right along the river. The show was great and the kids were troopers. They all stayed awake for the whole thing and we didn’t get home until almost midnight.

Here’s the whole gang, that was present. We missed Ryan and Nicole this trip but hopefully next time they will get to be there.

Saturday morning after packing up and saying our goodbyes we loaded up our super tired, worn out kids and hit the road, stopping only briefly to fill the gas tank and our guts.

We were sad to leave everyone and all the fun but we had such a good time and it was time to get back to reality. The drive home was beautiful and relaxing. We got in around 3:00am….. exhausted and happy to sleep in our own beds.