today, you are ...

Henry, today you are six years old.

Today you are in Grade 1 and your desk is still next to your most favourite person ... that is until Mrs B makes the big desk change very, very soon. You are quite sad to be soon without your most favourite person, wherever you end up in the room.

Today you were most excited about standing on your desk while your class sang Happy Birthday to you. I think that tradition is the coolest.

Today you read the book that Auntie gifted you for your nightly school reading. You are reading like a champ. About two weeks ago you just suddenly got it and it was a little crazy ... but really, really awesome. Oh, the world that has opened up to you now that you can read!

Today I'm remembering the look on your face from Sunday as Pastor Paul and everyone at church sang to you, up at the front all by yourself. I knew you would love to have your big day celebrated as much as possible, by everyone who could.

Today you are a boy who thanks me daily for your food, tells legitimately funny jokes, gives good feedback to what exactly you do and don't like in your school lunch, walks by yourself around the school to your class each morning, and exclaims quite emphatically that I had made the 'most awesome party' this past weekend. I love your unsolicited words of love and gratitude to your Dad and I ... music to my ears!

Today you are fully engrossed in all the new Lego sets that friends and family gave you. You were so amazed and honestly thrilled to have been given a new Lego set by each of your friends at your party. I got 5 Lego, Mum! you kept telling me after everyone had gone. And then you were totally willing to give up a double set to pack in our Christmas shoeboxes for an unknown child who maybe doesn't have very many toys.

Today you got new green striped jammies that will make you look like the Grinch again for one more winter. You weren't initially excited about new pyjamas for a gift but then you realized ... new Grinch jammies! Yessssss!

Today you reminded me a few times that it's Walter's birthday in 2 more days. You love your brothers so much and I know you get how important it is to give Walter lots of love and attention now. I could bet serious money that you'll be the first to say something to him in the morning as you are really, really excited it's his birthday now!

Today you are six and really, truly not little anymore. You're starting to gain a lot of independence in different tasks and responsibilities and I can see the change in you. I told you today that 6 will be your last birthday ... but I'm quite sure you'll just keep on growing up.

So happy, happy birthday my darling boy. You are teaching us as much as we are teaching you. And I think you're rather spectacular. I always wanted a boy named Henry and you are far more wonderful than I ever dreamed of.

celebrating six

Yes, we are certainly into our birthday season around here! Yesterday was Henry's long awaited 6th birthday party with five friends from school and two equally excited brothers. And with a soccer loving family like ours it was an easy choice to make this a full on soccer party! I'm pretty sure those chocolate soccer balls from Purdy's for our World Cup kickoff in May were one of my best purchases of the year ... easy ball and turf cupcakes for everyone! Sam had been planning a big surprise for our boys the past month and so the night before the party he surprised them with their very own, and very first, Liverpool jerseys! (England for Felix, something to grow into for awhile.) They've been wearing them for 3 days straight now and they were so happy and so grateful ... the best moments are when we have truly thankful boys and this brought out big heartfelt and spontaneous Thank you, Dads! Yesterday was also the start of another local soccer season with Henry and Walter on the same team again and Sam as their Coach. Felix is no longer the little guy any more and so he hates to be left out there now but next year, Felix, I promise! And then tonight, to complete our full soccer weekend, was the very, very last edition of World.Cup.Sticker.Books!! Sam had special ordered from Germany the needed stickers to complete a few teams for each of the boys ... and there was a lot of shrieks of pure disbelief when they incredibly got that l-a-s-t player they needed to finish a team's page. Such a great way to end this fun, fun weekend.

that time we had homework for a birthday party

I love my sister's family. I love my brother in law Glen who was so easy to talk to from the first moment we met way back when. I love that Isla & Henry are only days apart in age and Walter & Eden only a year apart and these two sets love each other like crazy. Giving my boys two very special girls to learn from and love as they grow up. I love that my sister's baby is a boy to give Felix his own special cousin-friend and I love that Grey has amazing brown eyes just like his Momma. Yesterday Henry, Walter and I spent all day over in Vancouver for Isla and Eden's birthday party ... any guesses on their favourite movie?? Funny thing is, even with all the hype we hadn't seen the movie ourselves yet as I was saving my copy for a more appropriate winter's evening. But with a Frozen themed party on the calendar we had to break it open early and so last weekend we were doing out proper party homework and getting fully acquainted with all those people and snowmen and that one reindeer we knew Isla and Eden would be talking about. And wouldn't you know, I haven't been spared the little Let It Go singers popping up around my house now too, ha!

It was a long, long day but so worth it to get some special cousin time in. Sister, you threw an awesome party. Isla and Eden, I love you girlies. Happy, happy birthdays!

this year's family pictures

I'm making it a priority to get professional family photos done every year, as a way to document our family and also so that I can get in the photo too, right?! It's one thing to pull out the tripod and attempt one on our own but quite another to have a professional bring their lovely big expensive camera to do the work instead. And then add a bit of magic and we all look wonderful. I love that. Here's just a few from our recent photo shoot from last month ... I'm keeping my favourites a surprise as they will be on our Christmas cards and so you know I just can't show those just yet! Erika from Element Photography did an amazing job again and she, Sam and I were all amazed that the kids smiled the whole way through the hour and a half long session! I wanted to show off our oceanside home and so we met out at Saxe Point Park where some of the photos were taken in the woods and some were taken on the rocks overlooking the ocean. Just beautiful. And perfectly West Coast, wouldn't you say? I'm so grateful we were able to document our little family this way and to capture the beauty of where we live. This is us: 2014.

and his first day of kindergarten

his first day of grade 1

a little bit of here and there (part 5)