Fourth of July

Summer always flies by. Even with 3 small children at home, I am looking back at our summer days thinking that they are passing by with lightning speed. 

I feel like tides are shifting. I can see changes in my kids that were not there two months ago. 

Reid is getting older. He is such a speedy crawler and cruising around exploring everything. He is an awesome eater. He eats pretty much whatever we are eating. He just likes to eat. He has just now begun to sleep through the night in his crib and it has been good for us all. So proud of that big boy and he is sleeping so much better. Now naps...that's another story. He likes to point. He likes to play with his barn and drop animals behind he back. He loves to throw a ball. Owen has taught him to give high fives. He just watches his brothers and is absorbing it all! 

I think one of the biggest changes is how Owen and Collin have become big buddies. They are together all day long. They play with each other. They play Legos, pretend to be superhereos or firemen, etc. Owen definitely passed the dress up gene to Collin. He wears his power ranger or captain america costume everyday with Owen's fireman boots and his army gun.

Collin is a sight. But I can really see him changing and growing older this summer. His vocabulary exploded this summer and he can be a chatterbox now. That vocabulary development helps us all. Owen is so good with him. He helps Collin, encourages him and of course instigates things as well...he is his brother after all. 

But this little guy has gotten sweeter this summer and I love seeing him becoming who he is. He is curious, confident, strong willed, independent, tough and he is going to be so sad when Owen goes to big school in the fall. 

Owen is just growing up before my eyes. He is a good kid. He really is, I am so proud of him. I am proud of his heart. I am proud of how he helps his brothers, how he encourages them, how he cares for Reid, how he teaches them. I am proud when he has done wrong he independently comes and apologizes. I am proud of how he helps me and encourages me when I am having a tough day. 

I felt like some people didn't understand why we were having such a simple summer. My kids are home with me everyday. But I believe they need me, they are good for each other and we doing our family is sometimes enough without adding anything extra. I think sometimes simplifying life is good for us all.