birthday festivities
Once again, it's been a birthday extravaganza. It seems like my kid's birthdays are celebrated for a week, especially when my parents are in town! So, I decided since I have way too much to blog about, I'll just make one giant birthday post! So here goes...
Mamaw and Papaw came in on Friday. Saturday morning, they got to watch Silas' t-ball practice. Let's just say, Silas has been less than thrilled about going to practice. Although, once he gets there he has a good time and loves when he does something well. I got a kick out of him this week because he got to be the catcher and seemed to think this was the greatest thing ever. Mostly, he just loved the gear! Then, when he was up at bat and had a good hit, he turned his little eyes toward me and he. was. beaming. So proud. Love it. Here's a few photos from practice.
Regarding birthday presents, there had been a discussion for awhile about getting Silas his first pet, which we had already agreed upon to be a turtle. This is what my parents wanted to get him. Let's just say our "plans" didn't exactly pan out how we thought.
We planned to get either a red slider turtle or a boxer turtle. We had read some information and looked into what kind of housing we wanted for our turtle. We planned to have an outside turtle and would construct a home for him out of wood. It was going to be awesome and the kids were estatic. So, we went to Home Depot, got our supplies and created the perfect little home for our sweet turtle. Afterall, we couldn't have a homeless turtle - we had to build it's home first. Then, it was time to go to Petco. Both boys were told they could pick out their very own turtle. I mean, yeah, it was Silas' birthday but come on. My parents are gonna tell that sweet little face that he doesn't get one too? No. We went inside Petco and found there were no turtles. I had read online that you could purchase them there. Apparently it wasn't "turtle season". All they had were Russion tortoises {for $99 a piece!} that apparently are high maintenance -- at least that's how the sales person made us feel. I could write a whole blog post just about her. She was nuts. After calling around to see if we could find the turtles we were looking for at a different pet store with no luck, we Dusty approached her and said, "We would like two tortoises, please." She responded judgmentally, "Have you ever owned a reptile??" Let's just say she was a turtle expert. She was a know it all, was horrendous with our kids and made us feel like if we didn't follow her precise instructions we were going to murder our tortoise and be arrested for animal neglect. Turns out these tortoises require a temperature range between 70 - 90 degrees. If it gets below that, they can go into false hibernation and die. If they're too cold, their food won't digest. If they're too hot, they won't eat. Yikes.
Our outdoor "turtles" just became indoor tortoises. I think Jeremiah is going to be less work than our two tortoises who require very exact temperatures and humidity settings, a fresh salad every day of dark green, a warm spot and a cool spot, water to swim in, etc. etc. Also important to note, we better not dare give our dear tortoises lettuce. This apparently is like giving them a Snicker's bar - no nutritional value and full of sugar.
Silas was so cute after leaving the store. He told me, "Mom, this is the best. day. ever! I got my very first pet!!" The boys are fascinated by their tortoises {don't dare call them turtles} and are so sweet with them. They continually watch and check in on them. Silas named his tortoise Shelly {but it is a boy, NOT a girl} and Eli named his Ninja. Silas thinks his tortoise is just like him because he loves broccoli and that's his favorite vegetable too {rather, only vegetable he'll eat!} When all is said and done, we got a little more than we bargained for, but I wouldn't trade it for anything because the boys have wanted a pet for so long and are absolutely loving it! Thanks Mamaw & Papaw!
Sunday was the big birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza. Silas wanted a shark theme this year, so I did by best to appease his request :) He had a blast, as always, and nothing compares to the pure joy that exudes from his little face. It was his day and it couldn't be beat! I love how appreciative and excited he gets about his birthday. He was so thankful for all the decorations and the shark cake that Grammy made and made sure we knew it!
Since Monday was a holiday, we're celebrating his birthday at school today. Grammy made shark cupcakes for all of his friends and again, he thinks it's the greatest thing ever! He counted all of them to make sure there were enough for his friends and made sure there was one for Eli, Mamaw & Papaw too! He's so sweet. He ran an errand to the office earlier and he had on a little birthday hat and pin. Again, he was beaming!
Finally, I always write to the boys on their birthday and here is this year's letter for anyone that didn't get to read it yet!
To Silas on your 6th Birthday -
Kid. I told you - no more growing up! This is the last birthday you're allowed to have, you got that? Six is it! This is always my favorite post of the year, yet also bittersweet. It's hard for my eyes to not well up with tears as I write. You see, the thing is - I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. Despite the pain, labor was one of the most exhilarating moments of my life. All of the sudden, you were here and my world forever changed. I could not have comprehended it - I could not have prepared for it - I simply could not have known that there was a part of me missing until you entered the world.
I didn't see you for at least 10 minutes when you first arrived because of some minor complications - but Daddy ran back and forth from you to me, exclaiming, "He's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." "You won't believe how much hair he has." "He is perfect." And to you he whispered, "I'm your daddy." It gives me chills just thinking about it. There is absolutely no way to describe the instantaneous love that filled our hearts. We were taken. You captured our hearts and still do. On a daily basis there are still moments where I look at you and am overcome at the amount of love that overflows from my heart to yours. I love the saying, "my cup runneth over" because that's simply the only way to describe it.
I'm continually amazed at the young man you are becoming. You often seem wise beyond your years. You have a great understanding of things and have always been our little thinker. Even before you could speak, we could literally see the wheels spinning in your head. You analyze and process everything. Sometimes I think you'll be some genius scientist or computer programmer because you just get how things work. But for now, you want to be a spy. A secret spy - with an abundance of cool gadgets, a car that will turn into anything, and a house that has secret rooms. You have a wild imagination that spills out in your stories, on the playground, and even your drawings from art-time at school. As smart, funny and cute as you are, my favorite thing about you is your heart. Your heart for people and for God. You love deeply and love sincerely. Your heart is so open to the things of God and this fills my heart with joy. I love listening to you pray and love that you pray about everything. You truly exemplify faith that God can do anything. You love your brother more than life and prayed for your new baby brother for months before he even existed. You tell mommy and daddy close to a hundred times a day just how much you love us.
A few nights ago you creeped into my room a couple hours after bedtime and said,
"Mommy, my back hurts."
I questioned, "Is Eli asleep?"
"Yes, he's asleep."
I said, "I think maybe you just wanted to come see me."
You giggled and whispered, "Yeah. That's true, actually."
I gave you a hug and spent a few minutes talking with you, before I sent you back to bed. As you walked out of the room you turned around and said,
"Mom, I love you more than anything in the whole wide world. Ever."
I say this not to embarrass you, but to show you what an amazing heart you have. If I had one prayer for you other than you pursuing a relationship with God and serving Him with your life, it would be that you never lose your sincerity and heart for people and also that you know how much YOU are loved. You are loved by God and you are loved by us. You're such a special little boy, or young man, whichever your prefer :) But don't forget, no matter how big you get, you'll always be my baby boy.
Though I say it every year, I'll say it again. Thank you for making me a mommy. Thank you for continually teaching me and helping to see things through your little eyes. Thank you for helping me to better comprehend God's love for me. Thank you for being a part of our family - for being our firstborn, a wonderful son and an amazing big brother. God perfectly picked you to be a part of us, and I'm forever thankful and in awe that I get to be your mommy.
I love you to the moon and back, forever and ever, more than anything in the whole wide world. Ever. My cup runneth over. I love you, Silas Daniel Sniff.
Love, Mommy
Mamaw and Papaw came in on Friday. Saturday morning, they got to watch Silas' t-ball practice. Let's just say, Silas has been less than thrilled about going to practice. Although, once he gets there he has a good time and loves when he does something well. I got a kick out of him this week because he got to be the catcher and seemed to think this was the greatest thing ever. Mostly, he just loved the gear! Then, when he was up at bat and had a good hit, he turned his little eyes toward me and he. was. beaming. So proud. Love it. Here's a few photos from practice.
Regarding birthday presents, there had been a discussion for awhile about getting Silas his first pet, which we had already agreed upon to be a turtle. This is what my parents wanted to get him. Let's just say our "plans" didn't exactly pan out how we thought.
We planned to get either a red slider turtle or a boxer turtle. We had read some information and looked into what kind of housing we wanted for our turtle. We planned to have an outside turtle and would construct a home for him out of wood. It was going to be awesome and the kids were estatic. So, we went to Home Depot, got our supplies and created the perfect little home for our sweet turtle. Afterall, we couldn't have a homeless turtle - we had to build it's home first. Then, it was time to go to Petco. Both boys were told they could pick out their very own turtle. I mean, yeah, it was Silas' birthday but come on. My parents are gonna tell that sweet little face that he doesn't get one too? No. We went inside Petco and found there were no turtles. I had read online that you could purchase them there. Apparently it wasn't "turtle season". All they had were Russion tortoises {for $99 a piece!} that apparently are high maintenance -- at least that's how the sales person made us feel. I could write a whole blog post just about her. She was nuts. After calling around to see if we could find the turtles we were looking for at a different pet store with no luck, we Dusty approached her and said, "We would like two tortoises, please." She responded judgmentally, "Have you ever owned a reptile??" Let's just say she was a turtle expert. She was a know it all, was horrendous with our kids and made us feel like if we didn't follow her precise instructions we were going to murder our tortoise and be arrested for animal neglect. Turns out these tortoises require a temperature range between 70 - 90 degrees. If it gets below that, they can go into false hibernation and die. If they're too cold, their food won't digest. If they're too hot, they won't eat. Yikes.
Our outdoor "turtles" just became indoor tortoises. I think Jeremiah is going to be less work than our two tortoises who require very exact temperatures and humidity settings, a fresh salad every day of dark green, a warm spot and a cool spot, water to swim in, etc. etc. Also important to note, we better not dare give our dear tortoises lettuce. This apparently is like giving them a Snicker's bar - no nutritional value and full of sugar.
Silas was so cute after leaving the store. He told me, "Mom, this is the best. day. ever! I got my very first pet!!" The boys are fascinated by their tortoises {don't dare call them turtles} and are so sweet with them. They continually watch and check in on them. Silas named his tortoise Shelly {but it is a boy, NOT a girl} and Eli named his Ninja. Silas thinks his tortoise is just like him because he loves broccoli and that's his favorite vegetable too {rather, only vegetable he'll eat!} When all is said and done, we got a little more than we bargained for, but I wouldn't trade it for anything because the boys have wanted a pet for so long and are absolutely loving it! Thanks Mamaw & Papaw!
 |
| he's pointing at the Petco sign :) |
Sunday was the big birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza. Silas wanted a shark theme this year, so I did by best to appease his request :) He had a blast, as always, and nothing compares to the pure joy that exudes from his little face. It was his day and it couldn't be beat! I love how appreciative and excited he gets about his birthday. He was so thankful for all the decorations and the shark cake that Grammy made and made sure we knew it!
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| goodie bags |
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| "I really just want to play" face, please stop taking pictures. |
Since Monday was a holiday, we're celebrating his birthday at school today. Grammy made shark cupcakes for all of his friends and again, he thinks it's the greatest thing ever! He counted all of them to make sure there were enough for his friends and made sure there was one for Eli, Mamaw & Papaw too! He's so sweet. He ran an errand to the office earlier and he had on a little birthday hat and pin. Again, he was beaming!
 |
| shark cupcakes |
Finally, I always write to the boys on their birthday and here is this year's letter for anyone that didn't get to read it yet!
To Silas on your 6th Birthday -
Kid. I told you - no more growing up! This is the last birthday you're allowed to have, you got that? Six is it! This is always my favorite post of the year, yet also bittersweet. It's hard for my eyes to not well up with tears as I write. You see, the thing is - I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. Despite the pain, labor was one of the most exhilarating moments of my life. All of the sudden, you were here and my world forever changed. I could not have comprehended it - I could not have prepared for it - I simply could not have known that there was a part of me missing until you entered the world.
I didn't see you for at least 10 minutes when you first arrived because of some minor complications - but Daddy ran back and forth from you to me, exclaiming, "He's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." "You won't believe how much hair he has." "He is perfect." And to you he whispered, "I'm your daddy." It gives me chills just thinking about it. There is absolutely no way to describe the instantaneous love that filled our hearts. We were taken. You captured our hearts and still do. On a daily basis there are still moments where I look at you and am overcome at the amount of love that overflows from my heart to yours. I love the saying, "my cup runneth over" because that's simply the only way to describe it.
I'm continually amazed at the young man you are becoming. You often seem wise beyond your years. You have a great understanding of things and have always been our little thinker. Even before you could speak, we could literally see the wheels spinning in your head. You analyze and process everything. Sometimes I think you'll be some genius scientist or computer programmer because you just get how things work. But for now, you want to be a spy. A secret spy - with an abundance of cool gadgets, a car that will turn into anything, and a house that has secret rooms. You have a wild imagination that spills out in your stories, on the playground, and even your drawings from art-time at school. As smart, funny and cute as you are, my favorite thing about you is your heart. Your heart for people and for God. You love deeply and love sincerely. Your heart is so open to the things of God and this fills my heart with joy. I love listening to you pray and love that you pray about everything. You truly exemplify faith that God can do anything. You love your brother more than life and prayed for your new baby brother for months before he even existed. You tell mommy and daddy close to a hundred times a day just how much you love us.
A few nights ago you creeped into my room a couple hours after bedtime and said,
"Mommy, my back hurts."
I questioned, "Is Eli asleep?"
"Yes, he's asleep."
I said, "I think maybe you just wanted to come see me."
You giggled and whispered, "Yeah. That's true, actually."
I gave you a hug and spent a few minutes talking with you, before I sent you back to bed. As you walked out of the room you turned around and said,
"Mom, I love you more than anything in the whole wide world. Ever."
I say this not to embarrass you, but to show you what an amazing heart you have. If I had one prayer for you other than you pursuing a relationship with God and serving Him with your life, it would be that you never lose your sincerity and heart for people and also that you know how much YOU are loved. You are loved by God and you are loved by us. You're such a special little boy, or young man, whichever your prefer :) But don't forget, no matter how big you get, you'll always be my baby boy.
Though I say it every year, I'll say it again. Thank you for making me a mommy. Thank you for continually teaching me and helping to see things through your little eyes. Thank you for helping me to better comprehend God's love for me. Thank you for being a part of our family - for being our firstborn, a wonderful son and an amazing big brother. God perfectly picked you to be a part of us, and I'm forever thankful and in awe that I get to be your mommy.
I love you to the moon and back, forever and ever, more than anything in the whole wide world. Ever. My cup runneth over. I love you, Silas Daniel Sniff.
Love, Mommy
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| angel baby with your amazing hair and monkey face! |
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| chubby cheeks, long eye lashes. |
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| you've always been a beautiful (handsome!!) boy. |
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| sleeping angel. still look like my little baby when you're sleeping. |
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| my snow angel. 5 years, 10 months. |
1 Comments
I have to agree with your mommy. There are no words to describe what a special young man you are becoming. My world was changed too the day you were born. I love being your mamaw and can never see you enough. Although God has chosen for us to live a long way from each other, you are always in my thoughts and in my heart-every single day. I love you, Silas!
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