Will's 3rd Birthday Party

My sweet sweet Will. I have to start with a smile on my face and say this will NOT go down in the books as my favorite birthday party memory with you. But you are only 3 and I am still learning you each and every day. The back story is that you have for as long as I can remember been very interested in fire trucks/stations etc. so when I called and found out that our local fire station would let us come for your birthday and tour the station and climb all over the trucks and run around I knew that would be a hit. You told EVERYONE that you were having your birthday party at the fire station and could. not. wait! We invited a good number of your little buddies and your mamma and daddy worked like dogs getting ready for this party. Primarily because no food or cake could be served at the station so everyone was coming back to our house for the party. Minor dilemma was that your daddy FINALLY began building our new deck one month from your birthday and it came as no suprise that every night two weeks leading up to the actual day he was out there finishing that deck. Two days out and it was finally finished (I'll post pictures of that soon!) 

The morning of we scrambled around to pick up and prepare last minute food while attempting to finalize decorations. But wouldn't you know it after all that, in mid October it was still 900degrees outside....

Here you are at the fire station clinging to daddy as you were feeling a bit shy...

Apparently our bud Jack was feeling the same way :)

Sweet Zeke was ready to roll with his super cute fire truck t-shirt!

...and best friend Gerry was hamming it up with his cute face!

The fire man gave a rather serious tour probably for the adults benefit (though he never turned any of the lights on) but the kids were more interested in the cool fish tank in the living room/kitchen area of the station.

My sweet nieces Ellie and Lucy! 

...and FINALLY what he was waiting for... a chance to drive the massive fire truck.

...and I love it, the seats were Pierce brand! How fitting!

All was fun and games until we broke it to Will that there were about 10 other kids who would also like a chance behind the steering wheel. That is when the party took a turn. At least for Will.

Look at this handsome handsome Jack! or Jackaroo as I call him! 

Cee Cee with Fire Chief Pierce! 

It really and truly is not worth capturing any of this "printable party" that I had the grand idea of doing the week of because all the decorations were outside and it was so dang hot we moved the whole thing inside in a rush when everyone arrived. Not to mention I didn't even have time to finish putting everything out. Next year, we are ordering pizza :).

...right before his nap that afternoon I asked Will if he had fun at his fire station birthday party and he said, "No mamma, I did not!" "I did not want my friends to come I wanted it to be just me"... and there ya have it- Mr. Congeniality. The reality is he didn't want to share. Not time on the fire truck, not his new toys or old toys for that matter and he was VERY stressed over the whole thing. Lord help me, this is new territory for me as a mom. I was the kid who wanted everyone at my birthday party and LOVED people but Will apparently is just like his daddy was at this age, a little bashful! 3 is welcoming in some very new challenges so hopefully it will pass quickly...  But even if you are always a little bit shy I will still love every single thing about you, because the truth is you are more than that! You are funny, kind, smart, thoughtful, a GREAT big brother and a very blessed child of God and I love you as I tell you every night "to the moon and back!" Happy 3rd Birthday!

Will's Preschool Birthday Party

Will started preschool this year at Colonial Baptist which is where I grew up going to church as a kid. They have such a great two day two's class and Will LOVES it. Most of all he loves Mrs. Amanda! A few weeks ago I asked if it would be alright to bring in cupcakes for Will's birthday and Mrs. Amanda said of course. (I'm new at this gig, so honestly I wasn't sure) So on Thursday morning I brought Will with the cupcakes and dropped him off to run a few errands before the birthday party.

When I came back the "Other Mrs. Amanda" as Will calls her was there leading there music time and I was soo excited I got to witness how much fun they were having. This picture is when Will realized I was there and he was over the moon to have his mamma in school with him!

 

He's obviously suppose to be particiapted but he just kept smiling and checking back to make sure I was still there! 

Mrs. Amanda called him upfront so they could sing and bless our cupcakes!

 

He was so proud that he got to wear this special #3 around his neck to celebrate! 

 

Miss Brooklyn is on the left and Quinn is on the right and I have to stop and say that Quinn LOVES Will. Quinn's mamma works at the preschool so she is there every day, and each morning she asks her mamma "is Will going to be at school today?" and gets so upset on the off days when he's not there. Melts my heart...

 

And the best part for Will was when I told him he could come home early with me! I honestly thought he would want to stay for outside time but nope, he wanted to leave early which I was totally fine with as it was already 11. Happy 3rd birthday my big preschooler Will! We are soo proud of you!

Happy 7 Months baby Pierce!

Sweet baby Pierce I can hardly believe you are already 7 months old. The time is truly flying by. You, sweet boy are busy, busy, busy! You just started to army crawl and you get better and better each day. I have a feeling are lives are about to get a little more exciting at the Shipman household. 

While you continue to be a happy baby, lately you have been much more discontent and seem frustrated. I assume that is because you have places to go and people to see. On top of all that, we are still waiting to see your first pearly white so EVERYTHING is going into your mouth. I try to keep your paci in as much as possible for fear of what you might try to eat. You also will not poop since we started solids which is enough to make any of us grumpy!

 Not much has changed this month with your schedule (sleeping/eating) except you eat lunch and dinner pretty well and have started to decrease your fluid intake to 5oz at each feed which is to be expected. You are still a fantastic sleeper.

 Even though you don't seem to be very loud or verbal you are the best belly laugher I have ever seen and you laugh ALL. DAY. LONG. Primarily at your big brother who you continue to delight in. The doctor says you are our little observer!

 
 

The major happy thing I have to report is that you have stayed well this past month, Praise the Lord! No ear infections to report so for now, no tubes! Yay!

 I continue to watch in amazement as your relationship with your big brother gets more and more. Will LOVES you to pieces and when you nap, he always asks "Where's Piercey Pants" which is what he fondly calls you! He hates when we hold you and is always asking us to put you down so you two can "play". Warms my heart to think of how you will have a best friend and protector for life! We love you so much baby Pierce!