Triplets birthday - you're 4!

Happy Birthday you cutie kids!

I honestly can't believe how quickly time goes and I know I say that every year at their birthday but honestly, it seems like yesterday I was admitted and gave birth to these little miracles.

I look back and think how naive I was during their pregnancy and know I was blessed with a blanket of comfort and peace.  I never ever worried about the fact that I knew they would be okay and knew they would be healthy and perfect and they were!  We are so extremely blessed and fortunate to have these little blessings and to have watched them grow so incredibly.

They were so excited coming down the stairs to see their presents.  They just had Christmas but were even more excited for their birthday.  Jax was up at 545am!  Thanks to Spence laying by him for over an hour, Jax stayed in his bed until their usual 7am.

If you look closely, Logan is coming down right behind them - he was so excited to just be part of the process too.

Jax opening up his Optimus Prime transformer

Austin got Bumblebee - they've been talking about Transformers for weeks so they were thrilled to have their own

Rio got her very own princess music player and...

a Barbie dollhouse - so cute!  Spence and I had to put that together for many hours the night before but it was worth it to see her amazed smile and excitement

The boys also got a remote control truck - they were so excited and got pretty good at controlling them pretty quickly

Awww.. there it is - look at that sweet face

This little cutie is so fun to take pictures of - he always has the cutest faces

When the girl grand kids on my parents side of the fam turn 4 years old, they get to go to Build-A-Bear and pick out their very own animal and clothes.  Rio was in complete heaven! She loves her ballerina bear and her beautiful clothes but honestly, she was more excited to go with my mom somewhere.  She absolutely adores my mom and they have a very sweet relationship.  It was fun to go with them.

The boys got to go to Chuck-E-Cheese with grandma and grandpa for their bday and were so excited as well to spend one on one time with their grandparents.  They love them so much too and had a great time.

When I asked them what they wanted to do, it was an immediate Chuck-E-Cheese - these boys love their arcade games :)

In the afternoon on their bday, the kids and I made their bday cakes and cupcakes and so I let them decorate their own cupcake.  Jax and Rio were playing babies earlier and found their baby bibs so they insisted they wear them - silly kids!

Since our move, we do not have the space to house all our families so my sweet sister offered up her house for us to party over there.  Thank you Sky!

This year, I didn't buy the kids cakes but made them instead and then bought them each their own "decoration" to put on their cake. 

The kids picked out their own cake decoration, plates and candles.

Austin wanted the Avengers and a #4 candle and blue plates, Jax wanted Batman (who really moves which was so fun for him), zig-zag plates and a #4 candle and Rio asked for a princess decoration and 4 purple candles with purple plates. 

Pretty cute cakes I thought!  I'm not going to be on Cupcake Wars anytime soon but they were cute.

Getting ready to start the present madness!

Each of them had their own space for their presents :)

Grandma and Grandpa Morris got the kids umbrellas and a Cowabunga Bay Season Pass for next year -woo-hoo! That is a present for me too!

Aunt Erin and Uncle Jon got the kids an art board and some adorable games and puzzles

Rio squealed as she opened up her presents - she's so fun!

There is their art easel - thank you!

Cowabunga Pass

Aunt Kisty and Uncle Andrew got the boys a great dry erase set - they LOVE those things

And they got Rio this Doc McStuffins puzzle and sticker set

Uncle Matt, Aunt Sky and the kids got the triplets Hungry Hungry Hippos - Austin has been asking for this game for over a year!  He was SO EXCITED!!  We've played it multiple times every day since then :)  I'm sure our new neighbors absolutely love us and our Hippo game -ha-ha.

Uncle Marc helped the kids get ready to blow out their candles.

And yes, that is Jax's finger by his nose :(

Ready, set...

BLOW!

This kid!  Love his faces too - he has the best expressions ever!  I think he may have gotten more messy this year than he did last year...

Logan loved it too!  YUMMY

*Papa Ranger, Aunt Kisty and Ethan, Luke, Aunt Sky, Halle and Anna*

*Uncle Marc, Grandma Marsha, Grandma Morris, Uncle Andrew and Aunt Erin*

Gabe with Papa Dougie

After the Morris family left, we stayed for a bit and celebrated Zak's bday a day early.  His is the 31st of Dec.  My mom was doing "Heavy, Heavy, Hangover..."  Looks like Zak loved it right?  He's such a great kid!

Rio was being so silly that night and playing and playing.  She loved playing with cousin Luke and Papa Dougie - lucky girl!

Happy 14th bday Zak!  Love you so much - you're such an amazing boy and we're so lucky to have you in our family.  What a great example my kids have to look up to.

*Sky, Zak and Matt*

Our attempts of getting a pic of the bdays kids - didn't work out that well since my kids are so cooperative with pictures :)

Grandma with Logan - so cute!

Our little family - happy birthday cuties!

Okay, here I go...

And wow...I'm crying as I type this already...blame it on the pregnancy :)

*JAX*

You are honestly such a fun-loving, spirited, energetic little guy.  We love you so much and are so grateful for your amazing smiles, laughter and imagination.  You bring this amazing kind of energy into our home and lives and you make everything so "fun."  Your mind is incredibly gifted sweetie - you're such a smart little boy.  You remember things like it is the easiest thing in the world.  This year at preschool, you were already WAY ahead of the game and know all you needed to.  You've had a fun time at preschool and primary this year.  Your teachers always say how much fun you are and yet you have this strong-willed side to you as well that can be a little stubborn at times.  You insist on things being a certain way at times which is usually fine until it's not and then, man...we hear about it! 

You love playing with your imagination and you and Rio have a blast doing everything "pretend."  You are such a great brother to her and to Austin and worry about them if they are in trouble.  You're the first to give me hugs if I get hurt and the first to make sure I'm okay.

This year, you guys got booster seats and Logan moved into a "big boy"car seat.  You decided to switch places with Austin in our van and that meant you would sit next to Logan.  At first I was a little worried because a few weeks prior, you told me that "I don't really like babies mommy."  When I asked why you said, "because they don't talk!"  We loved it - such a Jax comment.

But since we switched seats and you've been sitting next to Logan, you have been such a great brother to him.  He calls for you when he can't see you and you're the first sibling name he knows.  Daddy and I have watched you guys int he car and we see you and Logan holding hands at times and you are so kind and loving to him.  I'm so proud of you for being such a great brother!  I know Logan already looks up to you sweetheart.

You taught yourself (with a little help from mom and dad) to whistle and snap this year.  You wanted to learn how so badly and now we always know where you are :)  Love that determined mind of yours!

 What a handsome guy you are!

 Your primary teachers this year changed a few times and you handled things pretty well the first time but with our move, it hasn't been as easy.  You had a hard time not being with the regular people you were used to seeing and really broke my heart one Sunday when you asked for "Alicia, Chelle or Bro and Sister Arellano."  I think it finally hit you that they weren't there anymore and it made you really sad.  But the last few weeks, you've done so much better and we're so proud of you for doing hard things.  We know that change isn't easy for you and never has been but you make it through every time!

I love your creative, smart mind, your facial expressions and your high energy Jaxon.  You make our home very loud but very happy as well.

We love you so much!

*AUSTIN*

 Austin, what a photogenic little guy you are.  We can always count on you looking amazing in pictures!  You are such a little poser and are such a people pleaser.  You work to make others happy most of the time.  You love to see Jax and Rio being silly and are the absolute sweetest guy to Logan.  You are often the first to share a toy with him when he screams or cries.

This year at preschool, you have worked so hard at learning all that you can.  You can write almost your whole name all by yourself now and make your "A's" on every page you see.  You are a hard worker and are determined to get things done right.  Your teacher says that you spend time making sure things are done just right.  I appreciate that effort Austin so much!  I see that in the kind of person you are.  I can see your frustration(s) when you expect it to be one way and it turns out another but you try your best to calm down quickly.  I can always see the wheels spinning in your head trying to think through your next comment or question.

You're such an emotional little guy and this is a great gift and your worst enemy at times.

I love how much you love things and how much you care when others hurt you because I know you have an amazing heart full of love and passion.  I only hope Daddy and I can help you make sure this works to your advantage in this life.

Your passion is so fun to admire; you become very insistent a favorite toy or show and this year have loved "Paw Patrol, Transformers & Wild Kratts"

 I love this picture so much because to me it captures your extreme happy, loving spirit.  You love the best!  You care the most!  You are a very thoughtful little boy.  You are still the best helper we have!  In your search for independence, you have started to say "no" more often, but when prompted by a "sticker" you have gone right back to being your true, helpful self.

I probably rely on you too much at times to help me because you are so willing so I've tried to ask Jax and Rio more but I always know I can count on my Austin.

You scared us this summer with getting a concussion in Bear Lake and I pray that will never harm you in years to come; it was such a fluky weird bump.  You were so calm and sweet when that happened and only remember getting "juice and crackers with daddy at the hospital."

When we moved, you guys did so great but a week or so later, you were really upset and I asked what was wrong and you said, "I miss our old house."  You're very expressive sweetie pie and your emotional maturity is really amazing!

Austin, we love you!  I'm so grateful for your gentle, sweet nature.  You are a great brother and I know you will be with this new baby coming soon.  You ask me to let you feel the baby move all the time and already talk so sweet to him.  I hope he will have your gentle kindness and look up to you for that.  Thank you for making our home a little "softer" when we can.

*RIO*

Oh what a little doll you are Rio!

I love this pic so much - it shows who I see when I think of you.  I think of you as my sweet, silly and creative little girl.  Although there are plenty of times we don't get to see that because an expectation wasn't met as it was in your mind :)  You do have a very sweet, caring demeanor at times Rio and love to play anything that is fun and silly and imaginative!  You and Jax have a blast playing "pretend" and Austin joins in for moments too.

You are the first to suggest what to play and the boys follow right behind you because you make it sound so fun with your squeels and giggles.

I'm so grateful we have such a fun, girly girl in our home.  I really don't know what it would be like without you!  You bring such a different energy and emotion to all of us.  You spin, you twirl, you curtsy, dance and glide around the house.  Since you were two, you had a very specific way of dressing and doing your hair which I love and don't love at the same time :)

It can make getting ready quite a chore at times and we've had to learn to prepare ahead of time when we have preschool and church days.  I appreciate your style and independence but whew...we get quite the tantrum if it isn't just what you had in mind.  You still insist on wearing leggings and skirts or dresses every day and it is a rare occasion when I can convince you that wearing pants is okay too and I mean RARE!

 

Sweetheart, you love to sing!  You still have the best memory of any child I know.  You can memorize a song so quickly and your primary chorister just loves you!  You three were asked to sing an entire verse of "Golden Plates" on your own this year in the Primary Program because you guys can memorize so well and you sing and know all the songs!  Every person who had gone into primary comments 

to me about how fun you are to watch because you know every word and just sing and dance with every song.  I'm so grateful that you love music and artistic things so much.

You find joy in the simplest of things: anything tiny, little, pink, purple or yellow is your ABSOLUTE FAVORITE!  Just the other day you got in the car and said to daddy in the happiest and "squealiest" of voices, "oh daddy, look at the cute, tiny snowflakes!  They're so beautiful!"  We love how much you love what you think is cute.  It makes us all look for and appreciate the simple joys in life.

In just the last week or so, you've chosen to learn how to write you name all by yourself and have done a great job!  I'm very proud of you for your effort.  We've known this about you since you very tiny sweetheart, you will do things when you want and when you do, you do them so well!

You can make the meanest faces and talk to your brothers in a not so nice voice (it actually sounds a lot like mommies - sadly enough...I'm working on it too!) but I think most of the time, you are showing your strong-willed, stubborn and assertive side.  I pray Daddy and I can help you learn to use that in a positive way because wow! if we can, you will be an incredible leader in this world Rio!

We love you Rio so much!  Our life would be "colorless" without you.  I feel a great responsibility for you and who you become because you are a little "copy cat " of me sometimes.  I promise to do better and be better for you to become who you truly are because who you are already is pretty amazing!