Triplets 5th bday! Happy Birthday Jax, Austin & Rio

Happy Birthday Jax, Austin and Rio!

What a fun day we had together.  I cannot believe that the kids turned 5!

How can that many years have passed since this?

Oh, they are so, so tiny!

And, here they are at 5 years old!

Love you amazing miracles.  You are all so amazing in so many ways and I can't wait for my chance to tell you in a bit.

With their birthdays right after Christmas, we are always looking for ways to celebrate and make them each feel so special.
This year the boys got remote control cars/rock crawlers for their bday along with a few other things - they played with them all day and totally caught on how to drive them within just a few minutes.

They had a blast playing with them in our basement too - more space = more fun!

Every year, we've gotten them their own cakes so they have their "own" choice in what they want for flavor and type of ice cream too.

This year, Austin wanted a stop light cake....not sure where that came from but that is what he wanted so that is what he got!

He said a stop light cake with police cars on it :)

Jax asked for a dinosaur cake with water and a volcano.

This shows the cake, water, dinos and the brown blob int he back is the volcano without its lava coming out - red jelly pouring out was the idea but I totally forgot when we were blowing out the candles - I tried.

Rio asked for a lady bug cake this year.

She's so cute - she always surprises me with her requests but this was a fun cake to make.



Here they are with their own cakes ready to blow out the candles.

Dad was awesome making sure you all got your presents to open and trying to keep Logan at bay :)  You're lucky to have him as your dad.



Love this girl so much and I'm so glad she's mine forever!



We took a few family photos too.

My fam with my parents and sister's fam

*Me, Spence, Sky, my dad, Zak, my mom, Gabe and Matt*

*Anna with Rio, Halle, Luke, Austin and Jax* (Ella was at a friends house and Logan and Blake were missing too)

The Morris crew

(Rio, me and Logan, Cole and Erin, Bonnie with Blake, Ranger, Kristin with Cooper, Marc with Austin, Hayden, Brinlee, Kisty with Ethan, Andrew with Preston and Spence with Jax and Tyler below.

Kari had left a little early and Mike had already gone back to Tahoe for work and Jon was no where to be found during this pic - haha.

We had so much fun and I loved that it was after Christmas because Spence's sisters that have moved were still here to celebrate with us.

I told everyone to that I would love to have a "game" party for them so...that's what they got.  A TON OF GAMES!  I was so excited and it was great to see how happy they were to have so many fun games to play along with some other creative/craft gifts too - what lucky kids!

I had to take this pic too because she was so in love with her new "Ruby" doll and her backpack that she can carry her around in.  What a sweet girl and she was thrilled to have this fun, fun gift from mommy and daddy.

 

 

JAXON

 

Jaxon, where do I start with you sweetheart?

This year has been such a fun year with you.  We've learned so much about you and how your mind works and yet we're still learning and trying our best to make sure we do our part to lead you to be your very best!  You are THE MOST PASSIONATE kid I know!  That is the word I've learned from you and about you this year.  Your amazing energy that you've always had is completely "passion filled."  You are just a busy little guy, you are passionate about everything and everyone.  You have this amazing way of talking when you're upset and when you are really serious about something.  You still have the best facial expressions of anyone I know.

You are such a smart boy and this year, you've done so well at your second year of preschool and end of your first year.  Your teacher Miss Catie had great things to say about you and your ability to create and follow direction when asked.  This year, Miss Melissa and the rest of your teachers are really impressed with your ability to sound out words so far and you are already reading many, many words and little books!  When I ask you to complete your homework, you are often the first one at the table without complaint and you get things done quick and often help others with their work too.

This summer, we did swimming lessons for the first time and you caught on quick bud!  You almost got it completely and could swim about 5 feet all by yourself!  You still love the water and we had a blast at Cowabunga Bay, St. George and Bear Lake this year. 

You love your friends sweetie!  The Thompson kids lived by us in our town home this year and you made friends instantly with them.  You are such a sweet boy and are always thinking of them first - I always hear you say, "what do you want to play?  can I get you something?"  I love how kind you are to your friends.  In our new home, we've started to make friends and I can't wait to see who you become as a friend because I admire who you are to them.

You love your toys Jax and get quite upset when people touch them or move them or don't take care of them the way you would.  You hardly ever, if ever break anything of yours.  You really keep things "nice and orderly" we'll say :)

Patience and tolerance is something we all need to work on and you too sweetie.  When something goes wrong or doesn't do something the way to hope or expect, you're either amazingly kind and gentle or you are a whirlwind of anger especially with little Logan.  Man...he can push your buttons like no other person can.  However, he admires you Jax and we hope you'll be a great example to him so he can learn the great things you do. 

In January of 2014, you had a hernia surgery and I was so amazed by your courage!  You were so awesome Jax - you shocked me at how well you did.  It was tricky coming out of the anesthesia but after that, you'd have never known what you had gone through.  We were so proud of you!

Right before surgery.

Just waking up and enjoying your popsicle and prizes.  After they took the IV out of your foot, you were happy as a clam.  Daddy was awesomely calm and reassuring for you and he and Papa Dougie gave you a blessing before the surgery and you still remember that blessing. 

In March, your little brother Blake was born.  Let's just say you did much better with Blake than with Logan.  You loved him and wanted to feed him and you LOVE to make him laugh! 

You love Austin and Rio sweetie - you sort of bring this link between them and bring out the good in both of them!

Your favorite place to go this year was Airborne and you can't wait to go back!  You also love hiking and anything outside so you can run and run and run!

In August, we went to Bear Lake for our annual trip and you had so much fun!  It was colder than usual but we still did lots of swimming and being outside and you were so fun on our little walks to the gas station.  One day, you made me take a picture of you and one of your favorite toys, "Coony."  You were so excited to have this picture, I think it was your favorite one yet! 

  And, it includes your very favorite "item" this year - this Old Navy hat.  You wore it almost every single day except to school and church for about 7 months.

You and Austin started playing soccer this summer and you guys were awesome!  You two honestly scored about 90% of the goals.  Jax, you naturally were this defensive player making sure no one on the other team scored.  You were so fun to watch!

You still LOVE making people happy and love to make them laugh.  You are a very thoughtful little guy Jax - love that about you!

Jax, I love you!  Daddy and I are so proud of you.  I do adore your passion and intensity.  I pray we will help and support you the best we can for what you need and who you are.

 

AUSTIN

 

Oh Austin...

what a year you've had!  You are such a mature kid for your age!  You always have been.  You show this very kind, loving side most of the time and you are always willing to help and do what we ask.

However...this year you have started being a bit more argumentative and you tell us "no" more than you ever have.  I think that maturity is good and not so good at times for you.

We appreciate you so much for the brother you are to Logan and Blake.  You only have to walk in the room and talk to Blake and he starts giggling.  He loves to play with you and you always help me feed him and keep him busy if I need your help.  I feel like I put a lot of pressure on you at times to be like our "oldest" child even though you're not.  I hope and pray I'm not stressing you out :)

When Blake was born in March, you loved him right away.  You wanted to hold him and feed him all the time and for those first few days alone, I'm not sure I could have done it without you sweetheart.

You are such an emotional little guy and it can be so fun to watch and also so heartbreaking to watch because you get your feelings hurt so easily and it really makes you sad when you fight with Rio and Jax. 

This year, you faced some fears of yours.  You have always been pretty tentative about heights and climbing and "adventure" type things but one day at the park, you decided it was time to beat that fireman pole.  It was pretty far from the step down and you were super nervous!  Yet, you faced your fear and made it down.  I was really proud of you and you continued doing those types of things this year.

School this year has been great for you.  You love learning French and really enjoy music too.  Your teachers love you.  You are already reading many many words and working to read books too.  You're a smart little guy and we're proud of you for all you've learned and continue to work at.

I love this pic because this shows who you are Austin.  You let this little boy climb, crawl, roll and do whatever he wants to you. You are a very patient boy and endure a lot from our little Logan.  He adores you though and often asks, "you okay Austie?"  You're a great brother Aust to all your siblings.

You've decided this year that hugs and kisses from anyone but mom and dad is out of the question!  (See...a little too mature for your own good!)  It's funny to watch your grandmas hug and kiss you and then remember, oh wait, we can't do that anymore.  Yet, you love them to pieces and love your family so much!  You are always making pictures for people in our family to have.

This was you little buddy this summer and fall.  You and Nick were always together and loved playing with one another.  I was really happy you found such a great friend.  He was two years older than you, but you'd have never known - you guys were great friends!

Like I said earlier about Jax, you and he started soccer and you were AWESOME!  You scored so many goals and never took your eye off the goal when you ran.  You are one determined kid and I am excited to see what you do in sports and other areas that you set your mind to.

I love you Austin!

You are my little friend and helper throughout the day and I appreciate you so much.  Daddy and I love who you are and hope we will always appreciate who you are becoming and pray you'll always do what is right and continue to be kind and a good leader.

 

RIO

 

Oh my little girl!  I cannot believe you are 5 sweetie pie.  What a beautiful girl you are.

Daddy and I love you so much!

You are our only daughter and I think both of us love you even more because of that.  We appreciate and love your fun, happy, playful, imaginative, girly, giggly, sweet and tender spirit you bring into our home.  Our lives and home would be so entirely different without you.

You are a wonderful sister!  You love all 4 of your brothers and hold your own with all those boys.  You either bring peace and gentleness to them or you are in charge and they know it!  They don't love it however, but they know it!

You bring a type of calm to them when needed and are my little mommy helper to the little boys every, single day.  I often don't even need to ask for help and you just give it.  You love Blake and are so kind to him.  You are often found singing him songs if he's sad, "twinkle, twinkle" or "I am a Child of God."

One day in May, I heard Logan crying and I came and saw that you were playing dress up with him making him be the Queen of Hearts.  Yah, he wasn't having it but I though you were so cute playing with him and making him be your little doll :)

You are very, very, very patient with Logan which is so appreciated around here.  He is a ball of energy and fun and you are so kind to him Rio and he needs that!  You often say to me, "he's so cute mom."  You admire who he is and I love that you see that in others.  You really try to see the good in people and love them no matter what.  I love that you love your brothers and love to be around them the most!

When Blake was born this year in March, you were of course a wonderful helper to both daddy and I.  If I ever leave, I'll remind you to be kind and nurturing to the little boys and you always are. 

You have done so well in school.  You complain about going a lot but almost every day when I pick you up, you say, "I love school".  I think you complain because you love playing and don't like to stop what you're doing to go to school but when you get there, you love it.  Not surprisingly, you love art and music most!  You were so awesome at your Christmas program this year and just sang and sang and did all the actions.

You've come out of your "shy shell" this year.  You are no longer nervous to walk into new rooms with people you don't know and aren't afraid to make new friends.  I'm proud of you for overcoming those fears. 

You started dance in August and I was so proud of you for going all by yourself.  You have been so used to having the boys with you doing everything but not this and with new kids and new teachers but you have done awesome and look forward to it every, single week.  You were amazing at your recital this December.  You went out on the stage and were SO good Rio! 

You knew every step and never missed anything.  You were in heaven just smiling and smiling and you looked gorgeous!

Rio, I love you!

Being a mom wouldn't be complete without you.  You bring something into my life and our family that would be incredibly missed.  Daddy loves you.  He absolutely loves being with you; drama or tantrums and all.  He is rather patient with you during those few moments.

We're so proud of who you are and hope you will always see your kindness, helpfulness, patience and assertiveness as good pieces of you.  I look forward to learning more and more from you.

*These are a few of my favorite pics of you 3 this year*

 1st day (2nd year) of preschool.

Having fun together and being silly - my favorite times watching you three.

 

 Your Christmas program.  You all looked so cute and did so amazing!

 

 

We got new kid pics this  in August and I love this one of you 3 together.  You look so happy and it makes me smile just thinking how much you've grown.

We love you guys!

Happy 5th birthday!