The Murrays: May 2010

It's Official! I'm a stay-at-home-mom! I am so excited about spending this precious time with the kids. I look forward to play dates, library time, being able to volunteer at Jack and Avery's school, and everything that comes along with being a mommy. I stayed at home when Jack and Avery were babies, but I think I was so eager to make money that I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. I am going into this next school year with a different outlook. Grant is our last baby, and before I know it, all of our kids will be in school and I will want to go back to work just to have something to do!

That being said, money is going to be tight. Super tight. I will be watching every penny like I never have had to do before. Unless I have a lot of people hittin' me up for monogramming or making things, we'll be doing a lot less eating out and traveling! It will all be worth it though, just to say that I was able to stay home with them while they were young.

So, anyone need anything monogrammed? Need a bow holder? Bows? :)

I woke up this morning to a whisper in my ear, "Hey mama, I am 4 ye-uhs old today." After being up all night Friday night for Relay for Life, getting a 3 hour nap Saturday morning, and being up making a dinosaur cake until 11:00 last night, I really wasn't thrilled to see the clock starting with a 6 this morning. But that little voice made it ok.

It is so hard to believe that Jack is FOUR years old today! Our lives have changed so very much in the past 5 years. When we got married in July 5 years ago, it never even crossed my mind that we would have a baby less than a year later! He has been such a sweet blessing. A few things about Jack...

He was a sweet, sweet boy as a baby. We had trouble with breastfeeding, but once we figured out that he wasn't going to do it and switched to formula, he was no trouble at all...just about as easygoing as they come.

He has always been curious, and while I could post story after story and picture after picture, I'll share this one:

This was one morning when we were struggling with him getting up earlier than us, going into the kitchen, and getting a 'wake up snack' before breakfast. On this particular morning, he followed our instructions NOT to get anything to eat, but then decided to paint his body, fingernails and all, with nail polish. In. our. living room. :)

He has always been very responsive to punishment. When he was 2, we expected 'terrible twos' and instead got a child who seemed to understand consequences. Weird, huh?

While he was only 13 months old when Avery was born, he has always been the best big brother. He loves his sister more than anything, and watches out for her where ever they are. It makes my heart so happy to have this bond starting so early. Their relationship just shows that even though Jay and I weren't planning on having kids as early as we did, or as close together as we did, it happened for a reason. The love that they have for each other is one that I prayed for, and continue to pray for as they get older.

Jack is a funny man. He loves being the center of attention and making people laugh. I have so many stories that one day will make it on here, but in this next picture, he's 'covering his pecs' with bubbles. He comes up with the funniest things, is so creative with his stories, and picks up any little details from stories that we might tell to other adults and repeats them in a story. We have to watch that boy!