Happy Birthday Boys!

We celebrate birthdays twice a year in our family (for all our kids). In May we celebrate Mackenzie (13th) and Caylee (10th) [and next year baby no. 5, I think] and in September we have Brock (15th) and Brevin (12th). Yes, girls in one month and boys in another [maybe that's why I'm having 'female' vibes for this baby?!] and each of the birthdays are only three days apart. So far we have not had any issues with sharing the birthday parties, especially with all the family we have nearby. The kids get little friend parties 3 times before they're 8 with activities and such and then we'll take a trip when they're 8, have a party when they're 12 and 16 or SOMETHING organized like that. Yes, I have counted the years ahead to figure everyone's ages the year someone else has a big party or milestone. I do that in my spare time.

Anyway, here's some review of how my little men have grown up so fast. Hopefully I won't screw any of this up too badly. Like . . . I KNOW Mackenzie is in 3rd grade, even though I blogged the first day of school post that she started 2nd grade. I was in a hurry trying to appease the blog police since I hadn't put the pictures up yet. SHEESH. I should've proofread, oh well.

Brock Garrard Barlow

born September 15, 2005

1 year old; Sept. 2006

2 yrs. old; Sept. 2007

Brevin Tyler Barlow

born September 12, 2003

1 year; Sept. 2004

2 years; Sept. 2005 (this was taken right after Brock was born.)

3 years; Sept. 2006

4 years; Sept. 2007

I love my boys. They drive me nutso with all their climbing and running and jumping and hi-yahing, but (as my friend Patty once told me) they are my bestest little boyfriends EVER.) There's nothing that makes me feel better than when Brevin says, "You da best Mom, Mom" or when Brock holds my face in his little hands so I will look him in the eye while he repeats, "Mom, Mom, Mom" like he has something urgent to say, but it's really that he wants my undivided attention. They smell weird after they play (especially outside), they can't EVER go five minutes without touching or whacking or poking each other, and they are a lot messier than my girls. BUT, they also say really funny things that make me laugh, are creative in different ways than girls (like Brock picking up a fake, plastic, toy bug with a wad of tissue and carrying it around the house to show his "big bug" find OR Brevin pushing up pillows to make a garage for his cars), and they keep up with all the going and doing I like to do. Anyway, time passes quickly and I am sure the moody days or puberty will creep up on me quickly. I'm sure I'll be driving them crazy trying to get them to talk to me or to tell me their crazy stories instead of wishing they'd just quit making any noise for two minutes, like I sometimes wish now. They're keepers, and I love 'em to pieces.