Three

May 19, 2005: Our lives changed forever. Our life as a couple became our lives as a family...of three. I thought we would never love anything more than that new baby boy. So cute, so sweet, so ours! Three months in, we had a new understanding of hard. How do we train him 'in the way he should go'? What if we mess up? Will we ever feel rested again?!
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I think we love him more now than we did then. Three years of joy, challenges, laughter, learning. He is so smart. We constantly glance at each other while shaking our heads, amazed at what he knows. He speaks in complex sentences, grammatically correct paragraphs...in the cutest three year old voice. He remembers EVERYTHING and listens to EVERYTHING. He knows more Bible verses than most grown ups. He cracks us up. He loves the number three. Three cookies, three stories..."I want three of 'em!" He loves his friends ('buddies'), his family, God and Jesus. He loves animals, trains, balls, books, puzzles, his Bible CDs, construction trucks, flashcards, playing outside, and snacks. He loves to sing...songs that he's heard or ones that he makes up. He is our favorite little boy.

Thank You, God, for the glimpse that You've given us of the love that You have for Your children. It sometimes is overwhelming how much we love this child and how we would do anything for him...You did everything for us. Thank You for our Gehrig.

Here is the story of him turning three:

We had his birthday party early on May 10th. Two of his favorite girls came into town for the weekend...Aunt Gretchen and his 'big girlfriend' Jessica.


We met at the park for Gehrig to play with his friends and he had a great time there until a storm came about an hour into it.

We were seriously low-key with pizza and cupcakes. So wish that we would've had time to get a picture with all the kids!

After the storm passed, a few of the kids came over to the house and played with Gehrig until bedtime. Boy, did they play hard and have so much fun. Had to post this pic of G opening gifts just to show how wet his hair was from sweating so much!

It didn't go exactly as planned (does it ever?), but Gehrig had a great day. In the end, that's what counts!

On the actual day, Daddy wanted to take G to the zoo. Again, he LOVES animals. Oh the joy! And to make a great day even better, he got to invite his friend Luke. Wow.

Checking out the bears and elephants...

And, oh yeah! It was Greer's first zoo visit! Her present to Gehrig was being a very sweet girl despite missing her afternoon nap and eating a couple hours late!

She is the sweetest thing...oh my word.

We finished the day with a big boy birthday dinner at Ruby Tuesday near the zoo. Hungry and delirious...

And chocolate cake to round out the day!

Happy birthday, G. We love you!! (Please stay three...)