Deep Thoughts...by Nate Goodwin

So, yesterday we were driving home from picking up my charm bracelet from the jewelers. (I finally had Amelia's charm soldered on.) Nate asked what a charm bracelet was. I explained that my charm bracelet has little charms or symbols that represent important events in my life...my baptism, AFA graduation, earning my pilot wings, marriage to Daddy (with a heart engraved on the back of the charm because I love him), the birth of Nathaniel, and the birth of Amelia. After a few seconds of silence, he inquired from the backseat, "Mom, why do you love Dad?"

That's a great marriage exercise for all of you out there:

How would you explain your love to a 4-year-old?

Soccer to Me!

On the way to his first practice with "Coach"

Jason showed up to Nate's parents' meeting for YMCA soccer a few weeks ago and came home the coach! I think the last time he played soccer was 25 years ago. But, no one else was stepping forward and he certainly wanted Nate to have a team, so he bit the bullet.

All geared up, now we can practice!

Today was the 'Gators' first practice (we were hoping to name the team "the sharks" since that's Nate's infatuation right now, but their team colors are lime green and black--'Gators made more sense.) Nate had a blast. I think Jason did a great job trying to keep the 4-year-olds focused. Like we used to describe keeping track of your crew as an aircraft commander, "it's like keeping puppies in a box!" The kids' favorite drill was "kick the coach" (or maybe that was just Nate's favorite!)

Dribbling Drills

There's Nate, #7, responding to Coach's "motivational speech"

Birthday Photo Shoot--1 year/4 year

Our Upgraded Family Photo, Goodwin 2.0

Jumpin' for Joy!

(One of Nate's traits is to jump up & down when he's excited!)

Comin' atcha!

(Symbolic: Big Brother guiding her along as she takes her first steps!)

Amelia's One-Year Portrait

Nate's 4-Year Portrait

The Goodwins dans le noir Splish, Splash!

I wish I would've done this pose for Nate. My sister has one with each of her kids and has the montage hanging in the kids' bathroom.

I love this series of Nate jumping. It captures his personality right now perfectly. He's high-energy, excited about life and doing his own thing!

Our life...chasing Amelia!

Shark Week! (Nate's 4th Birthday)

Nate is 4 YEARS OLD! Happy Birthday, Bud!

A Busy Birthday Week:

3/14. Friday. Free Birthday dinner at Luby's from the Kids Club--he was just happy he got the orange jello. But no balloons. Adamant about no balloons--a few too many unintentional balloon releases for the young lad...traumatic!

He's still a great big brother!

A good shot of her bottom two teeth and her increased confidence in walking!

3/15. Sunday. Awesome pork rib dinner with the family at Granna & Papa's in New Braunfels.

Sensory exploration outside in the grass--hear the birds, feel the grass, smell the flowers, uh, taste the leaves!)Amelia adores her big brother--even when he's squeezing the life from her hand.

Wrestling with Papa--Nate keeps him young! ;)

3/16. Monday. A visit from Uncle Todd--in from NYC for the South by Southwest music show in Austin:

Educating Uncle Todd on the intricacies of tractor tipping (after showing him "My Book About Sea Creatures")

Early St. Patty's day attire--aww, we match!

3/17. Tuesday. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Tonight we made Nate's birthday cakes (in a broken oven). Yup, the refrigerator and oven are going out at the same time. The oven doesn't turn off at a preset temp; it just keeps getting hotter and hotter until it's as hot as the surface of the sun. The cakes turned out pretty well, considering the challenge (red velvet for the "shark" and white confetti for the "ocean").

Helping Mommy mix, mix, mix!

A childhood rite of passage--licking the batter off the spoon!

Oh yes I did! I couldn't resist when I saw this little green shirt on clearance last fall. I knew I had this matching green shirt in my closet!

3/18. Wednesday. Med School Family Picnic at Orsinger Park. UTHSCSA (J's school) has had organized activities every day this week in preparation for Match Day tomorrow. Every 4th-year medical student across the nation will find out which residency program they matched into at 11:00 CST on Thursday (though Jason found out in December since the military has a different system). Nate enjoyed playing with the babies & teaching the big guys about sharks. That night, he locked himself in his room and told us he didn't want to be four. He was going to stay in his room all day tomorrow so he would still be three!

Nate discussing the eating habits of the gentle giant (plankton) vs Great White (seals) with "the guys!"

Mia stayed busy flirting with her boyfriend, Parker, while Nate gave his lesson.

Bye, Bye Parker! See you tomorrow! (She's waving "Hi!" now!)

3/19. Thursday. Nate turned 4! After a fun birthday wake-up at the house (cake in bed, streamers in the doorway and one present-opening), he brought birthday snacks to preschool--shark jello & goldfish on shark plates with apple juice in shark cups. We left school a little early for the Match Party at Floores Country store (a Texas music icon of sorts). Nate ran himself ragged with his cars on the back picnic tables. Jason wished him a Happy 4th Birthday over the microphone on stage when he announced his match. Nate had a BBQ Birthday lunch. Pancakes for dinner. Presents. A full birthday day. That night he shocked us by announcing he wasn't wearing a pull-up to bed. He was four and he was wearing underwear. Huh. It's been four dry nights so far. That's how he works.

Nate's "big" gift from Mom & Dad--the keyboard!

Preschool Party!

The Family at Floores--Nate and Jason's big day!

3/20. Friday. BAMC appt in the shot clinic. All morning. Afternoon = party prep. To bridge the gap between the birthday and the party, we took Nate out for a birthday meal at "The Fish Company" in the Bass Pro Shop. He loves the aquarium, the sharks on the wall ("Mom, why do they not have a whale shark?") and the mini corn dogs. Unfortunately, there was no complimentary bday treat for the bday boy. Not to worry, when we got home, I put the finishing touches on his bday treat--the CAKE!

The Shark Cake on display.

Mini corndogs and broccoli--what's not to like?!

A sample of all the fish on the walls!

3/21. Saturday. The Shark Party!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Birthday presents this year: electronic keyboard with songbank and microphone, the blue automoblox sedan, time telling clock set, fishing game, shark shirts, shark flip-flops, shark swim trunks, shark bath toys, a shark attack playset, Frank & Lightning McQueen Tractor Tipping track, lots of Matchbox and Hotwheels cars and periphenalia, two giant floor puzzles, books, flat-screen Light Bright, a dinosaur DVD, a music recorder and lesson book, lots of sidewalk chalk, bubbles and a Lightning McQueen kite.

3/22. Sunday. We let him go one day longer. He wore his "Birthday Boy" T-shirt to church today. His Sunday School class sang Happy Birthday to him.

3/23. Monday. The birthday hoopla is over. Nate had his 4-year well-check today with Dr. Grant. (If he stays healthy, his last appointment before we re-enter the world of military medicine in June.) The appointment was going well, 39 pounds, 42.5 inches, he got all his pee in the cup (and none on me); then they blind-sided me with 4 vaccines--DTAP 5, IPV4, MMR2, and VARICELLA2! I wasn't prepared. Nate got about 20 seconds of prep for his four needles. He was actually quite a trooper. No tears; just a few whimpers, "But it's going to hurt!" And I couldn't say anything but, "Yes. It will hurt for a little bit. But it's medicine for your body...to help keep you and the people around you healthy." He had all the sympathy he needed since Jason and I had just been stuck three times for our travel vaccinations. The two shots in our left arm left both of us pretty sore for several days! He did get a hearing & vision test today as well. He aced them both, but was only 20/30 on the vision test. I mean he was 0/6 on that last row. Apparently that's normal for 4-year-olds; their detailed vision hasn't fully developed yet. Who knew? I'll have to ask Dr. Julie.

Finders Keepers!

After more than seven weeks, I found my diamond ring! I noticed it missing in Sunday School the last Sunday in January. Tonight during bathtime, Nate jumped into the tub a little funny. He pushed the bath toy crate out from the wall. When I reached down to push the crate back to its proper place, THERE IT WAS...peeking out from under the crate! Apparently it was bath night before church that Sunday. This is definitely an answer to prayer!

I'd just resigned myself last night to call USAA. We didn't have the floater on it, but people told me that our homeowner's insurance should cover part of it. This entire time I was fairly confident my ring would show up, I just didn't know how long to go without a replacement...and then what sort of replacement to buy--a cheapo CZ, a smaller diamond, full value? Now I don't have to worry about it! I like to say we just paid for our trip to Peru by finding it! I'd never really paid much attention to how much "money" I wear on my finger each day. I certainly look at it a little differently now! Of course its true value is priceless, but you know what I'm trying to say! ;)

The Papenfi Invade Texas

The cousins--a rare outside shot during their rainy spring break visit!

Nathaniel lovin' on Amelia

So...my sister needed an escape from the northern Minnesota winter. It's been exceptionally cold this year (even starting while we were up there this fall). She wanted to go anywhere where the kids could run outside and she could get a few rays of sun. After several "first choices" fell through, they settled on Texas. (Which is always fine by me!) Not only was it a vacation; but it was a road trip spanning nearly the entire length of I-35 from Northern MN to South TX in a minivan with the family of 5 (3 kids five-and-under)!

Who wouldn't want to come visit this family? ;)

Luckily, their first stop was North Padre. They got 2 1/2 days in the sun & surf. They arrived here in San Antonio on Tuesday afternoon. The three hours before dinner was the only time we made it outside. They brought the RAIN! I told them it was an unfortunate time to visit, when the majority of the city is praying for rain. Seriously, in our church bulletin the Sunday prior there was a block of bold letters, "Pray for Rain!" But, if you're going to have rain on your vacation, I'd rather have it be in a two-story house with cousins than in a crowded hotel room! Of course, the kids were fine...they found plenty of ways to entertain themselves...

They drew pictures and wrote messages on the easel...

Nate & Adam just brought their truck & car play inside!

These 3 played dress-up for hours w/"parades" after each costume change...

Nate's "funny glasses"

For some reason, holding your nose and talking was a big hit during the week...

Showing off their reading skills was popular, too...

Mia & Adam even bonded over a car or two!

Jason made personal pizzas with the kids for dinner one night!

Amelia with her lovey, "Kitty." She kept herself entertained just by watching the commotion all week!

The night they got in, Jason and I high-fived them then rushed out the door for game #3 of his Spurs package. It was my turn to accompany him! They beat the Charlotte Bobcats in an exciting fourth quarter. Jason is 3 for 3 (attendance-to-victory ratio). Our section was chosen as the spirit section so we made it on the jumbo tron. Oh, during half-time we went to Fan Fiesta since Jason challenged me to a shooting contest. Lo and behold, the claddaugh ring from my other hand flew off while I was shooting. They had to stop the game to retrieve it from behind the net, but at least I got this one back! (I really need to get my rings re-sized!)

Date night at the game & partying in the Spurs locker room afterwards... yeah right!

The rest of the 2 1/2 days was spent playing dress up & exhibiting their fashions in parades through the house, walks to the neighborhood park in between drizzles, and miscellaneous outdoor patio fun--bubbles & trucks (again, while it wasn't drizzling). We did venture to the Magik Children's Theatre downtown to see, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" on-stage. The kids loved it.

Wes prepping the kids with a pre-show reading of the children's classic.

The choo-choo train through the mud puddles on the way to the theater.

Amelia at the show

Oh, we had a "Burger Birthday Bash" for Nate & Ashley while they were here. Both kids have birthdays the end of March--Nate is officially 10 days older than Ashley. We had a burger burn, sang "Happy Birthday" with this awesome burger & fries cake from WM and exchanged gifts. Nate got a shark shirt and some shark Hotwheels from his cousins.

"Happy Birthday, Nate & Ashely! Happy Birthday to YOU!"

Make a wish! (Ashley looks like a genie, granting a wish!)

And, alas, all good things must end! Time for the good-byes:

A shark hug for Anna

A bear hug for Anna

Bye-bye Ashley!

A Mia mauling!

By the way, Nate's still telling his jokes. This morning he quipped, "Mmmmmm, this breakfast is "toasty!" I served raisin toast with peanut butter.

Amelia thinks Nate is hilarious!