Party!!!!!!!

On Friday night, our friends and family came together to celebrate five years of these guys:

It seriously seems like just yesterday they were born.

Anyway...

Despite the rainy weather and the first twenty minutes of the party spent in the indoor pool, we ended up having a fantastic time splashing around outside on this:

Kim, Britton, Ben, and I rented one of the local parks and recreation pools (complete with play structures, water slides, a lazy river/whirlpool area, and a shallow play area for the little ones) and ended up hosting one of the most family fun birthday parties I think I've ever attended.

The slides, of course, were a big hit with everybody.

Well, everyone but Babe.  She spent her evening playing in the kiddie pool and cuddled up with Ms. Ginnell.

The rain really cooled things off, but even with the chill, smiles were everywhere.

We ended the evening with cake,

and opened gifts as soon as we got home.

Happy, happy birthday, sweet boy!!

Freedom!

After a week of ice, snow, and sticking close to the house, Kim and I let the kids blow off a little steam at Monkey Joe's on Friday.  They had a blast.

Hadley and I went down the big slides quite a few times (note to self:  yoga pants=super slick sliding material), but for the most part she entertained herself in the area reserved for little kids.  I'm certain she jumped for at least an hour, exiting only to give Monkey Joe a hug. 

She climed up and slid down the little slide repeatedly, threw her body as high into the air as it would possibly go, and attempted multiple toetouches.  She was pretty much oblivious to anyone else around her...

I was excited (and content) to see her play and jump and jump and play.  While she's technically on track with her developmental milestones, every once in a while I can tell that she is not as physcially strong as other kids her age.  It made my heart happy to see her jumping her little bootie off...seems like good physical therapy to me.

Harris and Quinn had a great time, too.  They were pretty much inseparable until Harris discovered a friend from school...

It's hard to believe these guys will be FIVE this year...what a wild, wild ride it's been.