Noah Turns 5!

It's amazing how quickly time is going.  This week is Andy's last week of class at HBS.  I can hardly believe it!  Just yesterday I felt like we got here, and now we are getting ready to leave.  So bitter sweet for our family.

Since I am obviously playing catch-up (once again) I guess I should start where I last left off!  Which would be right around Noah's 5th birthday.  Speaking of time flying!  Having a 5 year old is so odd to me, I can hardly believe my little boy is almost in kindergarten.  I once told Noah that I was sad he was growing up.  From time to time he will ask me, "Mommy, why are you sad for me to grow up?"  I have to explain to him that I'm sad because he won't be my little boy anymore, but that I am also happy to see him grow.  I really love him.

We started out the day early (as usual), he opened presents and Andy took him to get some donuts for breakfast before class.  Noah LOVES donuts, so this was a special treat for him.

My number one goal on birthdays is to make my child feel special.  That doesn't necessarily mean getting a ton of gifts (although I know that Noah would love that).  I think he really enjoyed his special day though.  We even took cupcakes to his preschool class and he loved that.  He has been waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for it to be his birthday.  So this was extra special for him.

He was so excited about all the cars he got in the mail.  He also got about $55 dollars and used that to buy more cars for himself...he has the best imagination!  

Growing up I always had family birthday parties.  All of my family lived close by, and it was very special for me to have my cousins and grandparents and aunts and uncles come over to celebrate with me.  Since we don't have family here in Boston, we had a 'family friend' birthday party where the whole family was invited.  This is technically Noah's first birthday party and he loved it!!  We had a little dinner (Pizza and sides), played some simple games and opened presents.  He was honestly on cloud 9! 

I don't think I have pictures of the party, but I did do our tradition of 20 questions with Noah.  For your reading pleasure : 

20 Questions with Noah: Age 5

1. What is your favorite color?  Red and Green

2. What is your favorite toy?  Eye Cars

3. What is your favorite fruit? Raspberries

4. What is your favorite TV show? Pingu

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Cheesy Pasta

6. What is your favorite outfit?  Star Wars shirt

7. What is your favorite game?  Slap Jack

8. What is your favorite snack?  Raspberry yogurt

9. What is your favorite animal? Bald Eagle

10. What is your favorite song?  Let it Go (from Frozen)

11. What is your favorite book?   Shark Book

12. Who is your best friend?  Jackson and Abby

13. What is your favorite cereal?  Fruity Cheerios and Honey Bunches of Oats

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Build a Snowman

15. What is your favorite drink?  Soda

16. What is your favorite holiday?  Christmas

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  (Stuffed) Doggie and Blanket (and sometimes toys too!)

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?  Cereal

 19. Where’s your favorite place to visit?  Toy Store

 20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A student, like daddy

Noah Adds his own questions…

21. What is my favorite Dinosaur?  T-Rex (they are really scary)

22.  What is my favorite Cars one race car?  Apple car and Tank Coat

23. What is my favorite shark?  Hammerhead

24.  What’s my favorite money?  $35

25. What’s my favorite state?  Idaho

26.  What’s my favorite truck?  The blue one grandpa is sending me.

There you have it, my friends.  I know I speak for Andy and I when I say how lucky we are to be this kids parents. He is one of a kind, and I am SO grateful that the Lord sent him to us.  

Almost Forgot...

Some big news at the Stockhoff household…besides the fact that Andy accepted a job in Houston for after Grad School (can you say summer heat?) we are also happy to announce that…..

Baby #3 will be making his/her debut at the beginning of July this year.  We find out the gender in just a week and a half. We are so excited! 

Since Christmas….

In an effort to do the last of my catching up all in one blog post, here is a short list of things we've done this month…..

1.  Played and played with our Christmas toys..

2. Joined the New England Historic Genealogical Society and worked on some of Andy's family history.

3.  Naps, Naps and more Naps (we are on break, after all). 

4.  Celebrated my 32nd birthday.  Andy took me out to this great Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant that was by far one of the best meals I've ever had.  Also had dinner with friends and spent quality time with my family.  It was one of my best birthdays ever. 

5. Had family come visit from Maryland…and we did fun stuff like (guys) going to a Celtics vs. Lakers game...

Guys also went to a hockey game.  We all hit up the museum and got to ride the shuttle over (the kids love the Harvard shuttle).  

I am a Child of God.  I love her face 

6. Played with our friends in the hallway, in our PJs (Noah). 

7. Watched Clare develop her fashion sense. 

and 8.  Took a little train ride downtown one afternoon.  It was great fun. 

There you have it, friends.  And here we are at this moment.  Pray for me, maybe I will be able to keep it up this time :) Until then! xo. 

Christmas - Ohio Style

This year we spent Christmas in Ohio with Andy's brother, Greg, and his family (wife and three boys). We were so excited to spend this year with them at their new home.  The 13 hour drive was a little overwhelming, but totally wort it once we arrived - not to mention the kids did really really well on the long drive.  

I can say, without reservation, that there was a lot of playing going on with the kids.  They were going from sun up, to sun down (literally).  They had so much fun together and  played so well,  I couldn't have asked for it to have gone better.  Clare got in on the fun too, and they all had the best time.  It makes me so happy to see this, because I have such fond memories playing with my cousins as a child.  I love seeing my kids create similar memories.

Allice and I did a lot of baking for their neighbors….A LOT! 

And on Christmas eve we had our traditional pizza and root beer float dinner…

After dinner we got in our PJs and read the Nativity story from the scriptures and talked about the birth of Jesus.  I loved doing this with the kids and seeing out involved they were with setting up the nativity.  

After reading the nativity the kids opened one little gift.  Then they decided to put the bows on their faces and put themselves under the tree.  It was too funny and they thought they were hilarious. 

Christmas morning our kids woke up at around 7:30, much later than any Christmas in the past!  It felt great to sleep a little longer.  The kids were immediately ready to head downstairs and see their gifts, but we as parents had to make it as painful as possible for them.  We all used the bathroom, brushed our teeth etc.  I figure my parents did that to me, I need to pay it forward. ha! 

Then, the unwrapping commenced!  Noah got mostly cars, from the movie, which he was so excited about.  He also got a few other things from family that he was just as happy with (tools etc).  Clare got a cabbage patch doll, because I had one and adored it, so I figured she needed one as well. 

Obviously they made off like little bandits.  It was really wonderful to see how happy they were and to share the generosity of all our family members too.  

The remainder of our trip was spent doing things as a family…the zoo, the museum, the mall.   There were also a lot of nerf gun fights.  It was perfect! 

The picture above is arguably my favorite picture from the Ohio trip.  We sure love this clan. xo