I Love Being a LaLa

Before I had my own little bambino Jack, I fell in love with a baby, my nephew Bennett. I truly loved him as if he were my own. He came into this world six weeks early and was born via an emergency c-section. I clearly remember breaking all the rules and going past doors we weren't allowed to open just so I could hear that cry. It's like I was living outside of my body as I waited to hear how he was doing. He had to stay awhile in the hospital and then had to come home with a heart monitor but it didn't take him long to thrive.

On August 17th, my first baby turns four. Four! It's crazy to me because he has grown up so quickly. He is super smart. His vocabulary is better than most grade school children. He loves picking words and learning how to spell and write them. He can work a computer really well and loves the site abcya.com. It's free and has lots of learning activities. 

I love that he calls me LaLa. It feels like a special name just for me because he's the only one to call me that. The other day I walked into his house and he and a friend were sitting on the couch and he pointed to me and told his friend "that's my LaLa". It just melted my heart. 

Bennett knows that with LaLa he will always get his way. As soon as he sees me he asks for chocolate milk. LaLa will also play Peppa Pig with him because LaLa can quote Peppa Pig also. He'll ask me to scare him and I have to pretend I'm a monster and catch him. 

We have a very close relationship and I hope we always stay this close. I want him to always depend on his LaLa and enjoy having fun with me. When he gets older and wants to run away from home I hope he runs to me. I never want it to turn awkward where we can't say I love you. My hope is that he and Jack treat each other like brothers. He was the first baby I ever loved so much that I knew I would give up my own life for his. 

Bennett's first birthday party with Mom and Dad (razorback theme)

Second birthday party at the train depot in McGehee (train theme)

Bennett's third birthday (Jake and the Neverland Pirates theme)

This picture was taken the other day. He was in the pool and he said "LaLa, I need my glasses". We are in full party planning mode for birthday party number four. This year's theme is construction. We are getting a huge pile of dirt brought in for the kids to have a blast with. LaLa has been busy on Pinterest. Here is a little sneak peak. I would like to thank Erin at How to Nest For Less for the printables that I was able to pull up on picmonkey and edit to make them our own. 

This is a really bad picture but I just had to show you because my blunder was too funny not to share. I put down the wrong age. Oops! This one was just a practice anyways because I want a picture of him wearing construction clothes. Since my Dad is a contractor getting materials is quite easy. It's funny that this is the theme for his party because this isn't the kind of stuff he is into. I told my sister she should have thrown him a Peppa Pig or an Andy Griffin birthday party. Yes, this 3 year old loves to watch Andy Griffin. He quotes it all the time and it is what he watches to go to sleep at night. He's such an odd kid but I do love him. Something else that is odd about him is that he is scared to death of the show Jeopardy. Like I'm talking will claw you up trying to get out of the room. Even if you say the word Jeopardy he starts screaming and crying. When he was a toddler he was standing in front of the tv and the double jeopardy block was chosen and it scared him so badly that even at almost four he acts like a mass murderer is after him if he sees or hears anything about it. 

My sister Samantha (the blonde) with three friends who are all having girls. 

My sister is 25 weeks pregnant with a baby girl so I get to be a LaLa again and to a little girl. When we found out she was having a girl I was beyond thrilled. One, because Jack will most likely be my only child and I need a little girl to go with me to get pedicures. Two, girl clothes are too stinkin' cute. Three, I want Bennett and Jack to have a very close brotherly relationship and since Bennett isn't having a brother then he and Jack are more likely to keep that brother connection. She offically has a name now, Maybree Lynn. 

I'm looking forward to planning and celebrating Bennett's 4th birthday and also planning a sweet, and very girly baby shower for Miss Maybree. 

If anyone has any cute girl baby shower ideas please send them my way. I want it to be really girly and that is as far as I've gotten with the planning.