Charles is Seven!

Sweet little Charliebear turned seven this past week.  We love you, so much, sweet boy.

At seven, you have really grown up.  You have lost most of your baby talk- you can say Ls and Rs well now.  It was bound to happen, but we sure did enjoy your baby voice for years.  You are still cuddly, but you sit on my lap less and less.  You are definitely transitioning into full-time big boy and I guess it's meant to be that way.  You will always be my baby boy though- you were the baby for 7 years.

You are so in love with your sister Anastasia.

  I still remember last year when you would pray almost every night for God to please send us a baby.  You prayers were answered and you have been so sweet to her every second.  You do not like to hear her cry and always run to me, Daddy, Marc or Julia and say, "Do something!"

You are still a rather easy-going guy.  You go with the flow and are fine letting Tucker go first.  You are competitive though and naturally compare yourself with him and others.  Last week at basketball camp as we were leaving you said, "Bye Joe!  See you tomorrow where I will beat you again!"  You have a little more swagger and confidence than the rest of our crew.

 

You make friends easily.  Wherever you are you learn the names of those around you and chat them up.  At camp this summer all the bus seats by your buddies were full so you would sit with random folks and get to the know them.  You didn't mind at all.

You are still great in school- you basically finished your entire grade by Christmas last year and I have been trying to find stuff to keep you busy.  You pay attention and are usually the first to answer my questions when I am reading history aloud.

Your big loves right now are Sheep (yes, you still love sheep and shepherds) and Battlebots- a show we started watching on Fridays where robots right each other.  You love it and know all the stats like a sports fanatic would.  "Well, what do you expect when you use plastic for the wheel covers?  And the battle ax doesn't have enough torque!"  :)  You also love to play with your Lego sets and you and Tucker play Chess almost every single day (and you win a lot).  And you still love your Auburn Tigers!

You are a hard worker.

You make your bed, clean the playroom, water the plants and do the laundry often.  We just love our earnest, eager-to-please boy.  You are just a nice, easy-going guy with little drama.  And we all adore you and are so grateful for you.  God bless you sweet angel!

We had a little birthday party for you at the pool house on Sunday.  You wanted Star Wars as the theme.    I didn't take many pictures, but it was a great evening!   :)

This and that

This week the little boys went to basketball camp in the morning and chess camp in the afternoon.  They have had a great time and learned a lot.  I have enjoyed having just the two older children and Anastasia.  

They are so helpful!

The older two went to Totus Tuus this week, where they went to church every night and had talks, games and prayer time.  Last night they had a vocations panel and heard married people, a priest and Sisters talk about how they chose their vocations.  They really enjoyed it.

Speaking of Marc Jr., we all think he grew a lot this summer.  His Daddy is 6'4 and our little man is getting SO CLOSE to catching up!  How did this happen so soon?

While Marc and Julia Totus Tuus, Daddy took the little boys to help him cook for the men's shelter.  They went with him to Sam's to pick out all the food and then helped prepare and serve it.  We have good helpers.

Sissy is riding twice a week and enjoying it so much-

 

This girl is growing up so much- Zaza couldn't get over the difference in her.  

And as for Anastasia- she is an adorable angel!  She is fussy a bit a night, but it's nothing we can't handle.  :)

And she's SMILING!!!!!   We love this sweetie smile!

Thank you, Lord, for this sweet angel face!

 

And BB found some old pictures of me that look a lot like Annie!

Poppy and me!

Yes, Marky looks like Poppy-

Baby Donna with crooked smile-

She enjoys resting in a sling.  Daddy worked on a brief with her in a sling.  :)

She is his little Rosie.  We say she's "Cozy Wozy Rosie".  :)

And sweet Tuckerman is just in love.  He says ALL THE TIME as he walks by her:

"Oh she's just exactly what we prayed for!"

"Oh, she is just perfect!"

"She is the truly the best thing I ever got."

"I would give up anything for Annie.  She's worth giving up anything."

"Oh, Mommy, I know she loves you!"

Annie Rose you are LOVED!