Man-o-man are we cramming things in during these last couple of weeks pre-baby #3.  It wasn't even a week ago that I decided Axel's room needed a "big kid makeover" and I had just the inspiration to do it.

Have a personal Michelangelo?  I do.  I drew some crooked lines on the wall last week and what transpired is simply magical.

Axel's reaction?
"I love it.  It feels like I'm somewhere else...like the Bahamas!"
I hope some day I can bring him to the Bahamas...so he can see the...mountains.

The nursery has been taking shape as well and we've got a sweet little space to bring our tiny prince home to.  (Not that he'll get to spend any time there, since the demands on his appearance will likely be many...and his big brothers have lots they have been waiting to show him.)

Ollie my friend - we'll get to your room.  We still have 2 weeks to go...or more likely a long winter.

So the 4th isn't his real birthday...just his "pretend one" because it's a fun day to have a party!

Homemade piñata, custom pontoon cake, water balloons, bean bags, a plastic ATV and putting my big fat feet up at the end.

Nothing beats a boy birthday...well except a plastic bat.

Maybe they never grow up...they just get strong enough to toss the smaller ones off a floating dock.

​Happy 4th.  Be safe...and a little bit wild.

All hands on deck when a kid says he's ready to ski.  To be fair Ollie was begging to ski last summer as well – but we figured skiing at 2-years-old wasn't REALLY a necessity...so we held him off with tubing and paddle-boarding (natural pacifiers for a toddler).  

​Skiing when you're 3 seems quite sane so we thought we'd give him a circle around the lake today.

Grandpa sent him off...he stood right up...and took his lap in Ollie fashion...model athleticism and with an enormous smile!

How did his brother feel?  As I drove the boat and Grandma held the ski rope, Axel snapped about 150 pictures in the 3-minute trip.  Proud - and maybe just a bit challenged!

Happy 4th of July, Minnesota.  The lakes are just getting warmed up for the weekend. Take a dip.