Rabon Hat Trick

We’re two months into having three kids, and we’re learning something new about parenting all the time. Having Jonathan be so much older than the girls, and the girls being so close in age presents unique challenges for us, but we’re just so blessed to have three kids that I can’t believe it sometimes. I look around at the chaos that is our house at night, try to ignore the destruction, and focus on the blessings.

I want to start a new blog “series” (if you will) to give updates on the kids at various points through the year. I don’t want to miss out on capturing what the kids look like, what they love, and any funny little anecdotes that I’ll want to look back on. My kids don’t have “baby books” like our parents and grandparents made back in the day, and in a lot of ways this blog has become sort of a digital scrapbook for me starting from planning our wedding until now. I always think I’ll update on their birthdays, but considering Abigail just has a birth story and a one month post, I’m clearly killing the game at regular updates. So, I’m going to make updates sporadic, whenever the mood strikes and the kids nap!

I’m calling this series the “Rabon Hat Trick” – sports fans know what I’m talking about. I thought of this name because when putting the kids down for bed one night while Stephen was traveling, he asked how it was going and I replied with “2 down, going for the hat trick.”

So, without further ado, the first Rabon Hat Trick!

Jonathan [6 years old]: About halfway through Kindergarten but doing first grade work. He entered school unable to read and is now reading multiple books to us every night. He loves to watch anything about space – from watching Interstellar with his dad, to watching SpaceX launch videos with Uncle CD to watching the DudePerfect guys launch model rockets. We launched his first model rocket on Christmas and he can’t wait until we build and launch the new ones he got for his birthday. He thinks having two sisters is “so much work” for him but is generally pretty sweet with them. He even prayed in the car the other day for another baby sister, so it must not be that bad. I love the way he sings along to the radio in the car and the very detailed pictures that he draws us. I’m hopeful to get him signed up for a sport for the Spring or Fall season or music or something soon so that he can have an outlet for all of his energy and/or a way to explore his creativity. Legos are, of course, still life.

Abigail [1.5 years old]: To quote Faith Hill, “She’s a wild one, with an angel’s face.” Lovingly referred to as Abigail the Destroyer, she is in all the cabinets, all the diaper bags, and all the Aunt’s purses. She loves to dance with her brother to Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” to help me burp Hannah by patting her back, and to read the same books over and over. She’s a great sleeper, will drink salsa straight, and is starting to talk more (though is just as happy to point and grunt). She’s starting to get sassy, so I think we may enter the “terrible twos” a little early, but it’s hard to stay frustrated with a smile like that. She still thinks Jonathan is the best person in the world and can be found following him around like a little duckling, joining him in everything from running around the house to doing his homework. She notices everything, and has even started putting her drinks on the top of the gate on the stairs – just like Stephen does.

Hannah [2 months]: The social smile is everything. For me, for her dad, for her siblings. She coos and gurgles and is just so darn sweet. She does not love tummy time, but does like being sung to, being warm, and eating. She’s almost 10 pounds of cuteness and it’s so fun to watch her grow into her own look. I still think she looks the most like Jonathan but I do get an occasional glimpse of Abigail in her. She’s been putting together good chunks of sleep at night, which I am very thankful for, and as long as she’s bundled in her sleep sack she seems to be content.