FOUR!

Mack turned 4 on Monday and has been adjusting to his new age. We had a big celebration day on his birthday. He had a party in his class at snack time, he got to watch the eclipse, then we went out for dinner to celebrate that night. He was really loving his birthday this year. It was the first year he really grasped what was going on and that is was a special day for him.

Friday, we headed to Tifton to Brodie Field to watch the Blue Devils play. The current quarterback, Griffin Collier, was going to beat Worth's 20 year record in passing yardage at TCHS. During the game when Griffin broke the record, they had Worth go out on the field and hand the ball off to him. It was really so awesome. Worth said it was weird. He and I both agreed that it felt like yesterday  being out on that field, but things were so different. Worth spent most of his life out on Brodie field and I think was very nostalgic that night. I spent many years of my life out there as well cheering for middle school-high school games. It's always fun to go back and see what they are doing now. Things have changed a lot since Worth and I were there in the mid 90s.

As we arrived at the stadium, Mack decided to start running a fever. After a LOOONG weekend of high fever (103+) and a sleepless night last night due to him having difficulty breathing, we went to urgent care. He has croup, and is just as pitiful as he can be. They started him on antibiotic and a steroid, so we hope that kicks in quickly.

Meanwhile, Worth is playing in the Jack Oliver Golf Tournament at the Valdosta Country Club. As of this morning he was tied for leading his flight. Both of us were up dealing with Mack a lot last night, so hopefully, it doesn't interfere with his playing today.

Mack's birthday set up 

The 4 year old 

The girls couldn't wait to give him their gifts. So we quickly opened theirs before taking them to school.  Ellie gave him a tool kit complete with his own tool belt. 

Emma knew that Mack's 2T -3T underwear were getting too small. So her gift of choice was a new set of underwear size 4T. 

Safety fist

Mack in his teacher's lap (Mrs. Jennifer) about to get Happy Birthday sung to him in his preschool class. His face is so red, because they had just come off of the playground. 

I had to pick the girls up early from school because they shut down early due to the solar eclipse. Mack was determined to finish opening all his gifts once they got home. 

Worth snagged us 1 pair of eclipse glasses a few hours before the eclipse happened. Ellie was hysterical to watch. She was so terrified of the sun burning her eyes she would look for 2 seconds then quickly look down, with the glasses on. 

The birthday boy got a few turns checking out the eclipse. 

Emma did too. 

Mack chose dinner at Wooden Nickel. 

because of course, they have games as well. 

The duck hunting was his favorite. 

We came home to left over birthday cake from the party and  another candle blow out. 

Friday night lights at Brodie Field. The gnats were eating us alive and Mack was miserably sick. 

The gang was all there! 

Coach and 2 of his previous players who were being inducted into the Tift County Hall of Fame Saturday. 

Trouble x 2. 

Worth handing off his title. 

TCHS head coach Ashley Anders, Griffin Collier, and Worth

Emma had a large time Friday night and now rivals Uncle Jay with her sleeping with headphones on. 

This was this morning. Mack had been up most of last night. When he got up, he attempted to eat breakfast but wasn't very hungry. I walked in the back to find him in our bed all curled up and shivering. Poor thing. 

Mack's turn

This past week Mack started his 3 year old preschool class. He was so excited to finally have his turn for a "first day of school." We held Mack back so he technically should be in the 4 year old preschool class, but I prefer him being the oldest in the class vs. the youngest in the class since he's the caboose of 3 and he's a boy. He loves his class so far and told me, "mom, I think I'm really going to like my teacher." His teacher was the same teacher Ellie had as a 3 year old preschool student, Mrs. Jennifer Sumner.

The open house went great on Monday, but Wednesday when I dropped him off for his first day of actual class, it was chaos. There are 5 children in the class of 12 kids that have NEVER been away from home, not even to a mother's morning out or church nursery. All 5 of those kids were screaming their poor little heads off. As I walked Mack into the room, one of the kids threw up he was screaming so hard. Mack and his best buddy, Luke Cowart, were looking around the room like, "what in the world is going on?" The teacher was trying to comfort said puking child, and I went over and grabbed a little girl who had giant tears streaming down her face. Meanwhile, Mack is tugging at my shirt saying, "MOMMY, that crying kid is on my kiwi!" (they each are a fruit and when they enter the room, they are supposed to hang up their bags and go sit on their mat that has their fruit, Mack is obviously the kiwi.) When I walked away from the little girl I was comforting, her crying escalated. I took that as a cue that I needed to get out of there, because I was not helping the situation.

Jennifer told me the 2nd day was much better. The children that had been so upset realized that mom would come back to get them so they were ok with staying. Mack and his buddies apparently had been great and unfazed by the chaos.

Yesterday, we celebrated Mack's birthday with a birthday party at Jumpin' Jacks. It is the bouncy house place here in Valdosta. Mack had been planning this party since Emma's party back in May. He has never had a party other than with family, so this year he was aware and had his opinions on what he wanted to do. It was so much fun! Several of his friends were there, both sets of grandparents, and the Berrymans even got to come. Mack was beyond thrilled to celebrated with his cousins.

It has been another eventful week in the Bowers' house. We now gear up for tomorrow which is Mack's actual 4th birthday and the solar eclipse. I will have pictures next week documenting all of this as well as Worth being recognized at the Tift Co. vs. Cook Co. football game next Friday night.

Mack's 1st Day!!!!!

"I get to play on the big kid playground now!"

"Mama, I think I'm going to like Ms. Jennifer" 

Mack made it to his kiwi the first day. 

Notice the back of the kid on the left. This is the one that was laying across Mack's mat crying. 

It was also Winnersville week this week. Lowndes High School vs. Valdosta High School.  The girls had dress up days every day, and this is the one day I managed to snag a picture. Plowboy day. The Lowndes Vikings were known as the "plowboys" back in the day. BTW,  Lowndes beat Valdosta 45-0. Historic win for Lowndes Football. 

Meltdown in Publix. I wouldn't let him walk with the girls. 

My new rule, is that if you throw a fit in a public place, I will just start taking pictures. He wasn't too thrilled with me, but he zipped it up pretty quick when I whipped out the camera. 

At the birthday party with Bo. Mack couldn't contain his excitement.  

Mack and his best friend Luke. They have been mistaken for twins. 

Pizza time!

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E.W. giving some birthday advice. 

Emma and Ellie were determined to get their picture taken in the birthday chair. 

Mack and Bo shared the chair for a picture. 

Then Mack, Lane, and Luke. 

Mack planned his entire party, down to this cake. I had a bakery here in Valdosta make it. It was chocolate and turned out delicious. 

A much better reaction to the cake than at his 2nd birthday party. 

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Banks jumping on the activity mat. 

Ellie and Emma each won 100 tickets on a game. 

Mack won 100 tickets as well. 

I let Grandma take a turn during my massage in the massage chair. 

Best buddies. 

Sara Gwen and Mack. I can't tell ya'll how cute and funny this little girl is. And, she comes from a Bulldog lovin' family. So, I approve of her. 

We waited to open gifts until we got home. Yes, my living room still looks like this. 

Batman!

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