Thursday, April 28, 2011

Saying Goodbye.

Walking through the rooms of our house, I find myself overwhelmed with bittersweetness at the reality of our near departure. We're so excited to start anew at our new house, but so much has happened under this roof.

The front door where Josh walked in from his first day back to work after our honeymoon, declaring with wonderful cheesiness, "Honey, I'm home!" We had talked about how we couldn't wait to be married and finally get to come home to each other.

The kitchen that housed so many of my crazy parties from Christmases to Mardi Gras, fiestas to birthdays. The laughter of my friends still echoes on the walls and across the tile floor.

The poor oven that found itself ablaze after many failed cooking attempts.

The nursery that both of our babies called home. Endless nights of rocking. Lots of tears, lots of snuggles. Little hands, little feet. So many tender moments. The room where I truly became a Mom.

The kids' bathroom sink where both of babies had their first baths. The tub where they still have baths, splashing and laughing together.

The garage where I first impressed my husband with my knowledge of ground breakers when our garage door failed to work after a thunderstorm. And the poor side of the garage that met my side-view mirror when I backed out a bit too ambitiously one morning.

Cub's big boy room, the assembly of which included a trip to IKEA with my hubby (and Naomi in utero!). We had so much fun planning his room and seeing it come to life with him was a wonderful thing. It's hard to shut the door for the last time.

The living room with its wide wood floors that felt the pitter-patter of little feet. The room that housed everything from holidays to movie nights, that saw arguments and slow dancing and pillow fights and forts built from couches.

The master bathroom that saw us through many a crazy Sunday morning, when we'd plunk Cub in the tub while my husband and I rushed around to get ready. Such sweetness amidst the craziness.

The master bedroom where I told my husband I was pregnant all three times. The room where he held me when we lost the first.

This is the only house my husband and I have called home together. The only home our kids have known. The driveway we pull into after a long trip or a long day. These walls have seen me grow from a newlywed, fresh out of college, to a learning and growing wife and Mom, and all of the life moments that have spanned these six years in between.

This is truly the house that built me.

The house that built us.

And it's kind of hard to say goodbye, you know?

I'm excited to see us keep building. I'm excited for the next step.

But I know I'll cry when I look in the rear view mirror and see the house we will no longer call home. My heart is full with the changes to come, but bittersweet with the saying goodbye.

Have a lovely day.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Boys and Girls.

Cub, ten months:

Cub grabs some food on his tray and throws it. I sternly tell him No. He blinks and continues eating.

Naomi, ten months:

Naomi grabs some food on her tray and throws it. I sternly tell her No. She looks at me and as our eyes lock, her little face grows red. And redder. Her mouth pinches into a pout and her eyes squint until she absolutely erupts with a screaming cry. She sobs for a good ten minutes, inconsolable and distraught. When she finally calms down, she gives me the most pitiful look as if to say How could you? How could you tell me NO? She continues to act wounded for another ten minutes, until Dadda comes in and saves the day.

One piece of food. One stern rebuke.

One dramatic little Mouse.

I've got my work cut out for me!

Have a lovely day.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Hallelujah Ziploc.


Ripping hair out.


Sipping coffee and smiling.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Currently.

Today is the final walk-thru for our buyer. I'm nervous.

I've consumed enough coffee to fill an ocean. But just a small ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea.

My original plan to make a tidy to-do list detailing my packing strategy has disappeared into a haphazard attempt to just GET IT DONE. I am labeling my boxes well, so that's nice. However, the fact that half of our kitchen is packed while the other half remains not-packed is not so nice, leaving me with a bit of a nervous twitch.

I need some completion.

Which can't exactly happen when the final walk-thru lands right in the middle of our packing mess, which means I have to clean even though the house is not completely packed, which, for some reason, feels like a bit of a lateral move. I don't want to clean until the house is ready to move, not when the house is half-ready to move. So I will tidy up our moving mess, scrubbing our floors to gleaming and tying on a big bow to give one last please-still-want-to-buy-me appeal to our buyer before we jump back into the chaos of packing. All with my two little ducklings in tow, unknowingly undoing everything I do, emptying my boxes as I pack them. Which is why everything takes doubly long as it should, which is why I am very thankful that I stay home and have the time to redo all of their undoing.

And now it feels like we're down to the wire. We will officially move out in four days and close in five. I will turn twenty-eight as we receive the keys to our new home. My mind is swimming with what needs to be accomplished in this itty-bitty span of time, making me dizzy.

I think it's time to make a list.

And grab another cup of coffee.

Have a lovely day.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Joy.

'Why do you seek the living One among the dead?

He is not here, but He has risen!

Remember how he spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,
saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men,
and be crucified,
and on the third day rise again?'

And they remembered His words.

Luke 24:5-8



: Resurrection Eggs :

A tradition in my family as far back as I can remember. My Mom surprised us last year with a set she made for my kids. Each egg contains a trinket that represents a different part of the Easter story, until you reach the last egg, which is empty, representing the empty grave.


: Easter Baskets :

Three items, in honor of the significance of the three days: Easter shoes, a new shirt (or romper, in Naomi's case), and a toy, nestled in little totes that I found in the dollar aisle at Target.


: Our little Easter chickies :

How we love them so.

Happy Easter, Friends.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Sunday's Coming.

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land
until the ninth hour, because the sun was obscured;

and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

And Jesus, crying out in a loud voice, said, "Father, into your Hands I commit my Spirit."

Having said this, He breathed His last.

Luke 23:44-46


Thursday, April 21, 2011

Love {The Week.}

Friday:


I found a little buddy hiding in the bushes. He was looking for leaves. I think he found them.

Saturday:


I took pictures of my sweet sister friend who was going to prom. She's a knockout. My pigeon-toes, hunched back, and squinty face nearly void of make-up are all telling of the fact that I woke up at 4:15 that morning and hadn't quite recovered (we can safely blame this on taking my Mom to the airport reaaaaally early).



(However, a pedicure with my sweet friend definitely helped.)

Sunday:


A photo shoot with this adorable couple.

Monday:


A peek at our little daily "schooly" routine. This week's letter is "B", brought to you by Noah's "Big Boat". Squirt swims on the letter of the week, tracing it as he goes. In the second pic, Cub toddled into my bedroom after his nap, all bedheaded and sleepy-eyed, and asked if we could read about the big boat again. Yes, yes we can. Cute kid.

Tuesday:


I had to make a quick dinner for the kids, so I whipped up a box of Annie's Creamy Tuna. When I handed Cub his bowl void of any color whatsoever, he looked up at me and asked, "Where are all the begetables?" Oh, right. Vegetables. Uhhh ... some steamed veggies came to the rescue, making our dish a bit more colorful (and healthy)!

Wednesday


Trying on our costumes for the Easter service. We are townsfolk. Cub's costume was a bit too big, so we had to trim it down. I think he looks like Mother Mary in this picture. ;) I love that he gets to be a part of something like this, even if it includes, you know, POLYESTER.

Thursday:


A long dress rehearsal for the aforementioned service resulted in a "special treat" for Cub: Blueberries topped with a dollop of whipped cream. He was thrilled with it and I was thrilled that we happened to have a box of blueberries and a can of whipped cream in the fridge after promising him a special treat, having no idea what that would be. ;)

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

The Why.

After I read my friend Melissa's comment yesterday, I realized I hadn't given the reason why we decided to put our house up for sale! So, here it is.

We love our house. It's cozy and has everything we need (solid foundation, running water, a place to eat, a place to hang out, a place to sleep) and some extras, too (each child has their own bedroom, there are two bathrooms, wood floors, a fenced in yard, etc.). We realize that, by American standards, our house would be considered on the small side, but, in comparison to the rest of the world, it's above and beyond. Our cars have a covered and insulated place to spend the night and our washing machine even has its own room, for pete's sake!

I say all that to emphasize that we did not decide to put our house on the market because it was not enough for us. We feel immensely blessed to own this home--the memories we have here are priceless. It has served us well and we love it.

So, then. The Why.

There are a few things that we've wanted--not needed, just wanted--and we decided to put our house on the market to see what was out there. One of those things is a safer area for our kids. We live in an awesome neighborhood, but our home is situated on a busy corner lot, which isn't exactly conducive to little ones going out to play (although there is a playground down the road, which has been great). We wanted some land for them to run, away from a busy road. We also do not have an extra room for guests. Now, don't get me wrong--my husband and I are happy to give up our room, and we have some comfy couches in our living room, but our primary overnight guests are my parents. I don't know if you remember, but a few years ago my Dad was diagnosed with Stage Four Metastatic Carcinoma--a cancerous tumor had metastasized in his scapula (just typing it makes me choke up), requiring grueling chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He is currently cancer-free (praise God!) and has regained most of the use of his left arm, but it still gives him pain. We wanted an extra room so my parents could have a private, comfortable place that would allow them to stay overnight while visiting their grandkids. Throughout this whole process, my husband has referred to the guest room solely as my parents' room, showing his quiet compassion (and making his wife's heart full) while we've searched for the perfect mattress and such to make the room as comfortable as possible. They will even have their own bathroom in this new house, which is something we were not expecting.

Again, not a need, just a want.

We wanted to find the home where we would raise our kids. As my friend Katie puts it, we wanted to find our "forever home". We knew that houses like ours were selling well and that houses in the price range we wanted to buy were not selling so well (leaving room for negotiation, which is how we were able to buy the house we are purchasing), so we decided to make a move on something a little more removed, a little quieter, with some room to house loved ones.

Throughout this whole process, my husband and I have acknowledged that if our home did not to sell, we would be okay with that. It's a great house and has generously seen us through the first six years of our marriage. We're blessed to have a home, no matter where that home is or what that home looks like. A lot could happen in the next week, but either way we will still have a house, and for that we are truly grateful.

So. We'll see where this journey takes us next.

Have a lovely day.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Giddy.

We drove by the home we are purchasing and were giddy to see the word ... SOLD.


(Just the yard, sorry...I'll put pictures up once the contract is signed!)

(Is it weird that I feel weird putting up pictures of a house we don't officially own yet? I mean, it just seems weird to me. So that's why this is mostly a picture of a blurred out yard sign.)

Ten days until it is officially ours.

Ten long, nerve-wracking and crazy-exciting days.

Until then ... back to packing.

Have a lovely day.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Yummy.

There was something about yesterday's lunch that was wonderfully blissful. We opened the back door and the smell of spring came wafting in, a dab of humidity with a cool breeze. Suddenly our grilled mozzarella and tomato sandwiches became an al fresco delight, accompanied by the berries that define summertime.

As Norah sang softly in the background and the kiddos giggled, and as the tang of blueberries filled our mouths and left our fingers sticky, I felt that maybe I was experiencing a sliver of perfection.





I think I did.

Have a lovely day.

Monday, April 18, 2011

So. Any Packing/Moving Advice? I'll Take It!

So, Blogger was weird this morning and wouldn't let me write a post. It would, however, allow me to type a title. Sweet! Hence, all title and no post.

There really isn't any point to this, seeing as the original purpose of the post was to ask for packing advice anyway (which I truly appreciate). I guess I just wanted to explain my post-less post.

I'm going to drink some more coffee.

Have a lovely day!

Friday, April 15, 2011

Ten Months.

Dear Naomi,

You are now ten months old.


Two months away from one year. Be still my heart, pass the Kleenex.

Have I mentioned that you are our little ray of sunshine? That your smiles and squeals send us to the moon and back every time you greet us in the morning? That your energy is infectious and you make us laugh every time you pull up on the piano, eat a piece of dirt, or do your "Hey-oh" wave?

Well. In case you haven't picked up on this: WE LOVE YOU. We are fascinated and in love.

Let's get going!

Development:


Lots of clapping, lots of pulling up, lots of cruising. You still say "Hey-oh!" and now "Hi!", accompanied by a little wave. You are learning to say "thank you" ("tank-too"). "Mama" and "Dadda" are on the list, too! We've gone through a few baby signs, but I think it's safe to say you'd rather just talk (hmm ... I wonder who you get THAT from?). You can climb and you can walk across the living room behind your little walking cart. Crazy lady! You are high-maintenance and easy-going at the same time--you have your moods, but you're totally a go-with-the-flow kind of baby. If we have to be somewhere, regardless if it means you waking up early or eating late, we can count on you to chill in your stroller or car seat as we head to our destination. You're content and you love to be around people!

Growth:


You weigh around 17 pounds and you are LONG. You wear 12-18 month clothes because of your length, although they are loose. Small and Mighty, still!

Eating:


EVERYTHING. You had salmon for the first time this month and it even passed the test. Also, you now take milk instead of formula. You love it and we love that it is roughly $20 cheaper!

Sleeping:


You sleep from 8-7:30 at night and take two naps a day, for two hours at a time. Every once and a while you need that third nap, but typically you'll just go to bed around 7:30 if you're extra tired. You're a good sleeper!

Your favorite things:

-Your brother
-Your brother's toys
-Your brother's sippy cup
-Exploring
-Pulling up and grinning
-Touching faces
-Being tickled on your tummy
-Bath time
-Your Nuk sippy cup--every other cup gets batted away
-Playing with Dadda
-Walks in the double jogger
-Chewing on ... everything
-NOT GROWING TEETH

Sigh. We love you, ma petite souris. Even on the tough days, you bring us joy. We are so thankful that you are our daughter. I just can't believe it's almost been a year since we brought you home. I can't imagine our lives without you. Those blue eyes, that little grin, and those yummy baby thighs ... it's kind of ridiculous how much we love to dote on you. Especially Dadda.



Here's to ten months, Mouse.

We love you.

Love,
Mama

Love {The Week}.

For some reason, Blogger was not allowing me to log in last night to add my last day. So, I just added Thursday's pic this morning. Crazy Blogger! Have a lovely weekend, friends!

Saturday:


Fun with phonics before bedtime. "W" says "Wuh!"
(We're wuh-wuh-wild on Saturday nights!)

Sunday:


Naomi in the church nursery. I went to drop her off and ended up staying in there during the whole service with friends from my Sunday School class who were working in there. I've been a little stressed lately and that time with friends was good for my soul!

Monday:


Grocery Day! Woot Woot! Pushing that cart is like pushing a Cadillac.

Tuesday:


Yay for warm weather, which means sundresses! I have two maxi dresses from last summer that are styled the same way (but are long, obviously) and I love them. I like this because it is versatile: Plain for a hot summer day, with leggings for a windy day, or a cardi and a chunky necklace dress it up a bit!

Wednesday:


Erin and Miss E came over for a little lunch, play time, chatting and rosette-making. The perfect way to spend the afternoon. Also, rosette-making is nothing short of addicting.

Thursday:


A practice run for Naomi's birthday decorations (again, more rosettes ...)! My original plan was to make giant lollipops, but I liked the way the extra felt made this look like a whimsical flower. So, we'll go with that!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Sigh.

After rushing to the park after Zumba to pick up the kids from Dadda (who had to rush to church), and then after rushing home, then rushing through bath time, then rushing through brushing of teeth and combing of hair, I settle into the glider with Naomi to rock her before bed. Cub peeks his sweet head in and climbs up, asking if he can sit in my lap.

And we rock, quietly and slowly; us three, while I sing, my two clean ducklings perched atop each knee, smelling and smiling sweetly.

Me, sweaty from my workout and from the Great Bedtime Rush, experiencing motherhood at its finest.

To have the honor to end the day in such a way bans me from the right to complain about anything. Ever.

:)

Have a lovely day.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Homeschmooly.

I appreciated all of the feedback from my schooling post. It's a tough decision to make. I was quite resolute about certain things before I had Cub--actually, I should say, before Cub was a toddler. Toddlerhood has opened up a new world of learning for him and I love that I get to be a part of it; something I wasn't expecting. Homeschooling has always been the last thing on my mind. In fact, I have several friends who homeschool who love to tease me about it. They would nudge me to at least try it and I would roll my eyes, and thusly the joke would continue. But, as Cub has gotten older, the idea of teaching him at home while he is young kept popping up in my mind. I tried pushing it away--trust me. But, the thought kept coming, so I finally surrendered to it and ordered some curriculum so we could dip our toe, very cautiously, into the very intimidating waters of homeschooling, while he is still very young. Why not give it a try, right? Plus, there is an awesome homeschool co-op in our area so I know that if we decided to really do it, we would have a great network to join.

I'm going to go ahead and dispel some misconceptions or stereotypes right off the bat, just so you can know my heart and where I'm coming from in all of this. Some of it relates to homeschooling, but all of it relates to schooling in general.

1) The Need For Speed

I know of parents who want their kid to be the brainiac of the class, so they begin cramming their little head with information at a young age in hopes that their Einstein will be a shining star by the time they step into preschool. Let me go ahead and say that is not my ambition. I am following Cub's lead with this schooling thing. He just loves to learn. We're just getting into phonics and he asks to do it every day, several times a day. So, we do it! It's just the way he is. Naomi might (and probably will) be completely different, and that's great! I'll follow her lead the way I'm following his. If he gets frustrated or sick of it, we'll take a break.

2) Shelter From The Storm

The obvious homeschool stereotype is a very sheltered kid. I will not say that my desire is to shelter my kid, but I will say that I am honestly trying to decide what my role should be with him at this tender of an age. My friend Devi put it best as a comment to my original schooling post: One thing is for certain - I refuse to hand my small children -- emphasis on SMALL -- over to someone who teaches them unBiblical things. I wanted to jump through the screen and give her a high-five. That's exactly how I feel. This age is precious, impressionable, and overwhelmingly important in the creation of the foundational principles that will ultimately shape Cub's belief system. I know that people believe that children should be put in school to be, say, salt and light, but I have to ask, at what age are they supposed to be held to such a responsibility? Children are to honor their father and mother. That is their Biblical charge. If I can create a safe boundary for my small children -- emphasis on SMALL -- then I am going to do it. Again, I'm not sure what that will look like, but I am definitely praying that I will stay open-minded to all possibilities.

3) Geek

Okay. The anti-social thing. I know. Let me just put it this way: Kids mostly turn out like their parents. They just do. Sure, there are anti-social homeschoolers. Just like there are anti-social kids in public schools and private schools.

If you know me, then "anti-social" is probably the last word that comes to mind. Which means my kiddos will be busy with friends, no matter where they are.

Just some food for thought. :)

------------------------

I'm not sure where I will be with schooling in two years. Cub might be starting preschool. If it is within our means, then he might be starting in a private Christian preschool. Ideally, we'll homeschool for a little while. If these next two years of mini-homeschooling turn out to be hilariously impossibly ridiculous and we cannot afford to send him to a Christian preschool or school, then he will go in public school, although at this point I do not see that happening. I have several friends who are educators in public schools and they are awesome. But my early childhood education was spent in a small private school, and I feel compelled to give Cub that same kind of opportunity (whether it's at a school or a homeschool co-op) while he is young. As he gets older, we'll take each year as it comes. That's when the salt and light come in.

Just like we do now--one step at a time.

Have a lovely day!

We Listen To Kiddy Music In The Car.

I love having music fill our house from sunrise to sundown. My tastes change with situations or seasons and right now I'm loving my Norah Jones Radio on Pandora. I have it tailored to play not only NJ but also Adelle, The Weepies, Eva Cassidy, and Missy Higgins. With the occasional Jason Mraz thrown in, but I think he gets thrown into every Pandora station. A little Folk, a little Soul, all basically calm or easy listening. Love it!


(Here is my husband's poor old iPhone, wedged on our player with some slate coasters. It's shorting out and that was my quick fix. Classy is the name of our game.)

What's your favorite Pandora station?

Monday, April 11, 2011

Month Thirty.

(This is understandably long!)

Dear Cub,


Today you are thirty months old.


That's right: Two and a half.

I can't believe we're almost to three.

The cliche of how time goes by so quickly is a true one. Right before my very eyes you have changed from a baby into a little boy. For the first time in your life, I'm wanting to freeze time. I always look forward to the next stage, but Buddy, time is flying more quickly than I want it to, so maybe you could slow down juuuuuuuust a bit, okay?

No, no, not okay. I know. I'm selfish. Keep growing!


We're doing our best to keep up.

Developmentally, you are more of a sponge than ever. You soak up information faster than I can give it to you. Just the other day we were sitting in the car and you suddenly exclaimed, "Gwobe!" I had no idea what you were talking about, until I turned around and saw you pointing to a picture in the book you were holding. Tucked away in the picture was a small globe on the fireplace, to which you were happily pointing. Oh, right, GLOBE! I know we've used that word before, but not with that book, and not for a long time. Since it something we do not see every day, I was taken aback that you had remembered it! Your current favorite books include Gossie, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? These books have been your staples since you were born and you continue loving them now (you can quote Gossie in its entirety)!


You know your letters, your numbers up to fifteen, your colors, and you are learning what sounds different letters make, and the difference between capital letters and lowercase letters (we just use "big" and "little"). The other day you were in your room playing and I heard you kind of humming/singing to yourself. I stepped closer to the door and realized you were singing your own little rendition of "Amazing Grace" (the CD in the car has that song on it). I smiled as you sang, "Amaaaaazing Graaaace how sweeet sound! Saved, wetch like ME! Once lost, now found, blind but now, I seeeeeee!" I giggled to myself and then froze as you continued, "Was grace, that taaaaaaught my heeaaaaaart fear, grace my fear re-weeeeeeeved! ..." and you continued through the second verse into the third. I stood there, teary-eyed and stunned! Such profound truth coming from a sweet little mouth. You continue to bring us daily joy and surprise.


You have a sweet and friendly personality. You are quiet when you meet new friends, but you are not shy. You say "hi!" to almost everyone we pass and your greeting is typically followed by a fact that they were not necessarily expecting, like what you had for breakfast, what toy you are holding in your hands, or the destination to which we are going. You are the official Family Narrator, making our lives into a storybook as we drive down the road with you in the back explaining every cow, tree, water tower, school, and church we pass. You continue to be as you were as a baby: Compliant and pretty easy-going. This is the stage where you begin asserting your independence, and it's been a challenging joy to find the balance in obedience and doing everything "by self!" (by yourself)! Don't get me wrong--you've got a stubborn streak, too! You have a look that your Papa refers to as the "Dennis the Menace"--a smirk that turns into a set jaw, showing the determination of your current endeavor. When that look comes, wild boy is about to emerge!

You are learning the importance of sharing and working together (a lifelong lesson, right??). Even though you know your manners, I still have to prompt you most of the time to use them, although every once and a while I'll get an unexpected, "Thank you, Mama!" after handing you your sippy cup. You are more interested in manners now that we are teaching them to Naomi (please and thank you), so I'm curious to see if that makes your own manner usage go up--you love teaching your sister!


Speaking of Naomi, you are a big brother! I think your last letter was written before she was born. You definitely take your sister in stride. You were slightly wary at first, but as she's grown into more of a friend you can play with, your interest in her has increased, too. You like to pat her head, throw away her dirty diapers, and, of course, boss her around (I have a feeling the tables will turn shortly!). If I correct her, I typically hear a little husky voice standing next to me parroting what I've said. If you see Naomi doing something you do not like, you say, "No NO Nomi!" and it cracks me up. I explain that Mama and Dadda are the only ones who may speak to Naomi like that, much to your chagrin. ;) You are becoming protective, too. Blind ambition has left Naomi wedged between the couch and the wall several times and when this happens, you rush to me and exclaim "Nomi's stuck!" before rushing back to Naomi declaring, "I'll go check on her!" I love to see that part of your heart surfacing. Just as God gave us Naomi as our child, He gave her to you as your sister. He chose you, buddy! This past weekend Naomi spent time at Memere and Pepere's house and when she came back, you ran over to her and greeted her with a big hug, totally unprompted. Melt my heart!


Cub, your little sister adores you. She mimics your every move and oh, the sheer delight that spreads across her face when she sees you is indescribable. It's safe to say you are her whole world. I know it might bug you sometimes, but you will never know what it means for a little sister to have a big brother (oh boy, now I'm tearing up). You are her hero, no matter what. You'll never experience anything else like the joy of sharing life with a sibling, even if it's hard at times. You are doing great, Buddy.

(Wiping tears. Okay.)

You love to run and play. If the weather is nice, you want to be out on the trampoline. You've already mastered a "knee drop" and "seat drop" in your own little way and you are thisclose to being able to do a somersault. The trampoline was a genius idea from Dadda--you are absolutely loving it! You like to play with your cars and trains, build legos (or watch Mama build as you dictate), play in your ball pit, climb the ladder at the playground and go down the slide, and you still love books. You've recently started to take more of an interest in the piano, and as you tap away at the keys, you turn and around and with a huge grin, say, "I make music!" While the musician in me wants to scoop you into my lap and dive right into theory, the Mom in me is standing at the sidelines, watching your interest grow on its own. In good time we'll start at the piano! You love when I play your songs ("I've got the Joy Joy Joy", "This Little Light of Mine", etc.) and you are starting to be able to sing along. Your singing cracks me up--it's mostly certain monotone syllables being stretched out with the occasional change in pitch. It's been fun to see you learn to sing.


Your little voice shows more inflection than ever. You love to exclaim, "Oh!" in this high-pitched Eureka-ish voice when you see something you weren't expecting. "Oh! Mama!" or "Oh! Nomi!" It's hilarious. If anything is "big" or "tall", your little husky voice gets deep and even huskier as you describe the "BIIIIIIIIIIG water tower!" If you happen to be saying, "It's all gone!" or "I don't know!", you raise your hands in the air palms up and shrug your shoulders. Such a gesture! You still like to repeat a lot of what we say and I've learned that it's your way of processing and thinking before you give your own response or input. You've also learned to use "Hmmmmmm" when you're thinking, which is adorable. If I ask you what you did at church, you typically pause before answering, and say something like, "I went down the slide ... aaaaaand ... ate some goldfish ... aaaaaaand .... saw some friends!" I love the deep thought. Too cute, kiddo.

You are definitely a night owl. You love to stay up and sleep in (this is further evidence that you are, indeed, your father). When you wake up you like to snuggle and sometimes you ask if you can go back to bed. Little bedheaded buddy! You are a big fan of breakfast, though, and we are big breakfast people so it works well! You love biscuits, fruit, eggs, yogurt, toast, oatmeal and bacon, although there usually only two options at breakfast (um, a morning bun from Starbucks, that you lovingly refer to as a "cinnamon roll!", is also an occasional favorite). I realized recently that we don't really eat cereal for breakfast, but I know you've had it before. I'd rather have a hot breakfast, so I guess I'm kind of passing that on to you! You like to "help" me in the kitchen by standing on a chair and stirring for me or simply supervising and asking what I am doing.


Buddy, this letter is LONG.

I realize I could just go on and on and on and on and on about you. I've got to stop somewhere! We love you so much. You make us laugh every day and we still go to bed talking about you and the funny things you did that day. You are growing so quickly into a big boy and we love watching you! The twos have not been terrible (I've heard threes are tricky!). We've hit some bumps along the way, but it reminds me more and more of my responsibility as your Mom to train you up in the way you should go. This experience is not about doing right or wrong, but about discovering who you are in Christ and the journey that will take you there. To glorify God and enjoy Him forever. I am still learning as I attempt to teach you. You make parenting a joy and I can't tell you how grateful I am to you for that. Each challenge creates a new level of learning and accomplishment, and I love that I have the privilege of being the one who gets to see it firsthand. Even on the harder days, you capture my heart.


Every day, Cub, every day, I am humbled by the blessing that is you. I am humbled that God chose to give you to us; a precious, ordained life that has drastically changed our own. You are His, little Cub, and to Him we entrust your life. Our hearts are full because of you.


Buddy. I love you. Dadda loves you. Nomi loves you.

Happy Thirty-Month Birthday.

(I'm thinking a cinnamon roll for breakfast is in order.)

Love you,
Mama

Friday, April 8, 2011

Love {The Week}.

Monday


Helpers in the kitchen. Cub helped with dishes, Nomi helped to steady the chair, and I helped clean up all of the water splashed on the floor.

Tuesday


The boys on Dadda's new toy. A small glimpse into the kind of yard we will be taking care of in 22 days! Cub's already learning. ;)

Wednesday



A Zoo Day with my Zoooomba friends (Get it? Zoo? Zumba? Hilarious, I know.)! In the first pic, Cub is apparently grabbing Naomi's foot while she hangs on for dear life! Check out all of those strollers, with poor Naomi cut off on the side (sorry, Mouse--it wasn't a good day for you for pictures!). We spared the kiddos the embarrassment of doing our Zumba shuffle from exhibit to exhibit, but no promises next time ...!

Thursday


Cubbie following Dadda on the disc golf course. He carries his own disc ("gisk!") and Dadda helps him throw and make it "in da hole!" I love how he watches his every move and my amazing husband is so patient to stop and help him over and over again. He loves being a Dad and Cub loves being his son! Cub would run back to the jogger for a quick snack or drink and then take off after Dadda again and again. Too sweet.


I got this diaper bag. It was time for something big enough to hold gear for two and something washable to survive lots of summer snacks and spills (one spill down already!). Its clips on the side of the bag allowed me to secure it easily to the jogger, which made me kind of fall in love with it even more.

In love with a diaper bag. Geesh. Yes, I am a Mom. ;)

Have a lovely weekend, friends!