Wishing It Away

It wasn't that long ago when I found myself wishing his life away...  I couldn't wait until he slept through the night.  I wanted him to hurry up and just crawl.  I was wishing he could walk.  I was so ready for him to talk.  I begged him to get out of diapers and be potty trained.  I couldn't wait until he started preschool.  For the past four years, I have been wishing it all away.

Now that he is doing all of those things and is about to turn five in a little over a week, I am realizing how much time I wasted by looking forward instead of being in the moment I had with him.  Just recently, I have really started listening to him, discovering his heart, seeing who he is, praying for who I want him to be, and cherishing these last few "pre-K" days.

I've noticed how funny he is and how he loves to be the center of attention.  He adores his friends, and he wants, more than anything, to be liked by others.  He enjoys sports and action figures, and his favorite foods are Taco Bell, Cracker Barrel, chicken nuggets, fruit (in particular blueberries, apples, raspberries, and blackberries) applesauce, gummy snacks, pizza, and anything barbecue flavored.  He can sing really well, but he doesn't care to sing with a group; he's more of a soloist kind of guy.  He wants to be heard.  He likes to give the details of every situation.  At any given moment of the day, he is either telling me he wants to be outside in the dirt, eating a snack, or playing in the bathtub.  He prefers getting dressed all by himself, and he likes to fix his own hair.  He craves one-on-one attention and needs to feel special.  He likes to know you are listening to him.  He wants to go do something every single day and if he can't, he would like a visitor to come over.  He loves John Deere, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and soccer.  He is super interested in WHY things happen...  (like tonight when we hit a opossum in the road, he asked why the opossum decided to get in the road and why does he have a long tail and why does he look mean and why do you think he's gross, Mom, and why did we run over it and why did it NOT die and why can't we keep it?!)  He knows exactly what he wants.  He does NOT like to follow instructions because he is strong-willed.  He gets his feelings hurt when others won't play with him.  He loves to paint and play with playdoh.  He always sticks his tongue out when he is working really hard.  He loves trains and dirt and tractors and marbles and flashlights.  He really likes to watch things grow.  He loves to tickle and be tickled.  He always wants to hug his favorite people.  He begs to go to church and loves to be there.  He likes to sing about Jesus.  He knows the words to more songs on the radio than I do.  He says a lot of things to the tune of a song.  He is ridiculously honest.  He's quite bold.  He is a visual, hands on learner.  He cannot sit still, but despite that, he is listening to EVERYTHING that's being said.  He loves his Daddy.  He cannot wait to get big.  He likes to feel smart.  He needs approval.  He drives me crazy, but he's my everything.

I wish I could have seen these things more clearly during the haze of the infant and toddler stages, but I know that God has blessed me with the time I've been able to spend with him this past year...  Teaching him in Pre-K has been a tremendous opportunity I will NEVER forget.  I have learned so much about my son and about myself and how similar we really are.  Maybe I wished his life away because life was a bit overwhelming.  Most of his life, I've been pregnant, nursing, and/or taking care of a baby; I don't feel I was able to focus on him the way I wish I had.  Yet, I'm learning day by day to take him in, pray over him, and enjoy him.  It won't be long before he'll step into elementary school, but until then, I'm going to stop wishing it away and just wish he could stay like this forever.

Whirlwind

I feel as though life has been moving like a whirlwind lately.  Everyone tells us constantly to "enjoy it" because "they'll be grown" before we know it.  I've come to the realization that everyone isn't kidding.  I have two babies that are quicking becoming "not" babies.  In the next month and a half, I will celebrate two boys' birthdays...  Daniel will turn two, and Samuel will be one.  Go ahead, and gasp at that. 

As the boys and I hovered in the closet today, eating Dunkaroos, puffs, and pb & j's, I noticed that these moments are swiftly passing me by.  I find myself caught up in the difficulty of raising two boys under two, and I manage to miss how precious it truly is.  As the lights flickered on and off as the weather outside raged, I found myself as content as I'd ever been...  so grateful and feeling incredibly humbled that this really is my life. 

When I least expect it, God reminds me to "Be still," while I am staring in the blue-eyed boys He's entrusted me with, and no matter what winds are blowing, I can be assured that God is in control.  He knows what tomorrow holds, and be it a second birthday party or years down the road, I have these days to cherish because of Him. 



Oh, and as for the storms, our swingset and grill met their match... 

Growing Up is (Easy) to Do

... at least for Daniel, it is.

Mommy and Daddy think it is a bit hard watching our firstborn grow up so quickly, but we are so proud of all he is accomplishing.  Like, just this week, he made the switch from his crib which was converted into a toddler/day bed to an actual toddler bed.  He climbed in this new bed like it was no big deal at all.  He was jumping on the bed and laughing like it was the best thing he'd seen in weeks!

Special thanks goes to our friends, Tim, Becca, and G, for allowing us to buy this from them!  An even bigger thanks to Becca for spending - what I can only imagine was - hours working on this bed for her little one who decided a twin bed was better for him.  And, of course, we can't help but be super appreciative of God's intricate working in the color that just-so-happened to match our previously purchased bedding perfectly!



4 Months Have Come and Gone

It only seems like it was yesterday that I was holding Samuel for the first time.  I was busy admiring how tiny he was the day he was born.  His little hands were so strong and yet so fragile in mine.  Just last week, he passed the 4 month mark, and he continues to fascinate me. 

In his 4th month, Samuel:
Weighed 14 lbs and 6.5 oz. (40th percentile)
Was 23 and 3/4 inches long. (15th percentile)
Had his shots and balled...  like a baby.
Is wearing 3-6 month clothes.
Is in size 2 diapers.
Has outgrown his 0-6 month socks.
Smiles all of the time.
Loves to snuggle.
Laughs out loud.
Makes lots of noises and little "talks."
Rolled over from his belly to back.
Working on rolling from back to belly.
Held his bottle on his own.
Made his first trip to Cracker Barrel.
Plays with his hands.
Reaches for things.
Sucks on his fingers.
Still takes a pacifier.  Specifically, Avent or MAMs only.
Sleeps through the night. 
Goes to bed at 9:30 p.m.
Wakes around midnight to feed.
Wakes around 6 a.m. then again for good at 9:00.
Rarely cries.
Has a bright red birthmark on one of his fingers.
(Everyone always asks what it is.)

Samuel also:

is completely loved by his big brother.

always has his legs crossed at the ankles.

likes to watch t.v. with Daddy.

loves being loved on by Kam.

oh, and Kenz.

is uncertain about Daniel's hugs.

sure does like his Grandpa.

can hold his bottle by himself.

cracks up when being tickled.

is very serious about toys. 

He examines everything.

has the sweetest smile you will ever see.

rocks out his mohawk.

totally not on purpose...

He's losing his hair.

starting to sit up in the Bumbo.

likes being upright.

 

had his 4 month well and did very well.

holds himself up.

Here, he is waiting on his shots.



12 Months Old... Just Like That!

So, we're REALLY late getting this posted, but it's been a wild ride lately.  We didn't get a 12 month picture at home because Mom was in the hospital!!!  Here are his latest "stats" just in the month before he turned ONE!


In his 12th month, Daniel:
Liked throwing balls.
Ate yogurt.
Played in the grass.
Went to the neighborhood playground.
Was blessed to NOT be in the car his parents totaled.
Figured out where the cereal cabinet was.
Made friends with some of the men at church.
Celebrated his first Easter.
Ate Chick-fil-A for the first time.
Went walking with Addy.  They actually "strolled."
Got his 5th and 6th teeth.
Learned how to clap.
Started say, "Uh-oh," "Ow (much like Ouch)," and "Oh, wow!"
Walked.  1st with his hands up and then with items in hands.
Got to forward-face in his new Britax car seat.
Special thanks to the Evenflo one getting into the wreck.
He's forward-facing because he can get out of the seat.
Oh, and he likes to attempt choking himself.
Had his first birthday party.
Got LOTS of amazing gifts.
Liked riding in his "new" jogging stroller.
Played with the hose pipe.
Went to TPAC to see his cousin Anna perform.
It was VERY difficult for him to sit still.
He LOVED the music!
Liked eating Cheerios,  gold fish, popsicles, mango, cake, and ice cream.
Went to ONLY whole milk!  WOOHOO!
Enjoyed his visits from his best pal, Pierce.
Slept well.  Would get at least 8 hours a night.
Tried to imitate everything (including animal noises) such as:
Moo, Meow, Quack, Squeak, and A-E-I-O-U.
His Mimi (and Mom) really wants him to know the vowels!
Wore 18 month clothes and size 4 1/2 shoes.
Still in size 4 diapers.
Weighed 24.4 lbs, 50th percentile.
Was 30 inches tall, 75th percentile.
Visited his Mom in the hospital.
She went into pre-term labor with his baby brother.
He stayed with family for 7 days (and then some).
Spent his actual birthday with his Aunt Jessica.

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Figuring out where Mom and Dad keep the Cheerios

Spending time with Bro. Anthony at church

After a good snack and LOOK at THOSE TEETH!

Getting a (growing) family picture on Easter

Holding hands with Addy across the table at Chick-fil-A

Forward-facing and loving it!

Opening his first birthday card from his Pop.

It came in the mail!

Playing with the hose pipe while Dad waters his tomato plants

The whole family at Anna Laura's All-State Band performance!

Anna thinks Daniel is a future tuba player.

Eating cake at his birthday party

Playing in his new swimming pool

It was too cold for water so we improvised! 

Playing outside with Aunt Jessica and his lion bubble blower

First time to stop the ice cream man

The "Birthday Cake" ice cream sandwich was SO good!

Pierce came to visit and PLAYED!

Spending his first birthday in the hospital with Mommy

Daniel is Tired of Being Sick and Tired

Well, it has been the month of all things LONG. Long sickness, long baby, and long time since our last post.

What do I mean? Daniel's been sick his whole fifth month, and he's been to the doctor three times. He's getting so long; he was a whopping 26 inches at one of the three appointments (seriously, they all are running together now). It's been so hectic around here that I've failed to post all of his major accomplishments like his first time sitting on his own, first time to crawl, first of two ear infections (in two weeks), first time taking two rounds of antibiotics, first time missing two weeks of church, first millionth time to NOT sleep through the night... But, he's as cute, feisty, and active as ever!

Only the bath makes him happy these days!

He found his toes...

Mimi came to play with Daniel.

The "thinker" pose

When he's in deep thought (or confusion), this is what he does!

Crawling towards Pop's keys...

Turning Three.

Okay, so it is only three months, but still, as a parent, it is crazy how fast he grows and how badly you just want him to stay little... forever.


Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Daniel's great-grandfather, Pop!

In his 9th week:
He decided that being held was not so cool.
He absolutely adored anything that moved above him...
from mobiles to ceiling fans.
He started spitting up like crazy.
He began sleeping through the night or only waking up once!

In his 10th week:
He started wearing 6 MONTH clothes!
He laughed... at everything.
He coughed and sneezed all the time.

In his 11th week:
He really hated being held more and more.
He loved standing up in his mommy's lap.
He would smile at anyone!
He started choosing nursing over bottles...
He threw a fit when the mobile stopped.
He took his first out-of-state trip to the Indiana Youth Weekend.
He also visited the Creation Museum.
He disliked his carseat...
Actually, he would stiffen his whole body when you went to put him in it.

In his 12th week:
He loved resting in his parents' arms.
He stopped sleeping through the night.
He would NOT sleep in his crib.
He went to church... He went to church... He went to church...
He was the best behaved child in every service his daddy preached.
He sat in his Bumpo all by himself.
He drooled all over himself (we thought he may be teething).
He "talked" all the time: cooing, laughing, making sounds.
He was 24 inches long and weighed a ton. :)
He rolled over... from his back to his belly on the day he turned 3 months old!!!





Here are a few pictures from his third month:

Demanding NOT to be put into his carseat, thus his stiffened, straigtened-out body


Having just met his security blanket and favorite toy, Giraffe


His great-uncle, Ricky, paid him a surprise visit


Um, so he adores his Mimi...



The day his mommy found him "talking" up a storm on his playmat


Learning to sit up in his Bumpo for the first time


Sitting with mommy at the hospital to visit his great, great uncle Joe


Playing with his daddy after a night at revival


After rolling over onto his belly on his first try