3 Years Old - Letter to Noah

Noah,

Last night at your birthday party I was trying to remember the exact time you were born. I had to think very hard about this. It made me realize that although, three years is not that long, it is long enough to have a hard time remembering fine details. So this letter, I am going to try and highlight the many, many changes you have made over the past year.

There have been many changes and developments in you. One of the most cost savings change was the fact that you officially potty trained yourself. This was one of the most amazing epiphanys I have been able to witness. There was a full 2 weeks of training that I had to go through and Nanny had come and taken care of you (Nanny is great about this). She sat you on the toilet every morning to get you accustomed to the potty chair. We then tried a couple days of you going without a diaper and you would have accidents and not care, so we just would put a diaper back on. Then one Saturday, we were going to be home all day, so daddy and I decided not to put a diaper on you. You had two accidents, both that you were very upset about. Then we put a diaper on you but you refused to go anywhere else but in the potty from that day on. You just made a decision in your mind that you weren't going to go in your diaper any more. You haven't even had many more than 3 incidents (even overnight).

Your vocabulary has turned from short phrases to paragraphs. You like to recall stories of what we did or are about to do. I have learned my lesson on watching what I say because you are a very avid listener and easily repeat. This is one of many things that has made me a better person. I am now editing my words and it is helping me realize that some of my words towards others are not necessary or can come out sounding differently than intended.

Sports. You love them. All kinds. This is one thing that I have a hard time relating to. I am not particularly sporty, I tend to like to enjoy knitting apposed to shooting a basketball or swinging a golf club. We encourage all of your sports and even get excited with you when you want to watch football.

All of your fine motor skills have been stronger, you now draw people, cars and last night, Uncle Mike showed you how to draw a chainsaw. I enjoy "working" with you. I start work in the afternoon on the computer and you start your work on making pictures, sharing my desk with me.
Your relationship with your brother has changed drastically. You now instead of observing each other, you are interacting.You are a good big brother.
I love you all the way to the sky.
Love, Mommy.

At Least He Isn't Yelling The Word POOP Repeatedly

While at a baby shower the other night, I am talking with Noah's Bible class teacher. We are talking about Noah's progression from being terrified to being semi ambivalent to class. I told her how Noah really enjoys the smashing part of the "wise man" song.
She then tells me about the new songs she is singing. I ask "Does he sing along with the other kids?".
Side note: Noah around other children in a crowd might as well be a mime. He does not say a word, so much so that I heard another child tell his mom "he doesn't talk".
She replies "No, he makes this noise "pshhh bbbbbssppthhh "
And I say.

Oh.

He is beat boxing.

All for you Jesus. We are really honing Noah's skills.

18 Month Letter for Henry

Dear H Bomb,

You are 18 months. You have definitely taken your dad and I through a different journey than we experienced with Noah.
We love the fact that you are different.

You seem to have a real opinion on what I dress you up in... You are very keen on wearing hats. Baseball, snow or any sort of play hat.
You are also more interested in pretending than sitting and putting together a train set.
The hair we are experiencing seems to be the same as Noah's... CA-RAZY!
Curiosity. You are super curious and love to take anything and everything out of the cupboards. You also secretly hoard items, I have found old carrots, cars, straws and various other treasures in the cupboards hidden in the bowls.
You and your brother have started to really play together and realize you kinda like each other.


Christmas was good to you. You loved every gift you received. I also loved watching you play with the wrapping quite a bit.

Food. You still love food. It has been a favorite above all toys to you.
Lastly, you have been pretty itchy. You have some sever excema and we will be taking you for some allergy testing to try and get it under control.
Thank you for this special route that you are taking us on. Dad and I are having the time of our lives.
Love, Mommy

Date Night

True Love

My husband has many talents.
He can rewire our whole house, he uses bleach like no one(except maybe Sarah, she is crazy off those fumes), he gardens, and can make a mean excel spreadsheet and statistical chart (so hot). But the man cannot give a back rub. to. save. his.(or my)life.
While talking to Sarah(when am I NOT talking to Sarah?!) we both agreed it is a conspiracy that husbands have. One that communicates "let's not set high expectations, because now that I show I am incapable, she will never ask me again". It kind of works. I have chosen my battle and this is not one of them. I on the other hand, somehow, gives great back rubs and he is ALWAYS asking for one.
If there is an argument I want to win, I give a back rub. I can never win an argument, IF I went to a real High School, debate team would not have been top on my list for clubs. Craft club? Yes! All arguments in my childhood left we me standing there calling my brothers "stupids". Yeah, I am that great with words. Therefore I am lowered to bribery and I am O.K. with this.
So last night, as we are having "couch time".

Me: "Honey, I love you and need you"

Dave: "I need you, too. I can't reach my own back"

ALIVE!

Since the birth of Henry it seems that I have lacked a few things. Just a small list that is longer than the ingredients of the food that I feed my children (mmmm, preservatives). There is the lack of remembering of where the car keys went, forgetfulness of my own birthday, the need to wear pants with an actual zipper and buttons, any privacy when going to the bathroom without little eyes watching you, seeing my hair in anything but a pony tail and the fact I have had not only brain cells distributed to my children but my energy.
So in an effort to take back a small portion of stamina and try to keep up with the maniacs that run my house every day. . . My dear friend (who always has a clean house, how do you do it?) suggested some vitamins. Not only do these vitamins look like Aardvark poop but they taste like that Aardvark ate their own poop and then pooped it again and then you thought it was a good idea to eat that poop. (Did I mention poop?) After you gag down these babies with some vodka (I'm kidding, or am I?!) 2 hours later, you pee mountain dew. No joke. These things do things to your insides.
The changes I feel:

• I don't know if I necessarily feel more energetic, but some days I find myself more motivated. Like the vitamin is a mini Oprah that I am swallowing and she is making me dream of things that I could do.

• I am very regular on these babies (and as in regular I mean I take a business visit to the restroom every morning at 6:50am). I know this is a lot of personal information but this is MY blog and I like sharing. Blame my brothers for the free feeling of sharing bodily functions.
• I am dead by the time 8pm rolls around. Like I could roll up in a ball in the corner and fall asleep like a hobo.
  
• Henry seems a little less tolerable on some days and my patience seems maybe a bit shorter. I am blaming the vitamins on this and not the fact that my child may need more discipline than my first child who is looking pretty saintly lately.

So long story short. Maybe I just needed to start taking a multivitamin on a regular basis. Up until now coffee was my only nutrition that I consistently had daily.

A moment for Coffee.

"It's Grandpa!"