Learning

I write so that you will know how much we love you, how fun you are, the funny things you do, the joy you bring, and the activities we did as a family. I also write to tell you the Truth, so that if we are not around or there comes a time when we as parents and child cannot seem to communicate with each other, this blog may touch you in ways that we can not and you will know the Truth! You have always been loved by us and by your Heavenly Father.

You have been blessed, no matter what you feel you don't have or has been taken from you or that is unfair. You are loved by a God who continues to love you, bless you, and pursue a relationship with you!

Life is hard because this life is not all about you or me or even our family. It is about God and lives that bring Him glory. Here are things that I will be teaching you as you grow. Some of these are hard for me to teach because they do not come easily with our human nature, many of them were hard lessons for me to learn. It would be easier to spoil you and keep you protected and do whatever you want to keep you happy, but that is not loving you fully.

Taking steps to be safe is important (always wear your helmet or seat belt. I don't care what your Papa says!) But living in fear of risk is not living fully. It is not trusting in a God with unlimited power and resources and unconditional love for you. God calls us to risk, at times our own possessions, dreams or personal safety to follow Him for His glory. (I know there will be times when you will not believe it, but His way is always better for you than leaving His way to follow your own way. Your way is for the moment, God's way is glorifying to him which is eternal. No matter what you must go through to follow what he has called you to, knowing and trusting and believing in Him more, is worth it!).

Going without money can feel like punishment or it can be seen as the "right" way to live. Neither is always the case. Be smart with your money. Be joyfully generous to those whom God calls and lays on your heart to be generous with. All money, resources, material things, health, and even cultural luxuries (clean running water) are owned and controlled by our God. Hold these things with open hands. Enjoy and be smart with that you have, when you have it. When you don't have as much do not fear or regret. God still controls all the money, resources of this world and he can provide for you even when you do not see a way!

In all things give thanks to God and seek to glorify Him where he has you with what he has given you! Be a testimony to the love and faithfulness of God no matter what your circumstances, rich, poor, working to get out of debt(hopefully we will teach you to avoid debt!), or anywhere in between.

There is so much to teach you from tying your shoes to loving your wife to being surrendered to Jesus Christ, this really can't be taught by us, it is a gift from the Holy Spirit, but it can be lived out before you as an example. This will be my job for the rest of my life!! This both petrifies me and fills me with so much purpose!

I love you, my son.

I still have much to learn so I will live transparent and at times we will learn together!
You are covered in prayer everyday and your Heavenly Father knows you, he made you for His purpose and loves you even more than I can!

Love,
Mama

24mths

Well its official, you are two.

You are getting so big and talking a lot! I say it once and you repeat. You have just started forming sentences. You still want me to be with you all the time and I have trouble getting anything done. You are very huggie and will randomly say "hug" and throw yourself at someone.

Lately everything "hurts" you say it all the time for any reason. "Chandler put your shirt on" "hurts". "Chandler, its time to put your socks and shoes on" "hurts". Usually a kiss will make it better, but I couldn't get you to wear shoes for two weeks straight. You have started kissing your own boo boos and say "butter" which is how it sounds when you say better.

The sweetest thing you do these days is stroking my face and saying "nice".

You are not getting in trouble as much at daycare and have stopped hitting and pushing your friends there. But when you do take a toy that is not yours or make another kid cry you immediately go up to them and say "sorry", it is very cute.

In the morning when you get up you whine and kick in your crib. When I come in to pick you up you gather Duke, Tigger, blue blanket, and brown blanket!!! Then I carry you and all your things to the couch to watch "Shaun the Sheep" and eat breakfast on the couch.

You are like your Papa in that texture matters so much to you. You only like the softest blankets. You scream every time I put jeans or corduroy pants on you. You will only wear stretchy PJ material. The other night you found a sateen pillow case and all evening you rubbed it on your belly and ended up sleeping in it like a sleeping bag (silky side inside of course).

I hope you know how loved you are and that your Papa and I have so much fun with you in our lives.

23 months

You will be 2 years next month! This is your second Christmas. I am so excited to go through the holiday season with you. To see you discover the joy and surprise and beauty of this season! I am trying to establish Christmas tradition now that we can share every year.

You and I made Christmas cookies this week. I cut the sugar cookies from the tube and you sprinkled green and red sugar on top of them! Maybe next year we will make homemade cookies.

It snowed this morning and you were very excited to be out in it. You thought it was so neat.

Your talking has improved and you know so many more words. I love hearing you say a new word for the first time. You are very very smart!

Both sides of the family are excited to see you this season!

On to daily things...

You are definitely going through a stage, whining is your thing now. I must admit it drives me batty sometimes. You will whimper like a puppy if I won't hold you or sit and watch "Shaun the Sheep" with you or I am busy cooking.

You hate tags in your shirts. You make us tear them out before you will let us put them on you.

You love to help Papa fix things. We have been painting the kitchen cabinets and replacing the hardware. You grab a tool and join right in!

Oh, Grandma gave you DVD's to teach you the letters of the alaphbet. You love watching them and are catching on so quickly. Did I mention that you are smart? You make the sounds that some of the letters make. Your favorite sound to make is "C" and "P". We have alaphebet magnets on the fridge and you move those around and make letter sounds.

I am so excited about the NEW Year. 2 will be a huge and wonderful year of learning and growing. I am so excited!!! We will start potty training and sleeping in a big boy bed!

You really are a joy to have around! I love you so much!

Love
Mama

22 months

So much has happened in this last month!

Here are a list of your accomplishments:
We stopped using the paci during the day! (now it is only for nap time and bed time)
You say all kinds of words, too many to type out.
You know your colors!!! You hold up crayons and tell or ask us the colors, you point to different colors on an old patch work quilt and say the colors!
You are starting to try using the potty ( no real success yet)
You remember all your relatives and adapt to new people playing with you much quicker.
We are able to explain things to you and you understand, which now is starting to help you alter your mood...sometimes.
I can get you to do things by asking you to "Help"
You are choosing your outfits.

We are just having so much fun with your growth!

Last month we visited a petting zoo! You had a great time! you got to feed the goats and lamas. You got to see a Tiger up close (through fencing). You saw monkeys, pigs, snakes, camels, bison, ponies, foxes, Kangaroos and more!

Auntie T came for a visit. You spend tons of time playing with her and loving on her. It warms my heart that you take to her so well when you don't see her very often. I know she loves you so much and wants to be a part of your life! We all spent the weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's we saw the largest tree house (its in the Gensis book of World Records), Then we went to a ranch for a fall festival. You got to feed horses and ride them, you really likes seeing the horses. You and your Papa jumped and played in one of those inflatable bounce houses. It is the first time we could get you to get inside one.

What a full month! You are lovable and fun! you give kisses and hugs and laugh out loud. You make me so very happy. I think you are adorable and wonderful! Know that you are truly loved by me and your Papa and our families!

Love you
Mama

21 mths

You are twenty one months this week. That sound really close to 24 months! Which means you are almost 2!

You have been doing this for a while but I haven't wanted to write about it because I was secretly denying what it means. Everytime (yes, I really mean EVERY TIME) I sing you shake your head "No". It does not matter what I am singing. Rubber Duckie, a lulliby, amazing Grace or some country song. It doesn't matter if I sing it fast or slow or in English or Spanish (I know a few songs in Spanish-thanks to your Grandma and Aunt Suzie). I am not a great singer, but I am not that bad! I have no idea why. So there it is I have put it out there in black and white which makes it real! I have come to laugh about it and often I sing to you just to see you shake your head "no". Maybe that will become an effective from of punishment.

A glimpse of a miles stone has started. You are sitting on the potty! Twice you have actually potty-ed in the potty! So I am excited at the thought of you becoming potty trained. I know you really are not ready, but you totally get the concept!

Here are a few new words from this month.
Up
more
Hot
what's that?
Mama is very clear now
cold
Truck

Words said once-
Thank you
Please
fire truck
hello

I love being your mama!

Animals

You love animals! Of course our love our dog, Indra, but you also love all animals. Grandma gave you a place mat with all kinds of animals on it. As we eat you point to the animals and we tell you that they are. When you point to the lion or alligator you make the roar sound that that animal makes.

You love your Tigger! You carry him around most places you go. Usually with you blue blanket!

Duke is you bed time dog. He stays in your crib and at night you cuddle up with it and lay your head on top of him.

Namma gave you this doggie chair. It is you favorite place to sit, climb on or just plain old tackle! You love to put it on the couch and try and sit on it, but every once in a while the doggie chair wins and you get tossed to the floor.

Love
Mama

20 mths

I have almost missed your twentieth month post!

I have been working a lot this month and I think it takes a toll on you. You seem to know when I steel even one hour from our normal routine! Which makes you more fussy as you protest more and more each time I leave.

You have been doing so well in Daycare and getting better at being nice to your friends! We are still waiting for coherent speech from you. but you always get your point across. You have been loving bath time, you play with the bubbles and enjoy squeezing the faucet so that the water squirts all over. You also are really getting into brushing your teeth. You get your little stool and pull it up to the sink grab your tooth brush and brush (or chew on it). You also like to take Mom and Dads tooth brush and scrub the counters, or the stool or the door frame! You don't yet understand that some things are "clean" and should not touch "dirty" things. Oh, well it just increases our immune system!

You got your first tick, although I don't know how! We also confirmed that you are still allergic to Tomatoes--you got a whole body rash! so sorry!

You really love social stuff, and once you warm up to your surroundings you make your way around the room and climb, touch, or play with everyone in the room. We took you to a friends house to watch a football game. You had such a good time.

The first photo is of your new past time or drawling on the walls. Not my favorite talent of yours. But I do love your other new past time which is drumming! You love to take candle sticks and drum on stuff, tables, chairs, pretty much anything. I secretly hope you become a drummer, I always wanted to be a drummer, but I have no rhythm.

I love you always and you are the delight in our life!

Love your Mama.