A day in the life....

My morning starts with the sound of a little boy calling out, "Mommy!" From his bedroom. As I walk down the hall I'm always greeted with a smile, a wave, and the cutest "hi" that there ever was. This is just the beginning of the nonstop day with my sweet boy. I change him and we head to the kitchen to discuss breakfast. He tries his hardest to con me into letting him have ice cream or popcorn. It doesn't work so he pouts. We end up with a solution that works. Cereal, raisin, and apple slices do the trick....this time. I give him his ice water in a sippy and lead him back to his room to watch Mickey and the gang while I get myself ready for the day. 

As I get myself ready I hear, "Mom, help me!" Or "Mom, Melmo Shoes!!" And I must figure out what he is needing. Usually if I can find his Elmo house shoes he is fine. But other times, he just needs my attention. This can make getting ready a little bit of a task. He often joins me in the room I get ready in and plays cars. He watches as I put on my eyeshadow and fix my hair. Constantly saying "Ready, Mommy, ready?" Before he zooms a car across something doing a trick. 

On our way out the door he is telling the dogs to hush. Bossing me around. Telling me how he is supposed to be buckled into his seat. Then once he is buckled he has to make sure he has his "booms" or cars for those of you that don't know what booms are. He is quite a funny little guy. Even if he is bossy. 

We talk in the car, while shopping, during lunch, and through out the day. I hear little feet running into the kitchen while I'm cleaning. "Mommy, up up UP!" He is begging me to hold him so he can see something inside the cabinet. Ten minutes later he's back to ask, "sprise?!" Which means he wants a surprise from his Halloween bucket inside one of the cabinets. He watches Mickey or dances to whatever music I have on in the kitchen. We laugh and play. He helps me put away laundry and clean windows and doors. I vacuum so he gets his popper out to "vacuum" with me. We usually end up taking a nap together. His favorite nap spot is on our new sofa. He lays down and asks for his soft blanket and his piggy. I lay down and he says, "Hold my hand, Mommy." He is asleep in minutes. I lay there holding his tiny hand wondering what I ever did to deserve such a beautiful blessing. 

At 5 we start his dinner. Then we start bath time. Then it's time to relax and start Daddy's dinner. I usually play ball or cars while trying to fix dinner. Talent loves to play catch. So we play and he asks if Daddy is bye bye until his Daddy pulls in the drive. Then it's hugs for Daddy and a little "Daddy ball" before bed. 

After all the activities of the day we end our day with Talent picking out his favorite books. We crawl up on his bed and we read at least four or five books. We laugh and read. Then it's Goodnight Moon and our night night prayers. He always kisses me and hugs me goodnight. We say I love you's and night night. 

My day is a lot different than it once was. I once woke up at 5 every single day to get ready for work. I went to bed every night at a decent time and I worked all day at a job I liked most days. I love my new schedule. It is crazy most days. It seems like I never get everything I need done, but, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Being a stay at home mom keeps me busy. Despite what most people may think, our days are always filled with activities. The only time we slow down is when Seth is home. We try to slow down and make time to just be with him when he's home. I'm thankful that I've been able to be a stay at home mom. I never thought I'd enjoy it this much. 

That's how you know you are a parent.....

Do you remember when you first started dating your spouse and you would leave them love notes or send them sweet text messages through the day? Well, a lot of things change after you get married. Even though the "honeymoon" is over in my marriage and we are well into almost 9 years of marriage, 11 years of being together, I still try to send messages to my husband every single day. However, our messages lately have confirmed one thing.......we are most certainly parents.

We have been really working hard to get Talent to poop in the potty. He has serious fears when it comes to pooping. It's because pooping has always been painful for him. We've tried medicines, we have tried suppositories, and right now we are about to the end of our rope. So, at the advice of a friend, we are trying potty training. So far, he's not doing too bad. But what has made me laugh is that when Talent goes on the potty during the day and Seth isn't here, I still text him to let him know what happened. Our texts have gone from these sweet "I love you's" to "YAY! He pooped in the potty!!" in what seems like an instant. I guess that's how you know you are officially a parent.

It always makes me laugh to go back through and see these text messages about the potty. It's not something I ever thought I would be sending text messages to my husband about while he's working. And it definitely isn't something I would ever expect him to reply to with, "YAY! Was he proud?" and then have him follow that with a phone call to congratulate our son. I must say, I can't take the credit for this potty training thing at all. My husband has taken this and just gone with it. He's been the one to enforce it. He's been the strong one with the patience to sit in the bathroom on the toilet next to Talent and hold his little hand for an hour if that's what it takes. Tonight when he came home he told Talent just how proud he was of him for going in the potty. Talent reached up and gave his Daddy a high five and said, "I e e  potty! I DID IT!" in this excited little voice! He loves for his Daddy to be proud of him.

I have never been more proud of this man I married. He's the most amazing husband and dad. I don't think I could have asked for a more perfect person to parent with. I'm glad I have him to text these tiny victories to. I'm even more grateful that he is just as excited about them as I am. Even though our texting has changed from lovey dovey to toilet victories, we love this new adventure and all of the craziness it brings.

Rock a bye....

Last year around Christmas time, Talent decided that he wanted to stop being rocked to sleep. He even pushed my rocking chair to the door and told me he wanted me to take it out. So, I moved it across the hall to our junk room. We started a new bedtime routine and he hasn't been rocked since.

Tonight, I put Talent to bed. We read books, said Goodnight Moon, and said our prayers. I kissed him and told him I loved him, then left the room. I could hear him as I sat in the living room and read. He was playing with some of his stuffed animals and talking. Finally about an hour after I had put him to bed, I heard his bedroom door open. I heard his little voice calling out "Mommy". When I went in there to see what was wrong, he said, "Mommy rock!"  How could I turn that down? I picked him up and took him to the living room and rocked him.

As I sat in the chair rocking this precious little boy, all I could think about was how blessed I am. I never thought I would enjoy being a mom as much as I do. Being able to teach Talent things and watch him grow and learn has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. Someone asked me last week if parents post pictures and things of their children on social media out of obligation. My response to that was, no, I post pictures and things because I truly enjoy my child. I truly enjoy parenthood. I'm sure there are some that post to make themselves feel better, but I am not one of them. I love my boy. I love being a parent. Aside from being Seth's wife, I think this is one thing I was born to do.

I am glad my baby let me hold him and enjoy the little moments of rocking him tonight. Just having that time to hold him was sweet. It doesn't happen often. I cherish those little moments. He's a handful. But, I'm thankful that he's my handful. I love him so very much.

OH NO!!!

I am sitting here in the living room "Christmas Shopping" on my laptop while Talent watches Mickey Mouse. He is growing so much. Pete (a character on Mickey Mouse) was just shrunk down to the size of a pea and Talent turned around with this terrified look and said, "OH NO!" He is talking so much lately. All of these funny phrases and words keep spewing out of his mouth and he is always making me laugh. Some of the things he says still have to be interpreted for others, but, he's talking. He's making an effort instead of just pointing. I see all of this progress he's making and it makes me so proud.

The funniest and sweetest thing he has said lately is that he is "Mommy's baby"....not Daddy's, not Gee's, not Nee Nee's, not Poppy's, or Pawpaw's....MOMMY'S! He's very specific about it and it makes me laugh when I ask him whose baby he is. He also has like a shouting match when you tell him you love him. You say, "I love you, Talent" and he will say, "Love Mommy" and if you say "I love you" again he will scream, "Love MOMMY!" as loud as he can. It's hilarious.

This kid is getting big fast. He loves his Daddy and is already developing a love for sports. Each night when Seth gets home he begs him to lay on the couch with him and watch "Daddy ball". He doesn't want to go to bed on time because he is watching ball with his Daddy. He misses his Daddy when he is gone and will walk around saying "Daddy bye bye" until his Daddy comes home. I love watching their relationship grow. It's precious to me.

So much in our world is changing as he grows and gets bigger. I'm so excited to see what his future holds. We are enjoying all that he brings to our lives. Talent has been one of the biggest blessings of our lives and we are so thankful for him.

Early reader!

Most of you know that I read with Talent all the time. We read during the day. We read at least four or five books before bed each night. We read short books, long books, Bible stories, and silly books. My best friend sent us books a while back about trucks and super heroes. He loves those. 

For Halloween my other best friend, Talent's Aunt Boo, bought him books since he can't have all the goodies all the other kids can. One of the books was called, "Hug" by Jez Alborough. It is a very easy read. Very few words. It's about a monkey named Bobo who sees all of the other animals in the jungle hugging and he wants a hug but can't find his Mommy. An elephant helps him find his Mommy and he ends up getting his hug. 

We have been reading this book for the last couple of nights. Tonight Talent read the book to me! He knew when to say "hug" and when to say "Mommy" and "Bobo" and I didn't have to prompt him to do it! He even wanted to come read it to his Daddy! I'm sure this is more from memory than actually reading it but still, it is exciting. It shows that reading with him is a great thing!  It is paying off in a big way! 

I love seeing him make all of this progress! I love watching him try new things...especially reading! So to say that I am a proud Momma tonight would be an understatement! I am beyond excited for him to have read this book to me tonight! He's a smarty. Seth and I are so lucky! 

Let's play pretend!

I've come to learn that raising a child includes many different phases. Right now Talent is in one of my very favorite phases....playing pretend! I love watching his little imagination grow! 

This phase started taking shape a few weeks ago at church. In our church nursery we have a tea set. Talent would get the cups and pour tea for whoever was in there with him and he would "drink" his tea and pour more for the guest at the party. He would do this over and over again. It was one of the cutest things I've ever seen. Tea parties turned into putting his stuffed animals down for a nap and dressing them. He has even put his Daddy and me down for a nap. I love it! 

Seeing his imagination develop is so fun! It makes me want to go out and buy him a trunk full of costumes to play dress up. In today's world full of electronic games and gadgets, kids don't get out and use their imaginations like they did when we were little. So I feel it is important to nurture his imagination. 

I hope this phase lasts quite a while. I look forward to more of his exciting phases. I love having a front row seat to all of the changes he goes through. 

Putting a sucker in Piggy's mouth so he can nap. 

Allergies....UGH!

Everyone knows by now that Talent has many allergies. So, I have a question. When you think of food allergies, do you think people get sick to their stomach? Do you think they get a rash? Or do you think that they could possibly die? Well, I'd like to take a minute and educate people just a little bit because I get asked questions all of the time.

Talent is allergic to the following:
Peanuts
Tree nuts
Fish
Potatoes
Strawberries
Grapes
Wheat
Soy
Egg Whites
Milk
Cats
Dogs
Alternaria

I've had so many people come to me over the last year and ask me questions about food allergies. I have to really read what is in everything we eat, buy, and come in contact with. I don't allow anything into our home with nuts of any kind in it. This means we no longer have peanut butter or nutella in our home. When I bake I don't use nuts in recipes. We don't use generic cooking oils because they have nut warnings on them. When we are with other people, I do police what they have around him or within his reach. I was once a little soft spoken about certain things but after seeing his reaction to nuts and fish, anytime we are around someone who is eating something he is allergic to, I make sure to tell them that they can not touch him until they have washed their hands. I also ask that they don't share drinks with him or try to kiss on him. I know it sounds like I'm just being hateful, but what most people don't realize is that this is something that could save his life. Food allergies are a scary thing. At two years old, Talent can't tell me what is wrong in detail. I have to watch for signs of an allergic reaction. Hives, wheezing, rashes, whelps. Sometimes those things show up immediately, sometimes it's a few hours. A lot of people get really offended when I ask them not to touch him until they have scrubbed up. But, he is the only kiddo I have. I get to be protective. And honestly, I'm not trying to offend anyone. I'm trying to keep him safe. I'm trying to do the best job I can to keep him from having a fatal reaction to something.

A lot of people don't realize what anaphylaxis is. Most people don't realize that it can be fatal. I wish more people were educated about food allergies. I hope that some day I will be able to help educate people about the dangers of exposure to these allergens. Here's hoping.

Am I?

The last week has been a tough one for me. My hometown was the place of a senseless murder by three teenagers. I have prayed about it, thought about it, been angry about it, and been scared by it. 

All week this week I've wanted to bring my baby to bed with me. I've wanted him as close to me as possible. At night I always go check and make sure he has his covers on him and he isn't laying on top of a toy truck. This week I've found myself lingering. I've either sat and held him or laid down beside him in his toddler bed. I just have felt the need for him to be near me. 

I have read all kinds of reports in the last 7 days about these boys and how misguided they were/are. I've read how the community needs to take a stand for our youth. It has been a bit overwhelming. 

In the last 7 days I have had some serious thoughts about my own parenting. And I just hope and pray that I am doing things right. I mean, how do you know? Am I giving enough discipline? Am I giving enough love and encouragement? Am I bringing him up in a way that he won't follow people but will be a leader? And a good person? I sure hope that Seth and I have this right. I know we will make mistakes along the way. Everyone does. But it's been a week filled with "am I?" And that is a hard question to answer. I hope my son grows up happy and honest. I want him to love God and be loyal, trusting, and fearless. I want him to be a strong and encouraging leader and never be a follower. I hope we do things right. I've been praying for guidance all week. So if you pray, pray for us. 

Parenting 101.....my style.

This is going to be a different kind of blog tonight. My heart is heavy. There was a shooting in the tiny town I grew up in this week. It was a random act of violence. Three teenagers, (15,16, & 17) were "bored" and decided they wanted to know what it was like to kill someone. So they watched a young man jog past the house they were at and decided he looked like a good person to kill. They shot him and left him there on the side of the road. He had been in our town for 3 days. THREE! He wasn't even a US citizen. He was from Australia and had plans to play baseball at a college in Oklahoma. He had a girlfriend here. It is so sad to me. I'm sad for his family, friends, girlfriend....and my community. But at the same time I'm also scared for my own family.

This world we live in is getting progressively worse. Since the shooting I've seen posts of "I'm sorry" or "I'm praying" aimed to this young man's family and friends. But I've seen a lot of fighting on Facebook between people about what needs to be done to keep kids from doing such stupid things. To keep them from doing such evil things. Everyone says they need a place to go to socialize, they need a place to hang out, something to do in this little town. But from where I stand, I see it so differently. I see that these kids have parents who don't parent. Parents are too busy these days to actually stop and pay attention to what their children are posting to multimedia sites. These parents are out all the time drinking and partying on the weekends, having the time of their lives and doing whatever they want while their kids fend for themselves. I know because I see the pictures on Facebook of them at the local bars.

So, this is my parenting advice. Take it for what it is worth. I only have a two year old. But, I have some great examples to look to when it comes to parenting. Parents, wake up. When you were a teenager, a college kid, and single....NOT A PARENT.....that was the time to go out and "get your swerve on" or party or whatever it is you are currently doing on weekends now. Going out on the weekends and drinking does nothing but set a bad example for your kids. And it also allows them all the free time in the world to do drugs, party, learn how to follow the wrong crowd, and practice unsafe sex. So, stop acting like you are 16. Wake up, be a parent. Act like you are the adult, not the child. Be present. Be aware of your kid's friends. When they want to talk to you, LISTEN. Make them a priority. I'm sorry to be the one to break it to you, but, when you had that child, their needs, wants, accomplishments, dreams.....they all became more important than your own. When they are grown, you can go back to doing what you want. But while you are raising them, be a parent, not a friend. They have enough friends. What they need is someone to give them rules and consequences. There are way too many self absorbed parents out there that want to have these beautiful babies but don't want to raise them. I just don't understand it at all.

I guess maybe I was raised by people who would give up anything for my brother and me. But we had rules, we had consequences and we always knew we were a priority. Our parents never went out to the bar. They didn't have alcohol in the house. They weren't wild and crazy party people. They were down to earth, loving, giving, caring people. They made our house a great place. Kids wanted to be there. We wanted to be there. We never were scared to go home when we did something wrong. We always knew that no matter what our parents would be there. They would listen and talk to us. We may have consequences for our actions, but our parents were always there. They'd always be on our side. And no matter what they always would love us. Too many parents miss that lesson these days. A lot of parents could really stand to take a few lessons from my Mom & Dad.

Oh my ears are tired!

Lately things around here have been crazy. We've had things to do just about every day. June is usually a busy month for me anyway but for some reason this year it seems a little crazier. If my crazy schedule wasn't enough, my son has taken off with his jabbering. He's started saying so many new words and there are days I am so thankful for nap time. He is loud and seems to talk nonstop. I love that he's finding his voice but there are just some days that I long for quiet.

Talent has new words that he has been using quite often. It's exciting and also tiring at times. Since he's learning that words are exciting, he's trying more to say things. He has mastered "Riley" (one of our dogs) and has been saying it for quite some time now. He also has learned French fry, Nee Nee (my Mother In Law), donkey, bull, and frog. Now they aren't all crystal clear, but you can tell what he's trying to say. He's also able to say shoes and says this every single day when he's ready to get out of the house and go somewhere. He makes me tired with all of his jabbering. Don't get me wrong, I love that he's learning and growing his vocabulary. But, it sure makes you tired when you have to say, "Yes, I see" or "What?" 9,000 times a day. He always says, "HEY! Mom! MOMMA! MOM! Mom? MOMMA!" until he gets a response. It's cute but also draining. That is when I tell him to go talk to Dad. I know, I'm not nice to send him to his Daddy.

This child is changing and growing right before my eyes. I love it and hate it all at the same time. We had family pictures taken with my parents, grandparents, and my brother's family a few weeks ago. We got them back today and I see all of the changes Talent is making. He's growing and getting tall and skinny. He's just such a beautiful child. Seth and I sure made a beautiful baby. I'm going to leave you with a couple of my favorites from the session with Keelie Lipscomb Photography. She's truly the most talented photographer in our area. I just adore her.

Ribbit....

Talent has been wanting to be outside since the weather has been nicer lately. Today we were outside playing and I found a teeny little frog about the size of a quarter. Now, I don't know if anyone knows this about me or not, but, I don't like creepy crawly things or little critters. I'm not entirely sure how I've made it this long out in the country. But, anyway, I saw this tiny little frog and I caught it. Talent has only seen frogs in books or in the little figurines that I have around the house. He's never seen the real thing. I carried this tiny frog over to him and showed it to him. He made the cutest little face. He started making his frog noise. Once the frog jumped out of my hands Talent started pointing at it and making his frog noise and asking me to get it again. I chased that frog and eventually found another. I never could catch either one of the little suckers. But, it was fun chasing frogs with him.

He's been saying so much lately. He's learned so many new animal noises and so many new words. I just love this age and all of the new things he's learning. Just this week he started saying "boat" and "rock".....I just love all of the learning he is doing. We've been doing a lot of reading at night before bed. Talent picks a bunch of books and I read to him. I point to things in the books and he says what they are. If there are animals in the books he makes the animal sounds. It's been so much fun seeing him learn. I plan on taking him to the library to some of the children's programs this summer. I think he will really enjoy it and I think it will be so good for him. I am really looking forward to seeing him learn so much more.

Fun times being a Momma!

Movie date!!! Today while we let Daddy sleep in, we are watching The Lion King. It's been a while since we watched this movie. It's a favorite of mine and I love that he enjoys it as well. It has fun music that we like to sing and dance to. It is just a classic in my opinion.

My boy is growing so much. He is more chatty than ever and his vocabulary is really growing. His new favorite word is "help". I hear him saying help almost as much as I hear him say no. He is starting to really take off. He has learned how to make more animal sounds also. I think my new favorite is his donkey impression. I've never heard anything more adorable!

We have started really reading books before bedtime and that has turned into a favorite bedtime routine for both of us. I have always told him bedtime stories, but, after you've read "Goodnight Moon" a few times, you kind of memorize it. So I didn't need the book anymore and he wasn't even interested in seeing it. But he still wanted to hear it. So, we have started a new little tradition. Every night he goes to his room and gets Piggy and his sucker (pacifier). He picks out a few books and climbs into the rocker and has a seat. I sit in the floor in front of him and he hands me a book. I read the books as he hands them to me. We usually end with "Are you my Mother" or "Goodnight Stinky Face" because right now those two are his favorites. But, he picks a selection of 3 or 4 books every night. Last night we had a little extra time so he even threw in his "Bedtime Bible Stories" and we picked a Bible story and read. He loves that book. I love this new part of our routine. Reading is something I truly love to do. I hope that by reading books to him, he develops a love for reading too. I try to make books fun.

For now that's the latest. He did have an ENT appointment yesterday and aside from some blockage in his right ear, everything looked good. We go back next week to see if the blockage is gone. In the mean time I have to treat it here at home. That part isn't so fun, but, you do what you have to do sometimes. So, I'm just praying that next week, his ear is better.

He wanted to take a silly picture! So we did!

Happy Mother's Day to ME!

Well, today is Mother's Day. I woke up and got myself ready for church. Talent woke up about 7:30 and I was greeted with the happiest smile ever. He wanted to hand me all of his animals one by one until I had them all out of his bed and on his froggy pillow. After a quick diaper change, he decided I needed a big smooch to start my day off. He is two, he has no idea that today is Mother's Day, even though I made it a point to tell him. I fixed his breakfast, we had our typical morning conversation, and he got dressed for church. At church I was given a mug and a devotional book. Then after the service was over Mom took Talent to the front of the church to pick out a rose for me. He was so excited to bring it to me. It was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen my child do. He was all smiles as he handed me this long stemmed red rose. It was very sweet. My husband bought me a new computer a few months ago as an early Mother's Day gift. So, I didn't expect any big fuss today. Getting to spend the afternoon all alone with my baby was just enough for me.

I love that I get to be Talent's Mommy. I love his cuddles, kisses, hugs, his laugh, and his funny little personality. I love that Seth and I created this beautiful child. I love that I get to stay at home with him and teach him all kinds of things each day. I love that we get to play cars, puzzles, or paint. I love that we get to read books together each night before bed. I love that we pray together. I love being able to teach him right from wrong. I love teaching him responsibility. I love showing him the beauty and wonder in the world around him. I love that he loves animals as much and Seth and I do. I love that he has my sense of humor, at least for now. And I love that he has my love for music. I love that by being his Mommy I have gotten to share all of these things with him over the last two years. Being a mommy has been hard work. But, it has been so rewarding. When he walks up to me and hugs my legs so tight, or he reaches up for me to pick him up and then kisses me right on the lips, or when he is sitting beside me at the dinner table and just wants to hold my hand while he eats. These little moments make all of the work I put in worth it. I'm so thankful to have him. He is the reason I get to celebrate Mother's Day today. I am forever thankful for this little life that I carried for 38 weeks. I thank God for him every single day. This little boy is one of the greatest blessings I have ever received and I am so glad to have him.

LOVE....

You know I always write about my sweet boy and all of the things he is doing and how much I love him and what crazy adventures we have been on. To be honest, I just can't tell the world enough how much I love this kid. I loved him from the moment I heard that tiny beating heart on the machine at the doctors office. And the moment I saw his little gunk covered face and body in the OR, I was smitten. I brag on his accomplishments, I talk about how great of a kid he is. Heck, I know, I'm that annoying Mom that shows off all nine thousand pictures of her baby to anyone that will look. But, I love my boy. He makes me the happiest Mommy ever.

Talent is growing and getting big. He started sleeping in his big boy bed this week. He's started saying a few new words. He's even started trying to tell me when he needs to potty. I think we jumped the gun a bit on potty training, but, the thought is in his head and he is starting to show an interest now. He's learning to use real cups instead of a sippy, and he's actually trying new foods. I still have probably the tiniest two year old ever, weighing in at only 24.7 lbs, but he's growing. He's healthy and happy. And I couldn't be more in love.

We love to laugh together!

Watching movies while I was sick.

At his Uncle Michael's for dinner.

At his Uncle Michael's exploring with Daddy!

Guy talk with Daddy!

Uncle Michael's waiting on dinner.

Playing with Daddy!

Such a BIG BOY!

Well, it's official! We have a big boy! Talent has been acting like he wanted to be in a big boy. So, yesterday, we made his crib into a toddler bed. He was super excited. We bought him new bedding. We are waiting on his quilt to get here but since we have the sheet set we went ahead and put them on. He was so excited about the new sheets and couldn't wait to get into bed. We started with nap time so if it was a disaster we could change back to a crib. He only got up once. I took him back to bed an told him to take his nap. He laid back down and closed his eyes. He slept for about an hour in his new bed.

Last night we expected more of a fight. He didn't get up once. He laid there and went to sleep. He didn't even get out of bed this morning when he woke up. He waited till I came to get him. He really surprised me. He is in there now for his nap an I haven't heard a peep out of him. He really loves this big boy bed. I'm so impressed. I can't believe he has done so well. I'm sure it won't always be this easy but I figured the first few days would be the hardest. I am truly blessed with an amazing kid.

Appreciation.

This weekend was a long weekend at our house. Talent had been diagnosed with an inner ear infection on Friday, Seth woke up Saturday with a sore throat & congestion, and I was diagnosed with pneumonia on Sunday. Needless to say, we have all been feeling pretty crummy. Yesterday, in an effort to keep T entertained and also do as little as possible because I'm exhausted, I got out art supplies. I had markers, crayons, stickers, and stamps galore. I asked Talent if he wanted to make something for his Daddy. He said yes and got so excited at the sight of all of my art supplies. I got him some paper and a box to use as a table. He sat in the floor in the living room and colored pieces of paper for a long time. Then he decided his paper needed stickers. He picked stickers that said "good job" and "way to go" and more encouraging things. So we decided to make a little picture to show his Daddy we appreciate all that he does. Talent even had me trace his hand onto the paper. He was very excited to be doing arts and crafts with me. It was a nice way to show Seth we thought about him and that we appreciate all of his hard work. I tell ya, that Daddy sure gets some sweet presents! I try and get Talent to do nice things for Seth so that he sees he is appreciated and loved so much. We miss him when he isn't with us.

Our Sweet Boy....

I just wanted to take a minute tonight and say how thankful I am for my sweet boy. I've been watching all of the changes that he's making lately and it just blows me away. He's growing and learning so much. He's getting big. I can look around this house and see all of these memories in pictures of him from the day we brought him home, to his first birthday, and then now. He has changed so much. He's learning and doing so many new things. I'm so thankful for all of the happiness he brings into our home. All of the funny things he does that makes us laugh. Just tonight after we put him in bed, Seth and I were in the living room watching a baseball game on tv and Seth muted it for a minute. We both sat here and listened to this crazy child of ours chatter away to his stuffed animals in bed. We both laughed because this is something he does often. He's just a silly kid. He does all kinds of crazy things. He brings so much life to this house. I'm just thankful that he's ours and that he is here to bring all of this happiness and joy to our lives. He's just so wonderful and we are just so blessed.

Happy Birthday, Talent!

Today my sweet baby turned TWO! I planned some fun things for him today. He woke up at 6, which is much earlier than normal, so I went and got him and brought him to bed with me. We stayed in bed until about 6:45. I finally whispered, "Talent, do you know what today is?" to which he kind of giggled. I said, "It's your happy birthday day!" and I started singing the birthday song that they sing on the Sprout channel that he watches. He got excited and started to tackle me. I turned on my bedside lamp and gave him a drink of my water. Then we turned on his favorite show and he was ready to start the day.

We got up and got around and were at the donut shop by 7:15. I usually just go through the drive through because it's a lot easier with him than going inside that early in the morning. But, since this was a special day, we went in. To be honest, I don't think I've ever taken him inside before. He was so amazed at the donut shop. He kept saying, "Oooooh, Momma!" and pointing to the donuts behind the glass. He was so excited. It was one of the cutest things I've ever seen! After we got our donuts, I drove across the street and bought him a small sprite. I don't usually give him things like that but, again, today was a special day. Then we headed home. We ate our donuts in the living room on the sofa and watched Sprout together. It was a fun start to our day.

Once breakfast was finished I had to start getting myself really ready. I had only straightened my hair to go to the donut shop. I'm lucky enough I can still get by without wearing make up if I really want to. So I got Talent all set up and I went to get my make up on. He was running back and forth from the room he was playing in to the room I was getting ready in. Telling me big stories. Usually I just put him in his room and gate him in. But, today I didn't see the harm in letting him play as long as I could hear him. And, I could. He was playing with his zebra ride on toy and that is one of the LOUDEST toys know to man kind. It has bumpy wheels that even make noise on our thick carpet. He was having a ball.

We left the house to head out to meet some friends for lunch but before we went there we had to stop at the pharmacy. All of the girls there just gushed over him. And since we were picking up his allergy meds they saw it was his birthday. They gave him a bowl to pick a sucker and a balloon from. He ended up with two suckers and a green balloon. He was so excited. He didn't want to leave his new friends. He likes pretty girls.....I know, I know, I'm already in trouble there. We left for Duncan and met my friend, Misty, and her daughter at El Palacio's for lunch. Katelyn and Talent hit it off! They had so much fun at lunch. Katelyn was a doll! She's 6 and was so sweet with my baby! They even brought Talent a present for his birthday, which was very sweet.

We ended up both needing a nap after all of the morning festivities. So when lunch was over we headed home for a nap. When we got up it was time to go outside and play. It was actually a decent day out today. So out we went. We chased Talent's dog all over the place. We hollered at the cows. We took a ride in the wagon around the yard. We played in the sand. We just had a good time.

I tried very hard to make today a special day for Talent. My Mom always made our birthdays seem like they were the most important day in the world. And I hope I am able to do that for Talent. My husband thinks it's silly to love your birthday like I do. But, I think it's the one day of the year that you truly DON'T have to share with someone else. It's yours. You were born that day. It's a day just for you. It's not like Mother's Day that you have to share with all the other mom's in the world. Or Valentine's or Christmas where everyone is getting things. It's just your day, where you get to be treated special. I want to do that for Talent. It's important to me that he grow up feeling and knowing that his birthday is a big deal. If for no other reason, he made me a Mommy that day. He changed my life in so many wonderful ways. That alone is a reason to celebrate. He is the reason. So, I want to celebrate his life.....his birth.....him. Always.

Each night we have a routine before bed. I take him to his room and gather all of his herd (he sleeps with a pig, chicken, dog, & a dragon) and we turn out the lights, turn on his noisy fan, and we get snuggled up in the rocking chair. I usually recite "Goodnight Moon" and then we talk a minute. I tell him I love him and thank you for being good. I then say his "night night prayers" and we rock for a few minutes and I ask if he's ready to go to bed. He usually tells me yes and I have him give me a kiss and put him in his bed. Tonight, I mixed it up a little bit. Instead of starting with his story, I talked to him for a bit. I told him how happy being his mommy makes me. I explained to him that I prayed for him for a long time. That when he finally came along, I was so happy. I told him that I love him so very, very much. I let him know that I am so proud of him for being such a sweet and loving little boy. I told him how much he means to me. And I told him that today was a special day because he was a very special boy to his Daddy and me. That we both were so happy that he was ours and that we loved him so much more than he could ever understand. Now, I realize he's only two and most of this didn't probably sink in. But, I feel like it is so important for him to hear these things. Even if it's now when he's two. He needs to hear it.....often. I tell him every single day that I love him. Probably a hundred thousand times through out the day. But, I know in my heart, he will never question that I love him. He will always know. Because I tell him. That's so important for a child. My Momma & Daddy told us all the time that they loved us. I never once had any doubts. I want to make sure my child knows he's loved.

Looking back on the last two years, I think Seth & I have done a dang good job with Talent. Considering he is our first child and Seth had never really been around kids before. Talent with all of his allergies has been a bit of a challenge for me at times. The allergy thing kind of threw me off. I never thought about him being allergic to things. I feared him having the disease I had at 18 months old, Kawasaki Disease. I even feared him having bad vision, bad hearing, or even asthma. But allergies never even crossed my mind. I was never allergic to anything. So learning how to read food labels and find the allergens in things, it's been a challenge. But, I'm learning. Figuring out how to handle certain situations like Easter Egg hunts and Halloween. Those things can get really tricky. People think you are crazy and over protective. But, I'm learning, that those people don't have a kid with serious allergies. And their opinions don't matter. I'm learning how to shrug those things off.

Seth is learning so much too. To be honest, I've never loved him more. Our relationship has changed so much in the last two years. I've always heard having a child changes a marriage. And the people that say this would be right. But, I can see how it could change it for the good or the bad. Having a baby is very stressful. But, it's also a very wonderful experience. I have loved Seth for nearly 10 years. He's had my heart for a very long time. Seth is a very hard person to get to know. He's quiet and doesn't talk until he gets comfortable with someone. And getting him to that point is a long quiet journey. Just ask my friend, Elizabeth. We've been friends for over 15 years and he is just now talking to her. She was in the delivery room while I was in labor. Anyway, back to what I was getting at. I remember the exact moment Seth & my relationship changed. Talent wasn't even here yet. But, he would be very soon. They were trying to decide whether or not to give me more Pitocin or to do the C-section. The nurses and doctor left the room and I fell apart. I had not shed one tear in the near 22 hours I had been in labor. Seth jumped up and asked me if I needed my Mom. I said no that I just wanted him to stay with me. He sat by the bed and held my hand and stroked my head until I calmed down. He was so sweet. I knew then that this man was in this for the long haul. That he had been up for almost 36 hours and hadn't slept at all and he still would do anything and everything he could to make me be okay. I was his first priority. Then when we were alone after Talent got here, Seth held Talent for the first time. The look in his eyes said so much. You could see how in love he was with this tiny little baby boy. My heart was so full. To this day Seth still amazes me with how great he is with Talent. This is a man that said he never wanted kids. Now he is playing with Talent, wrestling with him, helping me with dinner time, giving him baths, and even helping out at night when Talent is sick. Seth even goes and gets Talent when he wakes up really early and brings him to bed with us. He's just such a great Daddy. Talent is a very lucky little boy to have someone so wonderful to look up to and learn from. His Daddy is an amazing man. And I know if Talent turns out to be even half as wonderful as Seth, we've done a pretty good job. Because my husband is pretty amazing. I love that he loves our son as much as he does. And I really love that he wants to play and have fun with Talent. He wants to be able to take him fishing and camping and all kinds of other boy things. I know right now is my time to be the cool one. But, it's not going to last much longer. Daddy has all the fun boy stuff that Talent is going to want to go and do and before long, Momma is going to be left in the dust. It's okay, I think it will be a great thing for my husband.

Today has been a fun filled day. Full of emotions. Full of memories. Each year this day is more and more special to me. I look back and remember all of the wonderful things about this day. The people I was able to share it with. My parents, grandparents, my in-laws, my best friends, and a few days later...my brother and his wife. It was one of the best days of my life. It's a day full of memories that I know I will cherish for the rest of my life. I'm glad I was able to make some memories with Talent today. I look forward to making more memories with him in the coming years. I know this post was all over the place. But tonight, my head is all over the place. Remembering all of the wonderful things about this day two years ago. Thinking about all of the fun today. April 12th is just a great day.

Happy birthday, Talent Espn Reynolds! You are one very loved little boy! One day I hope you realize just how special this day is. And I hope you will be able to look at all of the pictures I have forced you to take on your birthday and remember all of the fun things we have done to celebrate! I love you, "Shakey"!

Two years ago.....

Two years ago at this moment I was laying in a hospital bed crying. The doctor had just come in and was telling me they were going to give me one more dose of Pitocin to see if they could get Talent to come on out without doing a cesarean. I had been in that hospital bed since 3:30 am. I was tired, hungry, and thirsty. I hadn't had anything to drink since they had admitted me. I hadn't had anything to eat since the day before at dinner. And I had only been asleep a few hours before my water broke and I had to go to the hospital. I was worn smooth out. The doctor came back in and told me that she was going to check me and if my uterus was still not cooperating they were going to call the surgical team back in and go ahead with the C-section. At that point I was beyond ready for a C-section. I never thought I would want one but, I was just exhausted. They started kicking people out of my room. They started getting things for Seth to wear into the OR. They took all of my jewelry off. They had the guy that did my epidural come in and check on me. He was going to have to give me more meds. Finally, we were getting somewhere. They wheeled me back to the OR, I was suddenly numb from the neck down. And I was still so sick....nine long months of morning sickness, and I was sick the whole time I was in labor, including the C-section.

At 12:58 am, I heard the first sound of my child. I shed a few tears. It was one of the most amazing sounds I've ever heard in my life. You know, you carry this life inside of your own body for nine months. You protect it from the world around you. You feel it's every move. You dream about finally seeing it. You don't know what you reaction will be. I never dreamed I would cry. I just was so overcome with happiness that he was finally here. I could finally hold him in my arms. Finally I could kiss his little face. It was overwhelming. Seth was able to go with them when they took him to be cleaned up and foot printed and hand printed and all of that stuff. He took some pictures of him. Our parents got to see him through the glass. Meanwhile, I was still being put back together. I thank God for the anesthesiologist. I was so sick and he was so kind. He wiped my face, held a bucket, and my hair. He was just the kindest man. After I was all stitched up, they took me to my room.

My Mom, Mammaw,  & Mother in Law were waiting in the room with Seth. It took them a while to bring Talent to me. But when they finally did, my heart was just overflowing. He was beautiful. He was perfect. I had carried this child for nine long months inside my body. And to be able to finally hold him in my arms was a feeling I can't quite describe. Still to this day, nothing makes my heart feel quite like holding that boy does.

Two years has seemed to fly by. Talent has grown and changed so much. I'm so proud of him. He is the silliest and most fun little boy. He's stubborn and so strong willed. At times that makes me a little crazy. But, one of these days I know I will be thankful that he has those qualities. It's what kept me out of trouble when I was a teenager. I am hoping it does the same for him. He is just the most amazing thing.

Being a mom for the last two years has been a wild ride. There have been trips to the doctor for fevers that were higher than I was comfortable with, ear infections, tubes put in his ears, allergy testing, allergy scares resulting in hives or trouble breathing, RSV, bumps & bruises, and so much more. He's made me laugh with his crazy antics. Reminded me that not everything is so serious. Taught me so much about myself. Talent is a great kid. I'm so proud to be his Mom. The last two years have been some of the best years of my life. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for him. I know he's a smart boy. I think he has a great future ahead.

Talent asked me to draw him a "rawr" & a "ruff ruff" so I did!

Newborn Talent. Can't believe how much he's grown!

Look at this big boy!

He tried to take his Daddy's chair!

Having a bowl of "pop pop" with Daddy and watching some sports.

Talent & Mommy. Gosh I love this boy.

A lion, a dog, a monkey, no it's TALENT!!!

You know what I love? I love silly days. I love time spent with my sweet little family. I love listening to this sweet little boy laughing. I love waking up in the morning to the sound of a little boy yelling, "Mom!"....and I love his little smoochy kisses before bed at night.

Last night Talent was fighting going to bed. He started crying so I went in there to check on him. He had gone to the bathroom so I was changing him. While he was on the changing table he started making all kinds of animal sounds. I have taught him all kinds of silly animal sounds. He started growling to make a lion sound. Then he starts making a monkey sound at the top of his lungs. Next it was a dog barking......I was trying so hard to keep from laughing. I noticed that he was looking at the door. Seth had come in behind me. He was laughing. It's hard not to laugh when your kid is doing something so silly to keep from going to bed. I got him all changed and then we started tickling him. We laughed together and had a little fun. Finally it was time for the lights to go off. I told Talent goodnight. I gave him his kisses and hugs and put him back in bed. He finally went to sleep.

This sweet child will turn 2 next Friday. I can't believe the last two years have gone by as quickly as they have. I have enjoyed the last two years so much. Teaching him new things. Watching him grow. Seeing him learn things. He is so smart. I am always amazed at the things he picks up. He knows some of his body parts. He can show you his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, toes, peepee, butt, and tummy. He doesn't always do it on command, but he knows what and where they are. He can also show you where yours are. He has a book with all kinds of pictures of items in it. He can point out a lot of the things in it if you ask him to. He knows where the dirty clothes go. I have him take his dirty clothes to the hamper every time we take off clothes. He also knows which drawer his socks go in.

Talent is just so quick to learn things. He wants to learn. But he's also very stubborn. I know he can say more things than he does. But he doesn't want to. So he doesn't. He does say all of the following: Mom, Momma, Red Red, No, Yay, Yeah, Hi, Hey, Uh Oh, Bye, Hello, Me, Gee Gee, DaDa, DaDee, Moo, Bur (bird), Dink (drink), Teet (teeth), Eat, Ow, Get, Cheese, and Please. Not all of those words are always clear. And I realize that I am with him ALL the time, so I hear him say these things on repeat. Seth thinks I'm crazy because I say he can say all of these things. BUT, I hear him say these things repeatedly. And every single time I hear him say these things they are in the right context. So I know he's saying them and using them the right ways. He does try to say Riley sometimes but it's hard to catch. And it sounds more like "Iley" than Riley. Unless you spend a significant amount of time with him, you won't hear him say many of these words. He does say them. But he doesn't say them all the time. But, he's speaking. He's getting there.

I can't believe how much my life has changed in the last two years. I love being a Momma. It's one of the best things I've ever done. It's not an easy job. But it is one of the most rewarding jobs. When Talent grabs my face with both hands and plants a great big kiss on my lips....oh it melts my heart. This job is by far one of the hardest I've ever had. Being in charge of another human life is challenging and scary at times. You have so much responsibility on your shoulders. So many people want to give you their two cents. There's so much out there that people think you should be doing differently. It's hard. I have to remind myself a lot of times that I know what I'm doing. Talent is happy and healthy. He's loved and taken care of. Whether people think I should do things differently or not, I AM doing a good job.

Early Celebrations & Easter!!!!

This weekend was a busy one in our family! We had Talent's birthday party a few weeks early. Seth & Dad work a crazy shift and it's hard to get them both off at the same time so we usually have to schedule T's party for a week or two early. So, this weekend we had his birthday party! I can't believe our baby is going to be 2!! Time has gone by SO fast!

Talent is really into Thomas the Train, so, we had a Thomas themed birthday party. He LOVED that his cake had trains on it. My awesome friend, Jennifer, made his cake. She did his cake last year too. My in-laws were gracious enough to let us have the party at their house. I was so thankful. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with our dogs if we had it here. But, my mother in law was so sweet to host for me. I didn't have a very big guest list. We just had our parents, my grandparents, Seth's brother, and my BFF and her family showed up to surprise me. It was a blast. Talent played with my BFF's kids. He got some really great outside toys. He got the coolest bike from my in-laws, a really great shirt from his Uncle Chase, a wagon, picnic table, and clothes from my parents & grandparents. And he got a chalkboard and chalk along with some books from the Astley's. He made out pretty good. Seth and I got him the newest Madagascar movie and some plastic golf clubs that came in a little golf caddy. He loved it all. We've read books, played with all of the outside toys, and played with chalk. It was a great party. We had a good time being with the people that love my baby boy and wanted to be there to celebrate his life with us.

On Sunday we all got dressed up and went to church for Easter Sunday. It was a good service. After church we came home and had pizza. Talent played with his chalkboard a little bit. Then he napped. Just before he got up I went outside and hid Easter eggs for him. When he got up I told him we were going to go hunt eggs and he clapped and said, "Yay!"...I'm certain he didn't know what I was saying. But, I brought him in the living room and put shoes and socks on. When he looked out the front door, he saw the eggs and was SO excited. I opened the door for him and out we went with his basket. I didn't even have to show him what to do! He grabbed the first egg and tossed it in his Elmo Easter basket and ushered me around until we found them all! He LOVED hunting eggs! Seth came out and watched and took pictures! It was a blast! We played outside for a while before we had to eat dinner and get ready for bed. It was a great end to our weekend.

Choo Choo! Look who's 2!!

Make a wish, baby!

Hunting eggs!

Checking out all his loot!!

Tackling his Daddy!

Ball!

The last week has been a little bit exhausting. Talent had RSV and just didn't feel good at all. We had nights of sleeping in awkward positions to keep him elevated so he could breathe better. He was grumpy and just wasn't himself. It was a long few days. He's thankfully on the mend.

Today he's been playing and running around saying all kinds of things. At breakfast there was a small basketball sitting on the table and he pointed his little finger at it and said, "Ball!" To which I said "yay!!!!" And he beamed! He's been pointing at balls and saying ball all day now. So I guess that's his new word. He has been trying to say things but with his stubbornness it's just slow going. Lately he has been saying "gink" for drink, "giggy" for piggy (his favorite stuffed toy), and "gon" for dragon (his other favorite stuffed toy)....along with his normal words- no, momma, yay, da, gee gee, red red (our dog), and uh oh. He's learning. And while some people don't think he's learning fast enough, he's getting there and his Momma is SO proud!

Make my day!

Nothing in this world makes my day quite like when my almost two year old waves me over and plants a big kiss right on my lips.

This morning Talent is in his room watching Super Why so I can get ready because we have a full day ahead of us. I heard him holler "Mom" so I jumped up and crossed the hall to see what was wrong. There was a cartoon spider on the show he was watching and it concerned him. I calmed him down and told him it was okay and he waved me over. I asked if he wanted a kiss and he grinned his ornery little grin and wave again. I ran in there and knelt down in front of his chair and he put his arm around my neck and laid a big wet one right on my lips. Now he keeps hollering for me to come back for more. There is nothin better in this world than being his Momma and getting all if this sweet love.