Potty training....again.

Okay so I have attempted potty training this child more than once. Yes, you read that right. I have attempted to potty train a few times and each time failed miserably. Talent wasn't ready, he was still having issues with his bowels not working properly, we just didn't know what the heck we were doing.... There are many reasons it never worked before. 

Last week I decided I was done with pull-ups. I told Talent that he was going to wear big boy undies and we weren't going to wear pull-ups anymore. He looked at me with the most pitiful face and said, "Oookay." I let him pick out what underwear he wanted to wear and we set the pull-ups timer on my phone for 45 minutes. We went to the bathroom every 30-45 minutes all day. To say we were in the bathroom more than we were anywhere else that first day is an understatement. By 5 I quit. He and I needed a break from each other and potty training. He had a few accidents that first day but I was determined he was going to do this. So on we went the next day with potty training and spending more time than I ever have in the bathroom. Let's just say that this child was blessed with not just one dose of stubbornness, but two. He gets it from my husband and myself so we are pretty screwed when he digs his heels in. The second day was better than the first but by day three I was so sick of seeing the inside of our house and bathrooms that I finally ventured out of the house with underwear and pants in my purse. Now I fully expected him to have an accident while we were gone. But, he didn't. He held it after telling me he needed to go and we were on the road and there was truly nowhere to go. We made it home and he went pee and we danced and sang our potty song and things finally started looking up. 

Now a week has passed and we have made MANY trips out of the home. We are getting braver and he is coming to tell me when he needs to go. We are using the potty timer less and less. He is doing an amazing job. I couldn't be more proud of this stubborn little boy. He's using the potty, wearing big boy underwear, and making progress each day! He gets a reward for all of his efforts this week. He has worked SO hard and I am buying him a new game for his LeapPad. He has made me proud at all of his efforts. Even if he has resorted to my famous moves of eye rolling. I get that every single time I ask if he needs to go. I now know why my Mom wanted to knock my eyes out of my head. At least the hardest part is over and we are just about free from diapers. I can carry a normal sized purse soon and not have to worry about having a huge monstrosity to carry extra wipes and diapers and all of that crap. I finally see the light at the end of the diaper tunnel and it is glorious! 

Helicopter Mom?

Yesterday I posted an article about M&M's being recalled all over the nation because they mixed up theater boxes. Instead of PLAIN M&M's in your plain M&M's box, you'll find PEANUT M&M's. Well, I tagged my friends and family in the post and stated that M&M's were no longer a safe treat for Talent. I had a friend comment on the post and tell me that it was only the theater boxes and the other packages should "be fine"....REALLY? SERIOUSLY??? Let me just ask this one question, does YOUR child have a severe peanut or tree nut allergy? One that causes him to stop breathing and go into anaphylactic shock? No? Well, then, shut up. I'm sorry if that comes across rude. Actually, no I'm really not. I was once that blind to allergies. But, let me tell you, a sweet little boy came into my world and changed how I look at everything. Food allergies are a big thing.

I spend more than half of my time reading labels, looking up companies, even sometimes making phone calls or writing emails to them to double check the safety of foods that my child eats. Before we are able to eat at a restaurant with our family, I have to check the safety of the place. So, just because you think plain M&M's are safe, doesn't make them safe. Just because something doesn't CONTAIN nuts doesn't mean there aren't trace amounts from a product that was manufactured on that very same equipment. I also have to check on lotions, bath soaps, shampoo, diapers, wipes, and any kind of personal care item his skin could possibly come in contact with. We recently had to change detergent because we discovered they were using peanut oil in with the fragrance. Seriously, peanut oil in my laundry detergent? And no, it wasn't labeled....if I wasn't on a million different allergy mom boards on facebook and other sites, I would have no clue. Personal care items don't have to be labeled the same as food items. It is a very scary thing, but, we read and do research on everything we bring into the house for him.

So, just for you viewing pleasure, and so that you see I'm not overreacting, here are a few photos of what happens to Talent when he is exposed to FISH, PEANUTS, & TREE NUTS. I am not a paranoid mother. I have seen Talent's reactions first hand. They are scary. Seeing your child gasp for breath, hearing him wheeze, and knowing his lungs are struggling to get air....it is terrifying. What Mom would ever want to see their child go through this? I know the times I saw it, it scared me to death. I got Talent to the doctor within minutes. I never want to see these reactions again. So, if I come across hateful, rude, or just plain mean about his food allergies, I have a really good reason. Anaphylactic shock is a serious thing, Talent could lose his life. I only have one him....if something happens, I can't get him back. So, forgive me if I seem a little untrusting. Forgive me if I am a little more than cautious when it comes to food. Take a good look at these pictures, look at the hives, look at the swollen eye....then picture it ten times worse. That's what I got to see. Be thankful for your healthy kid. Be thankful that your child will never have to worry about what is in a cupcake or in a package of chocolate. Take the time to step out of your own comfort zone and learn about allergies.

This is Talent after eating a SUGAR COOKIE that had been baked on a pan that had been used to bake peanut butter cookies but had been WASHED. This was hours after he ate it and had been to the doctor. When we got to the doctor his eye was completely swollen shut.

This was HIVES from eating RICE CEREAL that was contaminated with SOY. This was 3 days later.

Soy reaction after 1 hour of eating something with soy.

What's new lately....

Talent is growing so fast and I hardly have the time to keep up with this like I intended to do in the beginning. He is now talking so much clearer and asking a million and one questions a day. He is learning so many things so fast. At times it's almost overwhelming. He's starting to come out of his shell more and more and this makes me both happy and nervous.

I love that Talent is being more social with the people at church and our families. But, I (like I'm sure all parents do) worry about stranger danger. He's getting to an age where he is curious about other people and will occasionally let other people talk to him that I don't know. When we are at church, I don't worry. I have been in our church since I was not much older than him, so I know everyone. I am able to tell them if they have something unsafe for him, not to touch him until they wash their hands. But, when we are at the store and a stranger wants to touch him, I can't even explain the anxiety that comes over me. I know at times I feel like a football player whose job it is to protect to quarterback....what is that a linebacker? Heck, I don't know. But, I seem to have this feeling when a stranger is going in to touch his face or hands and I can feel myself trying to get in their way. I know I seem rude, but, I don't know where their hands have been. I don't know what they just ate. I don't know if they are CLEAN. I will never understand why people have the need to touch a stranger's child. It makes me all kinds of crazy. Do other parents ever feel this way? I know my best friend was a guard dog about him when he was an infant and she would go places with me. She never let anyone touch him. I loved that she did that. It made me feel less crazy. This whole new phase he is in right now is a tricky one. I want him to be sweet and polite, but I don't want him to just let any stranger touch him. It's something to work on I guess. Teaching him to say "I don't know them" instead of "I don't like them" when a stranger talks to him is where I started. I don't even know what to do to help him learn to not let people touch him.

I think the last time I blogged, or maybe a blog or two back, I talked about teaching him the foods he is allergic to. That is going really well. I have offered him peanuts just to test him and he will tell me "No, that makes me sick" and won't take it. We don't actually have any kind of allergens in our home, so I didn't even have peanuts for him. I just asked if he wanted some....smart little guy to know he can't eat them. He also knows he can't have fish, and he tells anyone that asks that fish makes him sick. It eases my mind knowing that he is learning these things. I also love that when he asks for a certain food somewhere if I tell him that it isn't a safe food, he doesn't even question me anymore. He just says "Okay" and finds something else. He loves powdered donuts, but, lately the brand that is safe for him has been hard to find. He saw Little Debbie brand on the shelf and pointed it out to me, I told him that they were not a safe food, he accepted that and continued helping me look for other options. He can't eat anything made by Little Debbie. I am glad he is learning about his allergies and all of the things he can and can't have.

I am so proud of this boy and all of the progress he is making with his speech, allergies, and everything else. It seems like every time I blink he is doing something new. He is growing so fast and I am just not ready for him to get big. I think Seth and I are SO blessed to have such a smart little boy. I will update another time. For now, here are a few pics from lately.

Just keep swimming....

Today we decided to take Talent to Seth's aunt's house to swim. Now, most people would think that this was no big deal. But, with my sweet child, this was a fight from the word "swim". He screamed and cried and argued. He did not want to go and swim. He was scared. He used every excuse he could come up with including, "But Redick will be worried about me!"

We finally got him in his swimming suit, sunscreened up, and out of the house. In the midst of all of the fuss, both of the responsible adults forgot to put on sunscreen, and yes, we fried. Anyway, we got to Seth's aunt's house and we talked Talent into getting close to the pool. I finally grabbed him and sat on the edge of the pool for a bit. Finally it was time for him to get in. I handed him to Seth and he cried for 20 minutes about having to be in the water and how scary it was. Then he realized it wasn't so bad. He finally relaxed and started "swimming" around with his Daddy holding him.

We stayed for a while and had a really great time. He wouldn't come to me for a little while when we were in the pool. He kept telling me he didn't trust me. I don't even know if he knows what that means. But, finally he decided he wanted to comes see me. He swam from one side of the pool and splashed all over the place. He had a blast. Tonight he has talked about nothing but going back to swim soon. He knows that his Aunt Booie has a pool and he can go swim there anytime he wants. So he is already asking if we can go and swim at Booie's house. We really need to teach him how to swim so I'm glad he finally came around to the pool.

Family Vacation 2014

Since I've been married I have had the luxury of taking vacations. I'm not taking about the kind of vacation where you go visit family either. I'm taking about the kind where you go somewhere far from home and see things you have always wanted to see. Seth and I have been to Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak, Seven Falls, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam (that was some dam tour 😉) , and we've also been to the Alamo. 

We've also had the opportunity to travel with his parents to a couple of great places as well. We went to Washington, D.C. one year and saw Arlington National Cemetary, more monuments than I can count, and the White House. I got to see the Smithsonian and that alone was a dream come true. I loved everything about D.C. and could have spent a month there and still not have had enough time to see it all. It was a beautiful place. I hope to go back someday. 

We went on another trip a few years ago, right after Talent turned one. We went to Yellowstone to see the park and everything there was in it. It was Seth's favorite trip and he talks about it often. We saw bears, a wolf, and enough bison to last us a lifetime. The scenery there is just so beautiful. Pictures and words just don't do it justice. 

This year we were blessed to be able to take another trip with my inlaws. They wanted to go someplace warm. So we went to Pensacola Beach, Florida. I've only been to one beach my whole life and that was Corpus Christi, Texas. Let me tell you, Pensacolais so much prettier than Corpus. The sand is whiter, the ocean was bluer. Even the air seemed cleaner. It was beautiful. 

We traveled from Oklahoma and it took us two days to get there. It was worth the drive. We had 5 full days of sand and sun to enjoy. We played in the sand, enjoyed the waves as they crashed into us, collected shells, and enjoyed local food. We shopped, I got a jaqua tattoo, we laughed, and we all had a great time together. 

Talent was afraid of the ocean, but, he loved the sand. He loved sifting through the shells that I collected daily from the ocean. He enjoyed the beach house and had a blast with his Pawpaw. This trip he learned how to catch a ball, expanded his vocabulary, and made an even better connection to his Pawpaw. 

We took one day and went to the Naval Museum with my father in law, Mike. We took Talent and he was in Heaven. He loves planes and this place had planes everywhere you turned. He and his Pawpaw and Daddy walked and talked, they looked at each plane and discussed what it was, which plane from the movie "Planes" it looked like, and walked some more. They had such a great time. 

This trip was such a blessing to us. We were able to get away and just enjoy being together. Talent was able to have some good one on one time with his grandparents and I love that. He really took to his Pawpaw. But, his Pawpaw spent so much time playing with Talent. He took him for walks, played ball with him, got in the floor and played planes & cars, they watched Talent's favorite movie together, and they even chased each other around the house. It was so great to see them together. This trip was what we all needed. I couldn't have had a better time. It was so great to be together and enjoy each other. I can't wait for the next trip. 

Adventures of a boy mom...

Last night I was trying to get both bathrooms cleaned before we headed to bed. Talent had been following me around "helping" by dusting or throwing away trash. He's a great helper. I had gone into the big bathroom that is right next to our bedroom and he decided he would go into the bedroom. I finished cleaning the toilet and then heard a blood curdling scream. I dropped everything and ran to Talent. I found him sitting in the floor in front of our dresser, screaming and crying. When I finally got him to calm down, he told me that he had kicked the dresser and that his "feet" hurt. I was worried that maybe he had been stung by a scorpion since I found one last week. I couldn't get him to calm down so I called my in laws. They came out and we started looking at what he could have hit his foot on and what could possibly be hurt on his body. There weren't really any visible signs of anything on his legs or feet so we were stumped. Eventually his big toe started to swell a little and it looked like it might have a bruise starting. I ended up giving him ibuprofen and benedryl since I was sure something hurt but couldn't for sure rule out a scorpion sting. He slept fine, only crying out a few times in the night. 

When Seth got home this morning he looked at it and we thought his foot might look a little swollen but I still thought maybe he had just stubbed his toe. That is until he tried to stand on it and he screamed bloody murder. So, off to urgent med we went for X-rays. After looking at his X-rays the doc decided that there was a possible hairline crack in the bone above his big toe going back towards his ankle. They told me we could give him Tylenol & Motrin for the pain and they wanted to out him in a splint until he could see his regular physician. So, he now has a splint and can't walk. 

I know that accidents happen, but I feel awful about this. Anytime your child is sick or in pain, as a momma, you want to fix it. This just makes me feel terrible. Even if I had been in the same room with him, it could have still happened, so I know the guilt I feel is just because I'm a mom and I never want him to hurt. He has taken everything like a champ and didn't even cry when they did his exam, X-rays, or splint. I wish I could say the same for myself. Being a mom is the toughest job I've ever had. 

Why

Well, we have now entered the "why" stage. Talent decided about a month ago to really start trying to talk in full sentences and he has just taken off. Unfortunately he also discovered the question "Why?" So we have been answering a lot of questions about a lot of things I never imagined I'd be discussin with a three year old. We've talked about Heaven, why we should tell the truth, why he has to take baths, why Redick potties outside, and so many more interesting and some very surprising topics. 

What I have enjoyed about this stage is that it has opened up the door for me to talk to Talent about his food allergies. I figure it is better to start talking to him about them now and showing him what foods he can't have and what foods he can have. 

I've started pointing out peanuts, tree nuts, and fish at the grocery store. He knows fish for sure. He will say, "Hish make Talent sick sick." When asked if he wants to eat fish. So I know he is listening. 

When he asks why a hundred times in a row it can get a little old. But, I am thankful for the opportunity to teach him about his food allergies and other things. "Why?" has been a blessing in disguise for me. 

Explaining death to a 3 year old

This weekend my husband's sweet great aunt passed away. I've been in this family by marriage for 9 years now. But Seth and I have been together for 11 years total. Billie always made me feel like one of the girls, like I belonged. She was the sweetest, spunkiest, most loving woman I have ever met---aside from my own Mammaw. I know if she and my Mammaw had ever gotten to really know each other, they would have been trouble together. 

Tonight we went to the funeral home to see Billie and afterwards we went to her house to visit with family. There were kids everywhere and adults visiting. Talent went into "Gene's Room" to look for Billie and one of the kids told him that Billie had died. My mother in law said that Talent asked if "Billie hide?" 

Well we got home and he was sitting on the potty talking to me while he did his business. He asked me, "Mommy, Billie go up up high?" Which is where we have talked about Heaven being. We also told him that is where our dog, Riley went when he died a month or so ago. As a parent, I was a little caught off guard. But, I answered honestly and told him that yes, Billie was up up high in Heaven with Jesus. He got a very sad look on his face and said, "Billie sick?" Again I answered honestly and told him yes and that she went to be with Jesus. He had the sad face again and said, "No! Billie come down down low!" 

No one thinks a three year old can grasp something of this magnitude. But, it's obvious to me that my child has at least some comprehension of it. I didn't bring up Billie when we were talking, he did. I only answered his questions honestly. 

So how do you handle these things with one so small? How do you teach them about life and death? It's a part of everyday living...it happens. It is a sad reality. I can only pray that I am teaching him in a way that is gentle enough for his age and true enough that he won't feel lied to as he gets older. I never thought about teaching him the hard lessons. I only thought about the fun things. Tonight I was reminded that not every lesson we teach as parents is going to be easy, or fun. 

Billie was an amazing woman. I'm so thankful for the time I had with her. I am glad that Talent was able to know her and she was able to know him. So, as we prepare to say our goodbyes to her this week, I am praying for my loved ones  because they had her for so much longer than I did. I'm also thanking God for giving me the time I had with her. 

Children's Hospital

Well, this week has been a very long week. Talent started having tummy issues and we took him in to Urgent Med for some tests.They x-rayed him and said that he had a lot of blockage (poo) in his intestines and that was part of the reason he was in so much pain. He also had some tears that were causing some bleeding and discomfort when we wiped him. Hearing him scream out in pain and kick his legs was awful. We ended up leaving Urgent Med and then went straight to his regular physician. He called a doctor at Children's and we were told a treatment to give over night and to come back the next morning for a follow up and more x-rays.

Thursday morning we went in to see another doctor because ours had left town. She sent us for x-rays and when they came back she told us that the blockage was worse. So, she called Children's and spoke to the doctor that our doc had spoken to the day before. She was told to prescribe 3 laxatives for him. She came and talked to us and we all agreed that just didn't sound like a good enough plan. We were not comfortable giving him that many laxatives and also not having someone see if there was something they could do for the pain. So, we were advised to head to the ER at Children's in the City.

We arrived, we were checked out, x-rayed, and then admitted. He ended up having to stay for 2 nights. The first night was probably the worst. He was still having pain and was overwhelmed because of all of the people touching him. There were nurses and doctors in every hour or so to check on him. They all had to look at his bottom, tummy, eyes, and listen to his tummy and heart. He couldn't eat anything but clear liquids. Nothing seemed to make him happy except snuggling with either his Daddy or me.

After his treatment started and was treated all the way through, he started to feel much better. He started to talk more and want to watch tv. He even wanted to get down and play at small intervals. By the time today came he was back to his normal self. He was saying he wanted to go to home and that he missed Redick. We had a great nursing staff today and they were quick to get us discharged. We were so glad to get to go home. Talent wanted to eat, so we stopped and ate at a Braum's on the way home. When we got home, he wanted to walk and play. He drug out every single toy he has in the living room. But, he was happy. He felt better.

During all of this we came in contact with some wonderful medical staff. But none of them touched my heart like the doctor that we saw on Thursday at my family physician's office. Talent's regular doctor was out of town, so, we had to see someone else that he had briefed on our situation. Her name is Dr. Laura Myrick. She actually took the time to listen to us. She took the time to talk with us and treat us with compassion. She did what I never expected and called me later that evening to check on Talent. Friday she sent me a text message checking on him. I don't know many doctors, besides our normal physician, that calls after hours or on weekends. It meant the world to me that she called and texted to check on my child. She had never seen him before Thursday and for her to take the time out of her day to check on him, well, to say I'm impressed doesn't even convey how I really feel.

This week was full of challenges, emotions, and so much more. I am beyond grateful for those that have prayed, called, texted, emails, and sent messages on Facebook. I realized this week just how blessed we are to have so many wonderful people in our life. I'm thankful that God blessed my child with wonderful medical staff to care for him.

Three years....

I've always been told that time flies when you're having fun. I never really gave too much merit to the saying until I became a Momma. Our son turned three on Saturday. I still remember every single thing about the day we brought him into this world. I remember waking up at 3:20am on the 11th because my water broke. I remember calling my parents, in-laws, husband, and best friend. I remember going to the hospital and getting checked to make sure that it was in fact my water that broke. I remember when they took away my glass of ice water and said I could no longer have anymore fluids or food. I remember all 22 hours of labor, every time I threw up because they upped my Pitocin or laid me back to check me. I remember when I finally broke down and cried because I was exhausted and they decided a C-section was the way to go. The anesthesiologist was the nicest guy. He held a bucket and my hair when I got sick during the end of my surgery. I had a great team of doctors. I remember how wonderful my husband was the entire time. Making sure that if I needed him, he was right there. Poor guy had been up for over 36 hours. He was probably more exhausted than anyone else there. I remember the look on his face when he held our son for the first time and I remember falling in love with him all over again. Seeing him holding that sweet baby, knowing by the look on his face just how much he already loved Talent, that was something I never expected to feel, but I felt a love for him that was deeper than anything I already felt. Trust me, I already loved that man with everything I had, this just added to it.

The last three years have been a learning experience in so many ways. Taking care of another human being is a LOT of work. Talent has food allergies and that has taught me so much. Before I had him I never knew much about food allergies at all. Now that he has them, well, you could call me the food Nazi....people at much church do. I am very careful about things that come into our home and things that come in contact with him. I've learned a lot about foods and allergens. I learn more every day. It's a process, and it's one that you can never stop reading and learning about. I've also learned that patience is something that doesn't come naturally. I have had to work at being patient. I'm a lot better than I used to be. I get better every single day. I've also learned to watch my mouth. There's a little walking recorder in my house who likes to repeat a lot of things. Usually the things you don't want him to repeat, like when I called the dog a "butthead" last week. Hearing my almost 3 year old last week say, "Mommy, Redick not butthead!" caught me a little off guard. But, it's better than other things he could be repeating. I have learned that I can't control everything. Control has always been something I liked. I like to have control of situations so that I don't feel overwhelmed. With a kid, there's a lot that you can't control. Lately he wants to dress himself. I tried to give him choices of two different outfits and that didn't work out. So, now, I just say, pick what you want and he does. Last week he wore a pair of pants that were about 2 sizes too big and looked like they were MC Hammer pants. But, they made him happy. So, I let him wear them and decided not to be so controlling over that issue. He was happy about the pants, he looked absolutely ridiculous, but he was happy with his outfit choice. Some battles you have to choose not to fight.

We have been blessed beyond what we ever could have imagined with this boy. He's happy and smart. He's loving and sweet. He is very independent and so wonderful. Seth and I have really tried to be great parents and I think we are doing a pretty great job. He doesn't throw fits in the middle of the store. He knows what is expected of him when we are out. He is generally very happy and loving. He's a good kid. He knows he is loved and he knows that he is secure in his environment. I am so happy that we have this little guy. He makes life fun and sure makes you feel good when you just need a hug or a little bit of encouragement. He is the love of our lives and we are very thankful for him.

Growing....

It's almost April. That means that in just a few short weeks we will be celebrating our sweet baby boy's third birthday. Three years. Dang, where has the time gone? He has been growing and changing so much over the years. Getting to be here to see him learn how to crawl, walk, talk, and so much more has been such a blessing to me. I love that I've been able to share it with Seth and our families and friends. I hate that he is growing so fast, but, I love seeing him do all of these new things!

Talent has learned how to say "thank you", "excuse me", and "you're welcome" in the last few weeks. His speech isn't perfect, but, he's trying. He is making progress and I'm so proud that he has manners. I'm so happy to hear him say, "hank you" when I give him ice cream or a glass of tea or water. I love that he knows that he should say, "scoose me" if he toots or burps, or even if he is trying to get past you somewhere in the house. He is learning to be a gentleman and I love it. It makes me feel like we are doing something right.

This time last year he was barely saying anything. This year his vocabulary has taken off. I still have to translate for the majority of people. But, he's doing really well. Considering he had tubes put in when he was a year and a half and had to play catch up. He is making wonderful progress. I've sent recordings of his speech to a dear friend of mine that is a Speech Pathologist and she thinks he is right on track compared to where he was when he had his tubes put in. I'm happy for that. I'm thankful for her help. I'm so happy to see all of the progress and I'm glad to be able to actually talk to my child and have him talk back. He's a great kid.

This week we are going to get the chance to spend some time outside. The weather here is supposed to be nice. Seth is off and I am hoping to maybe get some time to take Talent to the park or even just to spend some time running around playing outside. Just something to get him outside for a while. I'm thankful that the weather is warming up and that we will be able to get out.

Next time I post will probably be closer to Talent's birthday. I still can't believe that it has almost been three years. I will never forget how I felt three years ago when I held that little boy for the first time. He changed something inside of me. He made me want to be better. Aside from my wonderful husband, I've never loved anything so much in my life. This child has blessed us in ways I never imagined.

Monitor.

Today I had three wisdom teeth surgically removed. Let me just say it has not been the best day of my life. But, as I lay here in my bed propped up on a million pillows, I am hearing the most wonderful sounds. 

Today my awesome husband has taken me to another town for surgery, managed all of my meds, taken care of our child, made me soup, and made sure I've had anything and everything I could possibly need. He have Talent a bath and is now reading him his bedtime stories, a task that has always been mine. 

I decided I would turn on the baby monitor in our room and listen as I lay in bed. Let me just tell you, I hear my husband in there reading stories to our child and talking to him about the books and I just fall more in love with that man. He is the best Daddy. We don't parent the same way at all. But there is no doubt in my mind that he loves that child with everything he has. I am blessed beyond what I deserve. 

Talent and I have this amazing man in our lives that works hard for us. He provides for us. There is nothing in the world he wouldn't do for us. I thank God every single day for him. 

Happy

I wish I could slow down time. It seems like every single day my child is saying or doing something new. In the last week or two he has discovered a new word....HAPPY! He wants everyone to be happy and he is constantly asking, "Mommy happy? Daddy happy?" Anyone he knows, he wants them to be happy. 

Seth even taught him what a happy face looks like. So, when you ask him to make a happy face, you get the most adorable scrunched up grin you could ever imagine! 

I love that he is learning. I love that he has finally figured out that emotions have names. Today he realized what missing someone meant. He went with me to get groceries while his Daddy got a few things done around here. The entire time, "Talent miss Daddy!" in the saddest little voice. 

He is growing. He is learning. It makes for one very proud Momma. That kid is something else. 

Here is a picture of my guys showing their happy faces! 

Bare naked.

Tonight Talent is in rare form. I let him stay up late. I have him his bath and he decided he was a fish. He didn't want to get out! He splashed and played for at least 30 minutes, maybe longer. My parents bought him a bubble gun and he attacked me with it. I shot him back of course. He was just having the best time. 

When it came time to get out I dried him off and he grabbed him jammies and said, "Bye mom, Talent jammies!" And went running down the hall. I assumed he had run into the living room to my husband so I took my time getting the mess cleaned in the bathroom. When I finally went to look for him, he was naked as a jay bird laying on his daddy's side of the bed! I hollered for Seth to come to the bedroom. Talent laughed and rolled around the bed like a crazy child, thinking he was hilarious.  I'm pretty sure the naked phase will be hitting our house pretty soon. He just thought this was too much fun tonight. 

Blessed

Laying here in bed trying to go to sleep. I have a husband snoring lightly and a little boy who just whimpered. 

Tonight Seth told Talent he could sleep with us. That always makes Talent so happy. So he ran in here to get in bed. While I did the Mom thing of making sure everything was turned off, locked, and done for the evening, I could hear the two of them playing and laughing in the bedroom. Nothing makes me happier than to hear the two of them having a good time together. I brought a book in here to read to Talent. After I read it I asked if he liked it (it's a new book from his Aunt Boo) and he said "No!" which made Seth laugh. This kid, he has personality. 

Now as I lay here I see Talent laying up close to his Daddy, snuggled so close and safe next to him. Usually he is all over my side of the bed. Not tonight. He wants to be close to Dad, and I'm good with that. Seeing them together makes my heart happy. Talent has such an amazing Daddy. One that loves him more than he could ever put into words. I see it in the little things that Seth does. He will text me through out the day when he's working and ask me about Talent. He used to text me about other things...now it's about this boy we both love. I am very blessed to have such an amazing man to parent with. And we are blessed to have such a sweet and loving child. Whatever we did to deserve this...I am eternally thankful. 

Bedtime is my favorite....

Most of the time you see silly things posted on Facebook and other media sites about how moms love naptime and bedtime because their children are asleep. Moms stay busy all day with their children. I get that they enjoy those minutes of silence when the kids are asleep. I enjoy those moments too. But, that isn't why bedtime is my favorite.

Every night, Talent gets to pick 4 or 5 books to read before bed. We read the books, laugh, and have the sweetest moments. Tonight we read several books, some of them twice, before we read his favorite goodnight book, "Kiss Good Night" by Anita Jeram. There is a part in the end of the book where the Momma bear kisses the baby bear. I have always taken that time to smother my own baby in hugs and kisses. Tonight he took the opportunity to smother me in kisses and hugs instead. His laughing and smooching was one of the sweetest things ever.

These moments always end up being some of my very favorite moments of the day. When he sleeps with us and he says, "Mommy, hold hands!" So we hold hands so that he can fall asleep. Or when I tuck him in and tell him I love him and he responds, "I love Mommy, more!" at the top of his lungs. One day when he grows up and is too big for stories and all of these sweet moments, I will look back at this time in his life and remember just how special it was.

Boomer!

Last week we took Talent to his first OU Sooner basketball game.....outside of the womb. When I was pregnant, Seth's best friend's parents would give us their season tickets to the home games they didn't want to go to. That was almost all of them. We always enjoyed them. I can remember how Talent would move around during the games. It seemed like he always loved the sound of the band playing. I can remember sitting there watching the games and feeling his body dancing around inside my belly. Such wonderful memories for me.

So, when Seth called and asked if I wanted to go to the basketball game last week, I said yes. I asked if we could take Talent. Seth was excited to take him to his first OU game. I did some checking to make sure I could take him and that he didn't need a ticket. When we first got there, Talent was a little nervous. He wasn't sure what to think of all the noise. After the second half, he had gotten comfortable. He was laughing, fake sneezing, and pointing at the guys on the court that were playing "Daddy ball".

Talent had a blast at the game. When we left the game, Talent was all smiles. We asked him if he had fun, he said, "YES!" We asked if he wanted to go back again and watch another game and he said, "YES!" I'd say that the game was a success. We were able to have fun as a family. Talent was able to enjoy his first OU Sooners game outside of the womb. We were all able to make a memory that will last a lifetime. It was definitely something we will be doing again.

Mommy I wanna come home!

On New Year's Eve we went out to eat with some friends and family. We went to some weird Greek restaurant about 30 miles away from home. My Mom was keeping Talent that night. He was excited to be going to his Gee & Pop's house. It's all he talked about all day.

We went out to eat. We laughed, talked, ate.....it was a great time. We enjoyed the company, and the Greek food wasn't too bad. We were on our way home and I decided I would call and check on Talent. It was about 8:30 or so. My Mom said he had been a little upset because he wanted his Mommy. My child has never asked for me when he's been with my parents. Other people, yes, but never when he's been with my parents. He gets away with anything there. He plays, eats junk, and gets to drink all the sweet tea or soda he wants. He's spoiled. Which is the way it should be. So, I was really surprised when she said he had asked for me. I told her to call if she needed me to come and pick him up. She said okay that she would, she said she didn't think he would last the night.

Seth and I got home, we each showered, changed into comfortable clothes, and settled in for the night. At 9:40 or so, Mom called again. She said  Talent was really upset. He was saying, "I night night Mommy Daddy!" and he would cry. So, I had her put him on the phone. I asked him if he wanted me to come get him and he said "Yes!"....so off I went. I had on a hoodie, shorts, and house shoes. I got there and his little lip quivered! He said, "Mommy!" and then we packed up his things. He asked me, "I night night Mommy room?" I told him he could. He looked relieved that I was going to let him come home. I thanked my parents for keeping him and apologized over and over that he wasn't going to stay, afraid it would hurt their feelings that he wanted to come home.

We got home and he went to sleep in our bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. Mom called the next day to check on him. She was glad that he was okay. She wasn't upset at all. I was relieved. Talent is at this stage where he will go someplace for a little while but not for a long time. He has a routine and we keep to it. He is used to being with us and sleeping in his own house. I'm thankful my Momma remembers that. I'm thankful that she remembers what it was like to have little ones that want to be with their Mommy! I don't remember staying with anyone overnight until I was much older. I'm thankful that my Mom called me to let me know he wanted to come home instead of making him stay somewhere when he wasn't up for it. I love that Talent felt comfortable enough to let his voice be heard. And I'd be lying if I said it didn't melt my heart that he wanted to be with his Mommy and Daddy. The fact that he wants to be with his Mommy & Daddy speaks volumes about us as parents. That right there means so much to me. Makes me feel like we are doing this parenting thing right.