Every Day

thoughts on Tuesday

May62014

-ONE-

I’ve started watching Grey’s Anatomy again. I was a devoted fan and then I quit a couple of seasons ago when two of my very favorite characters died. I’m still upset about that. But I’ve started watching again so I can see Cristina’s departure.

-TWO-

I miss my coffee. Spark is okay and all, but I’ll be eager to at least have one cup of coffee a day again. I am thinking I may learn to drink it black. Any black coffee drinkers out there?

-THREE-

The weather is Columbia is HOT this week. It’s been up in the 90s. I’m thankful that it’s still a little breezy and the humidity is low. It doesn’t feel like a summer day yet, so that’s good!

-FOUR-

We’re heading to Orange Beach, Alabama in less than a month and I am so excited. We’ll be with my parents and my extended family and I know we’re going to want to stay forever.

-FIVE-

We put Hayes in a big boy bed two nights ago. We thought it might be a bit traumatic for him, but it’s actually been a non-event. He didn’t cry. He just got in his bed and went to sleep. And he’s done that for naps and bedtime for the past two days. We’re shocked! And thrilled!

-SIX-

Our last day of preschool is next Thursday. I can’t believe how quickly this year flew by. We’re so looking forward to slow mornings and days at the pool. Hudson is already talking about what he wants to take his lunchbox to the pool every day. He’s definitely my type-A child.

-SEVEN-

Have y’all been watching Dancing With the Stars? I’m so glad that Erin Andrews is on there, and every one of the “stars” is SO good. I have loved watching it this season.

-EIGHT-

I need to do a post about what I’ve been eating, but so far the 24-day challenge has been going really well. I’m on day 15 and I’m down about five pounds, I think. So far I’m not bored with the eating and I’m drinking ALL the water. Constant water drinking. I have noticed a huge difference in the way my pants fit and I’ve got so much less belly bloating.

-NINE-

I started reading This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Trooper and I’m loving it so far.

We’re heading out after naps for a fun afternoon at the park. Gotta soak up spring while it’s still here!

Hayes is 3!

Filed Under: Every Day, Faith, Family, Hayes, Motherhood, Uncategorized

May52014

Dear Hayes,

We woke you up this morning to sing happy birthday to you, and brought you downstairs to open your presents and have a donut fiesta. You were so excited. It’s like you couldn’t believe that today was actually YOUR birthday. Finally!

We all call you Hayesie. Your classmates, Hudson, and all the teachers, too. So sometimes when we ask you what your name is, you’ll say, “Hayesie.” It’s hilarious, but then sometimes I think we should stop so you don’t grow up thinking your name is Hayesie.

Being your mother is one of the sweetest privileges of my life. You are my sweetheart. You are the little light in this house that is always shining. Always beaming. Always laughing and looking for the party.

When someone is sad, you hug them. When someone is laughing, you tell them how funny they are. You greet everyone you meet with a smile. When we have visitors at the house, you want to take them around and show them your room and your favorite toys. You want everyone to feel as welcome as possible, and I just love that about you.

You’re our little wild card. Sitting still is not your favorite. You love to move and dance and do anything physical. You talk all the time and you don’t have a mean streak in your body. You’re not always obedient, but you are always sweet. I could cry just thinking about the way you hug using your whole body. And the way you grab my face to kiss my cheek. Totally unprompted… just because you’re you and you’re so loving.

If Hudson taught me how to be a mommy, you have taught me how to slow down to enjoy every single day. You’ve reminded me what a gift it is to be a mommy and what a joy it is to be your mommy and Hudson’s mommy. You love to enjoy everything for what it is. We take walks and hold hands. You soak every little thing up.

Even though you’re always running, you’re never actually in a hurry. When we opened your presents this morning, you wanted to stop and savor that first present. You weren’t ready to see what was in the next one. I get all teary thinking about what a good friend you will be and I just know that you’ll be the kid that everyone wants to be around because you treat everyone like they’re special.

I’m so thankful for your sweet little spirit and I’m so thankful for the way you rub off on the rest of us. I look at you and I still see my tiny little baby. Watching you grow up has been tough because I know you’re still really so little, but the time sure does go by quickly.

There aren’t enough words for me to tell you how wonderful you are and how much fun you are. But I will love you, love you, love you for as long as I live, and because of you, I’ll slow down a little bit more every day. You are such a light. Happy birthday, my sweet baby boy!

Love,

Mommy

in the middle of the night

Filed Under: Every Day, Family, Motherhood

May12014

Last night around 11:00, Todd and I headed to bed. We had been watching Jimmy Fallon and Emma Stone’s lip syncing competition on You Tube and then watched Paul Rudd’s. We laughed and turned on the news and fell asleep.

At midnight, I woke up to the sound of Hayes crying on the monitor. We have a video monitor and I could tell that he was pretty upset just by looking at him. Todd went upstairs to cover him back up and tuck him in, and then he came back and went to sleep.

At 1:00, I heard him crying again. The same distraught cry. So I went upstairs and tucked him in this time.

At 1:45, it happened again, so Todd took him some Ibuprofen and held him for a while before tucking him back in.

At 3:00, Hayes was crying again. This time, I went up and help him and rocked him in my arms while standing up. I asked him if his throat hurt or his ears hurt, and he really didn’t respond. I tucked him back in and then at 3:30, it started again.

Todd went upstairs to get him and brought him back to our bed and put Hayes in the crook of my arm. He snoozed on and off in my arms for a while. All 40 pounds and three years old of him. I could feel his hot breath on my cheek. His legs stretched down almost as far as the tops of my knees. And while I lay there holding my baby, I flashed back to the last time we were up this many times in one night.

Hayes was just a few weeks old. I was getting up to feed him every couple of hours. I’d peel myself out of bed and feed him and sometimes struggle to feed him. I’d put him back to bed and he’d arch his back because the reflux hurt him so badly. And after a few minutes, I’d end up back in the bed, holding tiny 10-pound Hayes in the crook of my arm.

His little legs barely came down as far as my wrist and I was constantly waking myself up to make sure I didn’t roll over on him or to make sure he hadn’t spit up.

We went to the doctor this morning and Hayes has an ear infection, as we suspected. And I know that his cries were so important last night to tell us that something was wrong and something hurt.

How did three years fly by so quickly? How did all this time pass, but I still have that same feeling to comfort and protect while holding my youngest boy in my arms in such a sleepy haze. And it feels like no time has passed at all.

How is it possible that while holding this large preschooler, I could still feel that tiny boy that he once was, nestled in that same sweet spot?

All I wanted in that moment (aside from sleep and for Hayes to feel better) was to freeze time. It was a long night, but also such a sweet night as we approach his third birthday.

Celebrating Easter 2014

Filed Under: Every Day, Holidays

Apr232014

We had such a great Easter weekend. My mom stayed in town through Monday, and we went to the 8:30 and 10:00 services at church to sing in the choir.

Todd’s parents and grandmother joined us for church and lunch, and we came home to eat right after church. I got some pretty darn good (and cooperative) pictures of the boys, but no family pictures.

The Easter bunny visits our house while we’re at church. (Todd and I get the baskets put together before we leave for church and one of us sets it out before the kids come back in the house after church. We don’t wake up early enough to do all that before church.)

The grandparents contributed bubble machines to the Easter baskets, too.

We ate lunch and then did our Easter egg hunt right after lunch. We did it at Todd’s office because there is just tons of space to run around. The boys loved that they had all the eggs to themselves!

We all came home for long naps and it was just a fun, relaxing day.

On Friday and Saturday, we attended two different Easter egg hunts at friends’ homes and had the best time. We loved dying eggs with Emily, Jack and Hazel. It’s fun to just let them make a mess and wipe it up with towels. Hudson was super excited about his decorated eggs this year.

The boys and I drove my mom to Atlanta to catch a plane on Monday morning. We ended up working in a trip to the Georgia Aquarium before we dropped her off, and it was such a great time. The boys were exhausted and missed naps that day, but I’m thankful for all the memories made!

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