Bye-Bye Mismas

Dear Jordan,

We had to put Christmas away today.  It's hard to understand that it's going away for now, but it will be back in a year.  It's only special if you don't do it every day!  You had a blast with all of the family and fun we've had in the past week.  We spend Christmas Eve with Mimi and then came home and had Christmas with Aunt Katie, Aunt Abby, Uncle Adam, Papa JL & Meme Jean, and Aunt Joyce.  It was a lot of people, but thankfully the weather was nice and you were able to go outside some.

Every day this Christmas season, you would look out the window and yell "It's snowing!".  So this morning, when you came in and woke me up, yelling "It's snowing!", I figured it was the same as every other day.  But surprise!  It really was snowing.  You got to take your new dump truck and machines out into the snow.  You didn't stay long, though.  I think it was too cold for your taste, plus you've grown out of your snow gear and I haven't replaced it.

This Christmas was fun because you really got into the festivities.  You know who Santa Claus and Frosty are now.  You know how to sing "Twinkle Bells" and it was all we could do to keep you out of the presents on Christmas morning!  But, my favorite was getting to do the advent with you.  You don't understand it all yet, but I enjoyed getting to tell you all about how exciting it was to see God's plan in giving us Jesus.  I hope someday you will get it and will know that all of the other stuff pales in comparison to our Savior.

You are becoming more independent every day.  The think I hear the most is "Jordan do it".  Usually it's fine but there are some things you just can't do!  It kind of makes me laugh, but sometimes it turns into a fit.  But then the opposite is when you pretend you can't do something like pick up your stuffed Curious George.  You and your Dad got into it the other night.  You were headed to bed and wanted it off the floor, so Dad told you to pick it up.  It turned into a big old ordeal.  All you proved to us was that you were very, very ready for bed time!

Buddy, Christmas might be over but we are excited about a new year full of new and exciting things.  Birthdays, weddings, time with family...all are coming up in the next few months.  I'm sure we will have some difficulties this year, but it's always exciting to look at the year to come and wonder what God has for us that year.  I pray that you will learn more about Him this new year!

Love you!

Mom

 

Twinkle Bells...Ho Ho Ho...And All That Stuff

Dear Jordan,

We are smack in the middle of the Christmas season and you are something else!  I always said I would be one of those moms who rearranged the tree to make it look like kids weren't around, but I cannot bring myself to do it!  You have clusters of ornaments.  You like to put multiple ornaments on multiple branches too.  It's so cute and I know that the years where we have these clusters are few...you'll be grown some day and we'll miss them!!  Plus, Christmas is for kids.  I just don't want to keep you from enjoying everything you can!

For the most part, you have been good, other than just your normal destructive capabilities...which are very impressive!  Seriously, you break things than I don't even think you can break.  You re-break things.  It's never intentional.  It's just your curiosity.  For example, the snowman's hat wouldn't come off.  This did not make sense to you.  A hat should come off.  So, the cat came off!  For now, the glue is holding, but I wouldn't be surprised if it came off before Christmas was over.

Another funny thing...you cannot agree that it is Jesus' birthday.  Every time I say something about Jesus' birthday, you say "No, Jordan's birthday."  OK.  Not going to argue with a two year old!

We started doing an advent with the Jessie Tree ornaments.  I spent all year making ornaments for this.  Each day is a different story, all bringing us closer to Jesus' birth.  I wonder how much you get, but then I saw you the other day and you were flipping through the book and looking at the pictures.  You said "God and the world. God and the snake. God and the boat. God and the sheep..."  It made my heart soar to know that you were understanding that despite all of the glitz and glamour of Christmas, that you are getting that God is in all of it. 

Well, little man.  I love you so much.  I'm enjoying you so much this season.  You are a joy and I can't get enough of you loving Christmas.

Love,

Mom

 

It's Mis-Mas Time!

Dear Jordan,

The Christmas season hasn't even started this year and I am loving it!  You are definitely all in with the Christmas-spirit. :)  We are already slowing down to look at the few houses that already have lights.  It's going to take us 30 minutes to get home from church in a couple of week when everyone has their lights up!  And you are going to LOVE coming home to our house covered in lights!!

Every time you see lights or a tree or anything you related to Christmas you say "Mis-mas time...yay!".  So, so cute!

I am enjoying this phase of your life so much!  There are difficult times, especially when you throw a fit.  Between my back hurting and you getting bigger, I can't restrain you physically.  But you are learning and getting better at controlling yourself.  The thing I am most enjoying is seeing the world through your eyes.  Every single thing I love about Christmas I am going to enjoying watching you learn to love it.  And it is such a privilege to teach you about Christ.  I am learning to really pay attention to all of the little ways we see God's work in our lives because I want to share them with YOU!

This past weekend, our small group at church had our annual Thanksgiving meal and we took you to Mimi's house for the night.  It was just us and Marcus which was nice, but we sure missed you!  Our house was quiet and clean, but that is overrated!  What good is a clean house if I don't have my Jordan!

You know, little man.  I am beyond blessed to be your Mom.  This week was National Adoption Day and I love showing you off.  You are a gift to our family and it is such a special thing that your birthparents chose to give you life and then to give you us as your family.  I know there will probably be days that you might struggle and wonder about them.  And you might feel like you were rejected or any countless number of feelings that I can only anticipate as you grow up.

But, Jordan, you are chosen!  You were created by God exactly the way you are (which is pretty awesome!).  And your birthmom risked her life to give you life.  She chose to put herself through a pregnancy and a birth that could have killed her because she was not willing to take your life.  And then she and your birthdad chose us to be your family.  And we are so honored by that choice!  God chose you and He sent His son to rescue you so that you can be his child too.  I hope that you feel so much joy by the way God had already done so much before you were even born!

I love you, buddy!

Mom

 

Growing Up

Dear Jordan,

 

Every day that passes, you amaze me more and more.  You are extremely smart and remember everything!  This is not good for me...nothing gets by me anymore.  I can't trick you!  You remember that there used to be candy and then it wasn't there anymore.  You remember what the Chick-fil-a logo on my shirt is (and beg for chicken!).  You do big kid things like make decisions, like hamburger or chicken nugget in your happy meal.  And you blow me away by doing things like riding your bike before you can fit into the smallest bike helmet.  I am beyond blessed to be your Mommy!

 

We had a HUGE break-through this week.  For a couple of years, you freak out when we go to the doctor.  Even if it is not for you, you just lose it.  At your two year appointment, you ripped two buttons off of my shirt.  This past week, I had to take you because you were coughing and we had to get it checked (don't worry, you're fine!!).  The only time you cried was when she took your temperature.  But you let her listen to your heart and your breathing without fighting.  You were a champ!  And at the end you were eating your sucker and you even waved "Bye" to the nurse.  Whoo!  I am glad to be done with the melt-downs at the doctor!!

 

The pressure of you growing up is that it is my job to teach you important things...like how to be thankful and how to obey the first time.  The more I try to teach you, the more patience God gives me because He is constantly showing me places in my life where I need to grow.  I'm not very good at obeying God the first time.  And I definitely struggle with being content.  And yet, He is gentle and good to show me where I am sinning and to show me how to obey Him.  If He is so patient and gentle with me, than certainly I can be patient with you (although you still manage to push my buttons sometime!).

 

Little man, you are special and I hope you always know that.  God has a big plan for you and I cannot wait to see you commit your life to Him!

 

I love you,

 

Mom

 

 

 

Faker!

Dear Jordan,

Sorry it's been so long since I've written!  Life is a little crazy around here (you may have a little to do with that).  Seriously, if I could bottle your energy, I could sell it and Dad could stay home with us all day!  You are so funny.  You make huge messes with toys everywhere, but you also have a little OCD streak in you.  We have a bunch of pumpkins on our porch that you insist on putting in a straight line instead of in more artistic formations like I prefer to put them.  You also can sit forever and line up your trucks in a straight line, usually from big to little.  Not sure if you will embrace one side of your personality more than the other, so it will be interesting to see!

The past two months have been a challenge.  Staying home with you two boys is a joy, but it is hard sometimes.  There are days that I just want to crawl in bed and sleep for a solid day, but between the two of you, I am way to busy for anything like that!  But God gives me the grace to live each day to His glory. It's just a matter if I choose to allow Him to work instead of my trying to do things on my own.  It's harder than it sounds!  I think I have control issues!

You are a big talker now.  You say funny things all of the time like "Wait a minute" and "Good grief!"  You are a sponge, so I really have to be thoughtful about what I say.  You'll pick it right up!  Watching my tongue is not easy!

For the most part you do well with your little brother.  You kind of ignore him.  Sometimes you will get a little rough and kick him or hit him by accident.  The way that you are currently coping with jealousy is faking injuries and then crying and asking to "sa-nuggle Mama".  Usually I'm trying to help Marcus when these "injuries" occur.  It's pretty funny...and maybe a little tiring sometimes too!

Tomorrow is Gotcha Day!  We're going to Pumpkinville with friends and family and then to eat at Chileno's.  I was trying to decide where you would most like to eat in Bricktown.  There is no decision...you LOVE chips and queso!  Mexican it is!

It's hard to believe it's been two years since we finalized your adoption.  What an incredible blessing you are to our family.  I cannot imagine life without you...and I don't want to imagine.  God was good in giving you as a gift to us.  I only hope that we can honor God with how we raise you.  You are precious.

I love you,

Mom

Heart Change

Dear Jordan,

The days are flying by and you are just growing bigger and bigger.  Your vocabulary is huge, you learned how to ride a bike (thanks to Pappa!), and you are a great big brother.  You are sweet and passionate and so much fun.  You are also extremely volatile!  We've been having a little trouble with your temper and with your aggressive behavior.  You hit your friends at church.  It's rarely out of anger...you just play hard!

There was a Sunday evening a few weeks ago that you lost it.  You got in trouble at church and then the whole evening at home was so hard.  I told your Dad that I was at a loss on how to help you learn to control yourself.  What I did not factor in was that God is working in your heart and mine to help us to grow more like Him.  The next morning, you were sitting in time out and I asked if we could pray about things.  We prayed that you would be able to be in control and that I would be patience.  The rest of the day was pretty good.

That evening, I felt like I need to spend some special time with you to tell you how proud I am of you.  I want to reward you for obeying and having a sweet spirit.  So, I laid in bed with you and just told you how much I loved you.  You were listening to all of the words I had to say and then with the most sincerity and sorrow I have ever seen, you looked at me and said "Mama, I hit my friends".  My heart just melted because I could see that God had softened your heart, just like we had asked.  I was able to tell you that forgiveness means we forget and move on.  That the next day you could start fresh and show your friends love through hugging instead of hitting.  You still have rough patches, but I can see that God is powerful and I pray that he will reach you and transform you into a passionate warrior for Him.

Your Grammy and Pappa have been staying with us.  You are loving having so many people to play with.  You are a special little boy and make everyone so joyful to have you in our family.  Pappa taught you how to ride a bike.  It is the cutest thing...you right around with your oversized helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and gloves.  You can barely see past your helmet but somehow you manage to go.  And you don't just go short distances.  You can go around the block...with a little help from someone to get up the inclines.

I hope I can do this more regularly now that Marcus is a little bigger.  I'm starting to feel like I can hand being a mom of two boys.

I love you so much, little man and I look forward to seeing you come to know Jesus as your Savior. 

Love, Mom

It's Big Brother Time!

Dear Jordan,

Last Sunday was a big day for you.  You are now a big brother!  You are doing such a great job with your Baby Marcus.  You love him.  You give him kisses and are as gentle as a two year old can be with him.  We've had our challenges as well.  You've been a little jealous, especially when I sit down to feed him.  But, you were throwing fits before.  You've had a blast with your Grammy and Pappa.  Pappa has been so sweet to take you to the park and the library just about every day.  You need your time out of the house and he has been good to give that to you.

I was so happy to get home from the hospital and spend time with you.  And you were happy to see me!  You were scared of the hospital bed so you didn't see me a whole lot for a couple of days.  But the night I came home, you were so happy to sit in my lap and snuggle and we're right back to where we were. 

You have a book called "Baby Knows Best" about a silly baby who wants different things than what she is given.  The last part of the book is about where the baby wants to be, and the last line is "And where does the baby want to be? Snuggled up with us."  We read this book every nap time and every nap time and night night time, you crawl in my lap and say "Snuggle us".  This means that you want me to hold you and sing you a song.  Then you lay down and I scratch your back for a second..."Mama back second" is what you say.

Speaking of songs, you are obsessed with "My Lighthouse" by Rend Collective.  We started listening to it in the car and now we watch the music video multiple times a day.  I love watching it with you and I'm thinking that is the perfect song for our family!  We want to follow God wherever he takes us, knowing that he knows best and is looking out for us.

You are a smart little boy and nothing gets past you.  You remember things that I forget and you surprise us all of the time.  The other day at dinner, you held up a tortilla chip and said "Triangle!".  That one shocked me.  You are a great kid!  You make us laugh all of the time!  Today we were driving to eat at Ozzie's and you saw a bird perched on a light post.  You said "Bird!  Don't fall!".  I wish I had a Jordan-cam to catch everything that you say!

I love you, Big Brother!

Mom

The Dog Days!

Dear Jordan,

We are in the dog days of summer!  It's been pretty mild up until a couple of weeks ago, but now it has heated up quite a bit.  I'm also really, really pregnant, so it feels even worse!  But, it's easier to deal with the hot weather when you know a change is coming.  And our neighborhood has changed quite a bit in the past couple of weeks!  OU started this week, which means all of the students moved in last week.  It's been fun to watch them come in and take over the town again.  One of our favorite things that happens is the marching band starts practicing and we can hear them from our house!  Some day, your Daddy will walk you over there to watch them play.  You will enjoy that!

One big thing that has happened is you got a fish!  You call it your "pishy".  We got him a couple of weeks ago.  Actually, we got a goldfish and he died after about two hours.  We didn't realize that you had to give him special water.  Since you kept asking about the fish, I went back and got you a beta fish.  It's a pretty blue one and we named him Stanley.  You like to climb up the step ladder (you ask me to "opy lars") and tap on the glass.  And you like to help change the water, but you don't like feeding him for some reason.  It is pretty funny though, because after we put the food in, you start yelling "Pishy! Eat your food!".

Your sense of humor is fantastic.  You are always coming up with stuff that makes us laugh.  Last night, we were sitting on the back porch with some friends and you asked about the stars.  It was still too light to see stars, but you still just laid down, crossed your arms behind your head and pretended to look at them.  I don't know where you get this stuff, but we love it!

One thing that we have been trying to work with you on is the fact that you are a bit of a bully! :)  You got left behind when the Sunday school class moved up, so now you are the oldest and the biggest kid.  No one stands up to you, and you've gotten in the habit of just doing whatever you want.  And the other issue is that you are a rough-houser.  Now, that part I don't mind.  I love watching you and your Daddy play together.  The problem is that when we take you to play in public, you forget that there are other kids who don't like to play rough.  I don't mind you messing with boys, but I'm really trying to work with you on how you treat little girls.  You don't mean anything by it, it's just something that you will learn over time.  I don't ever want you to stop being the great and wild little boy you are!

Today is a Saturday and we have had nothing to do.  We tried to keep it that way because since we are so close to Marcus' arrival, this will probably be our last weekend as a family of three.  Your Pappa and Grammy are coming tomorrow and will be with us for a while, so more than likely Marcus will get here before they leave.  So, we are trying to make the most of it.  We went to Gourmet donut (where you licked the chocolate icing off your donut but left the sprinkles!) and then to the park.  We didn't stay long since it is so hot, but you've spent some good time playing with your dad while I tried to get stuff done around the house!

Well, little man, we love you so much.  I am excited to see how you will be as a big brother!  I think once the shock wears off, you will love it!

I love you, Buddy.

Mom

Always Growing

Dear Jordan,

I feel like it's about daily that you shock me with some way you've grown.  This week, we noticed that quite a few of your pants are too short now.  And you keep learning more words.  I love this stage.  I love hearing your comments about things.  And I love your mis-prounouncing words.  For example, rainbow is "bee-bow" and catch is "chatch".  And I got a great video of you this week saying "Here he ares" instead of "there it is".

You have been getting so much better at controlling your emotions.  There were a couple of days last week that we had some fits thrown, but for the most part, you are staying in control, even when I tell you no!  We haven't been able to get out as much this week because I'm getting a lot more slow and uncomfortable.  We went for a ten minute walk today and my ankles were swollen before we got home.  Sigh.  But Baby Marcus will be here soon enough!

You talk about Baby Marcus all of the time.  You are already a great big brother!

Your new thing you like to do is bed time is "snuggle".  There is a line at the end of a book about a baby that says she likes to "snuggle up with us".  Yesterday, after your nap you said, "Mama, snuggle up with us?"  So I rocked you and sang to you for a while and you enjoyed it.  Then last night, we snuggled for a while.  I didn't want to get up, but you won't go to sleep if someone is in there to distract you.  Your dad learned that the hard way on Sunday when he wanted to take a nap with you.  You kept squealing and giggling so he had to go his separate way so you would go to sleep!

One of things you always ask is "What are you doing?"  All of the time, you will just walk into a room and say "Mama, what are you doing?"  Well, I was down on the floor stretching my back.  I was on my hands and needs you and were sitting in the recliner.  You said, "Mama?"  I said "yes?"  And then you said, "Mama, are you a horse?"  I'm glad you asked before you just jumped on.  Not when I'm this pregnant!!

This weekend was your brother's baby shower.  Your Mimi and Aunt Megan and cousin Nora (who you looooooove!) came and then spent some time with us.  You love spending time with your family.  And you got to see Aunt Abby on Sunday.  Quite a weekend!!

Well, little man.  It won't be long until your brother gets here.  I hope you are as excited and ready as I am!

I love you, buddy.

Mom

Everything Changes

Dear Jordan,

It's been quite a week!  Hard to believe you are almost two and a half.  You are getting so tall and so talkative.  And every once in a while, you follow directions and it gives me up that this obedience thing will catch on sooner or later. :)  You are a one-track mind.  You go hard and it's hard for you to change directions once you start heading one way.  But, you are learning to obey us, which is good, because more than just making our lives easier, we want you to learn to obey God wherever he calls you!

We had a little bit of a family shake-up this week.  Your Pappa has some lumps on his throat that he went to get checked out.  On Wednesday, we found out that they might be cancer, so they are coming back to the States to have his thyroid removed.  It's kind of scary news, even though this type of cancer is easy to take care of.  You never want to have to worry about this and it will change Pappa's life because he will have to take medication the rest of his life.  He has always been really healthy.  It's interesting how my emotional state affects you.  All day Wednesday, I was having a hard time.  I was really worried and kind of taking it out on you...either by not being patient or by neglecting you.  You were so sad by the end of the day!  It just showed me how I need to trust God and not let my circumstances affect our family.

Pappa and Mammy will be here in a few weeks to spend time with us.  While it is not great circumstances for us to see them, because they will be here for the surgery and Pappa's recovery, it is exciting that they will get to be here for Marcus' arrival.  They will be a great blessing for you because while Mommy is busy trying to take care of a baby, you will have someone to play with and someone to take you out of the house!  If you don't get out of the house, you start to get cranky!

On Tuesday, we went to Catfish Round-up in Seminole to celebrate your great-grandparent's 59th wedding anniversary.  You ate mostly apple fritters and really enjoyed saying "hi" to the fishies (there is a big tank full of catfish!).  Your cousin Sampson was there too.  He's a big boy and ate more than you even though you are two years older!

Today was a beautiful Saturday.  We went out to eat at a place called Syrup and then went to the park.  The weather has been so nice this summer.  We usually have multiple hundred degree days but this summer we have only had one.  I will take it, especially since I am REALLY pregnant!

Well, we have friends coming over soon, so I need to go pick up our house.  We cleaned out your toys today to give some away and save some for Baby Marcus to play with when he gets old enough.  Hopefully, you enjoy purging and organizing as much as your dad and I do!  :)

I love you!

Mom

Big Kid Bed!

Dear Jordan,

I can't believe how big you are getting.  You talk so much now and ask so many questions.  And you've probably figured out that the big event is that we moved you into a big bed.  I was really nervous about it, because I was really afraid that it would mess you up, but except for a bad first nap, you have done a great job!  You really like having so much room for all of your animals. And every morning and after every nap, we have to carry all of them into the living room so we can all snuggle together.  Your motto is "never leave a guy behind!".  I'm not sure how you're going to do when Marcus gets here...he might interfere a little with our normal morning snuggles.  But we can work him in!

My favorite word that you say this week is rainbow...except you pronounce is "bee-bow".  And your dad and I were just talking about how much you seem to have grown up these past few weeks.  You are a lot better at hearing us say "no" when you ask to watch to tv or for something to drink.  We used to could bank on a massive fit every time, but now those are few and far between.  For the most part, you have learned to obey simple commands, although sometimes it takes a few tries and threats to get you to do it! 

Dad and I are very proud of you.  It's hard to imagine life without you.  You are funny and sweet.  Today we were talking about how we need to take you to nursing homes because you are just such a joy-bringer.  The residents would get such a kick out of you, especially because you freely give out hugs...and not just any hugs.  You give the BEST hugs!  You hug hard and long. :)

We are getting closer to the end of summer which means that your little brother will be here soon.  We are all getting excited to meet Baby Marcus, although I don't think you have any clue what a Marcus is. :)  So far, you have called a baby rhino, a crescent roll, and one of the characters from Where the Wild Things Are "baby Marcus".  It's so funny!

Well, little man, we love you so much and can't wait to see how great of a big brother you are!

Love,

Mom

Freedom

Dear Jordan,

We had quite a week, little man.  It's been so busy and hard in some ways and wonderful in other ways.  Through it all, you have been a rock star!  It helped to have Aunt Katie here and Aunt Abby had several days off of work.  Let's just say that Mommy is ready to have her life back. :)

Last Friday was Independence Day!  All through my childhood, we spend the Fourth at Granny and Papa Bill's house, but since she's been struggling with her memory, we've had to quit doing that.  This was our third year to do something on our own.  We have really enjoyed spending time as a family on this holiday.  We went to McDonald's, where you played and we ate breakfast (funny story in a second on that!) and then we spent the afternoon at home and then in the evening, our friends the Cunninghams came over.  We ate watermelon and you played with Jocelyn, Elaina, and Johnathan.  Then we loaded up two strollers and a wagon and walked to the park.  You kiddos played with frisbees, balls, and bubbles for a couple of hours.  We ran into two other families from Trinity so we had quite the crew!  Then, at 9:45, the fireworks started.  At first you were scared, but by the end you really enjoyed them.  You kept saying "Fire works!  Boom boom boom!".  It was a really fun time but you were exhausted!

So, when we were at McDonald's, you were pretty much the only kid in the playground for most of the time.  Another little boy showed up ready to play and as soon as you saw him, you threw your arms up in the air and ran to him yelling "Come on! Come on!".  You got as close to him as you could and basically started dragging him into the playground.  I think you came on a little strong, because he turned around and ran back to his parents!

The reason this week was hard was because my dear friend Kelsey died from her cancer on Saturday.  The way her husband and family chose to look at it is that she is finally free from cancer.  Buddy, I pray for the day when you will find freedom in Christ.  It is better than the freedoms we celebrate on Independence Day.  It is freedom from sin and death.  It doesn't mean that our lives are just easier all of the sudden.  Most of the time, it seems to be the opposite for people who believe in Jesus.  But when bad things happen, God gives us the grace to handle them.  And ultimately, Kelsey was completely healed the moment she died and went to be with Jesus.  That is our future and that is why we can walk the hard roads of life.

It was a hard week even though I was happy for her.  I miss my friend and I hurt for her family, especially her four year old daughter Alexa.  The funeral was yesterday and it was hard to realize that I will never see her again in this life.  But, God is still good even when things don't go the way we want.  I hope that we can teach you God's Word so that when you see bad things happening in this world, you can always remember that God is faithful and kind.

Buddy, I love you so much!!

Mom

Big Brother

Dear Jordan,

You are such a great big brother already!  I wonder how much you really understand, but you seem to love Marcus already.  This will probably embarrass you, but it's so cute.  You like to lift up my shirt to say hi to Marcus.  You lay your head on my tummy and say "Oh, sweet".  The sweetness doesn't usually last too long and you start beating up on him.  I saw his ultrasound last week and it looked like he was in fighting position.  He's ready for you!

Your Aunt Katie is here in town this week.  It's been fun for you two to bond since she lives so far away.  Yesterday, you wanted her to come with us to read books before your nap and you asked for her.  You couldn't remember her name.  You started with "Mimi" and then tried "that one" and then "he" before I understood what you were trying to say.  And today you have Aunt Katie, Aunt Abby, Uncle Adam all here!  You are too spoiled!

You keep growing your vocabulary, too.  You say things like "He's walking" and "It's funny". This morning we went to Ozzie's to eat breakfast and watch the planes.  Every plane that took off scared you because they were so noisy, but as soon as they got up in the air, you kept saying "down" because you wanted them to come down so you could see it again.

It's been kind of a tough week for Mommy and your Daddy has been a huge blessing to me.  My dear friend Kelsey is dying of cancer and your Dad has been so gracious to let me go three times in one week to spend time with her.  It's painful to watch her suffer and to imagine life without her, but it is always good for me to witness her faith in the Lord as she nears the end of her life.  She is so young.  She has a four year old daughter and every time I go home, I want to do nothing but snuggle with you.  I love being your Mommy and cannot imagine that I would ever be gone.  But God is in control and loves you so much.  If something ever happened to me, He would meet all of your needs. 

Last night you were a little sick and having hard time sleeping.  I slept with you for 3 hours in the recliner and loved every second.  I miss my snuggles that we used to have when you were a baby.  I think God was being gracious to let me have that with you last night.  I love you, little man.

Tomorrow is the fourth of July so I'm sure I'll have some good stories for you.  I haven't decided if we're going to go see the fireworks because you get scared with loud noises.  The good thing is, we can see them from our house so we might just go in the backyard and watch!

I love you, Buddy.

Mom

Talkin'

Dear Jordan,

We finally understand each other!  You ask questions, I answer, and for the most part we know what each other is saying!  Of course, it's up to you if you accept my answer.  You don't always like it when I say "not right now" or "maybe later".  You like quick "yes"es to all of your requests.  I've been trying to cut back on your addiction to the sippy cup, and this is not your favorite thing.  Here in the next month we are going to (hopefully) try potty training and moving you into a big kid bed.  It would be nice if you could conquer those two milestones before your brother gets here.

Speaking of Baby Marcus, you came with me to my appointment this week.  And it is the last appointment you will come to!  Your irrational fear of doctors apparently extends to doctors for Mommy.  You cried and screamed pretty much the whole appointment.  You were only quiet twice.  When I laid back and she put the dobbler on my belly to hear the heartbeat, you quieted enough to hear Marcus' heart.  And when she tried to measure my belly, you took the tape measure right out of her hands and got to work.  Together you discovered that everything is measuring just right!  And, later, you could not stop talking about Marcus, doctor, heart, mommy...

You seem to understand (a little) about Baby Marcus.  When I ask you where he is, you say "Here he is!" and point at my belly.  And the other night, you would trying to push him out and said "He's stuck!".  You and I both are very ready to get this brother here!  But you may not be as ready when you realize how much time he is going to take away from you.  It will be worth it though!  I think you will just love your brother!

Your cousins from Seattle came to visit this past week.  We spent two days with Mimi and Charlie and Maggie and you really enjoyed it.  It will be fun to see you grow up with them and how close you are!

Well, little man.  That's all for now.  We've got a nice, relaxing day ahead.  We were going to go to the Splash Pad, but it might be a little cool.

I love you, buddy!!

Mom

Your Daddy

Dear Jordan,

Today is your Dad's third Father's Day.  It's hard to believe we've had you for that long.  I wanted to tell you about how great your Dad is.  Soon, you will be able to tell him yourself about all of the things that you love about him.  But let me help you out this year.

Your Dad is extremely special.  He loves Jesus.  He loves to serve and to read God's Word.  He loves to spend time in prayer.  When he is asked by anybody to do anything, he jumps at the chance to do it.  He gives up his Monday nights to lead a Bible Study in a prison.  He meets with guys every couple of weeks to pray and stay accountable to each other.  He goes to Bible Studies at church so he can learn and he spends time reading the Bible every day.  He teaches Sunday School.  He meets with Mr. Larry every Thursday so he can learn from an older, wiser man.  He takes every opportunity he can to learn and grow.  

I would also like you to know how much he loves his family.  He takes care of us by working extremely hard.  He gets up at 4:30 every morning and works fifty hours a week.  He doesn't have to get up so early, but he wants to put his hours in so that he can be home in time spend lots of time with us.  He trusts God to provide through his job and works hard to give God the glory at his job.  He shares his testimony and looks for ways to share deeply about God's Word.  He always stands up for what is true in conversations he has.

At home, he is quick to do the dishes or take out the trash.  He fixes things around the house and enjoys teaching you how to use tools. 

Your Dad loves you, Buddy.  He is always willing for a good wrestling session or to ride your little cars all around the house.  He loves to take you to the zoo and play outside with you.  You are wild and he loves it.  He loves reading to you and watching Curious George with you.  He prays and sings with us every night.  He disciplines you when you need it because he wants you to grow up to know Jesus and to follow him. Your Dad doesn't care as much about you being happy and having whatever you want.  He leads by example what it means to be joyful and content with what we have.  And God has given us so much!

I could go on and on about your Dad.  He's pretty great and I love him very much.  I hope you always know that he loves you more than his own life.

Love,
Mom

Catching Up!

Dear Jordan,

I can't believe I've let so much time go by since I've written you!  In my defense, your grandparents were here for three weeks of that time and well, we were pretty busy having a lot of fun...fishing, the zoo, playgrounds, watching Bugs Bunny with your Pappa.  So much fun and I'm sad because I wish I could remember and write up every second for you.  I can tell you this...you LOVE your grandparents and they LOVE you!  You guys made the most of every second together.  You are such a sweet and loving little boy and it was so hard for them to leave you behind.  I hope you know that even though they are not around very much, that they are wonderful grandparents.  Sometimes I wish that they lived closer (well, often I wish this!), but I am so proud of them for giving up so much to follow Jesus wherever He leads.  I pray that this will be the legacy they give you.  Little man, you have so much potential and when Jesus gets your heart...well, watch out world!

I think the biggest news since I wrote you is that we found out that you are having a baby brother!  His name is Marcus and we are so excited to see you and your brother become best buddies.  I know you will probably have a hard time adjusting to not being my "one and only", but once you get used to Marcus being around, you will love having a brother.  Daddy is super excited to have another rough & tumble boy around and I'm so excited to watch you boys be best friends.

Last week was Vacation Bible School.  You did a great job all week!  We were at church from 8:30 until noon and you loved your class.  You were pretty tired by the end of the week, but you being such a trooper made it so much easier for me to be able to serve and work.

Your language skills have really taken off!  You say full sentences like "It's not working"...and are constantly surprising me with the new words you know.  And of course, you are as hilarious as we thought you would be!  I have been so ready for you to start talking to see what was in that little head of yours, and you have not disappointed at all!  The other day, you were sitting on the potty singing "Let it Go!"

Speaking of the potty...you are forcing my hand.  I might have to potty train you pretty soon.  You keep taking off your diaper and any time you disappear, the first place I look is in the bathroom.  I was hoping to wait later, but you are ready to be a big boy.  I guess I'll let you grow up!

Well, I'm sure I missed so much, but I'll try to get in the habit of writing you so I don't miss all the little things that I probably forget.

I love you, buddy.

Mom

You were more excited to eat the cake than to see if you were having a brother or a sister!

Easter 2014

Dear Jordan,

You were happily watching an episode of Clifford the Big Red Dog until I opened the laptop.  Now you are on your way to harrass me.  Ah, well.  So be it!  If I have to be harrassed, I don't mind it coming from you!

Yesterday we celebrated Easter.  We went to church in the morning and then spent the rest of the day in Shawnee.  You had a great time at your great-grandparent's house and then you ruled the roost at Mimi's for the rest of the day.  We wore you slick out!  You slept until 7:30 this morning which was awesome! :)  You got to spend time with Nora, who is only 11 days old!  You pretty much just ignored her unless I held her...then you definately had some jealousy going on. :)  Silly kiddo!  Hopefully, you can work through that quickly when our baby comes!

To be honest, this past week was rough.  You, little man, are extremely strong-willed and stubborn.  For the most part, we can work through this at home, but sometimes you decide to fight back.  On our way to the Toothaker's house on Thursday afternoon, you gave it to me.  It took us 20 minutes to make a 5 minute trip because you kept taking your seatbelt off.  By the time we got to Nietzie's house, we were both crying!  She gave me a few pointers, but she encouraged me that every two year old goes through this kind of stuff...and especially the stubborn was.

On Friday night, we celebrated Good Friday at church.  God really spoke to me about you during that time.  He reminded me that there is power in the Gospel and that He is able to transform your little heart and make you His.  It made me realize that while I do need to be consistent in discipline, that He will use that and the teaching that you get from us to bring you to Himself.  I left that evening feeling at peace that God will make you into a mighty man of God if you will let him.  Until you are old enough to choose to follow Him, I won't quit praying for you and showing you the grace and love that Jesus showed us.  I love you so much, Jordan and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for you!

So, on to the cute things that you do...pretty much everything you do is cute!  You are really starting to talk and repeat words.  This week, we started working on a Bible verse..."Children, obey your parents in the Lord."  Depending on your mood, you either happily repeat every word or give me The Look, shake your head and say "no"!  It is so funny.  Your Pappa said that you are under conviction and refuse to acknowledge what the Bible says about obeying.  I can't help but laugh when you do it!

Well, buddy, you are trying your best to destroy our recliner, so I'm going to go stop you and use it as an excuse to snuggle! :)

I love you!

Mom

P.S. I am using a computer that will not let me put a new picture on it, so I'm putting a picture of you at Easter two years ago!  What a cute little man you were!!

Sleep

Dear Jordan,

I just saw my friend Kimmy bragging on Facebook about her newborn sleeping through the night.  I certainly don't think poorly of her for bragging...I would brag too!  I just have to chuckle because, well, you never have been a night sleeper.  You've been doing really well, but I can always count on you to mix it up!  Last night, you cried from 4:30 to 5:30.  I changed your diaper, I rocked you, and I put you back to bed.  And you cried until I finally went in, tucked you in again and sang "Jesus Loves You".  At this point, I am so used to not sleeping that it doesn't really bother me anymore!

Last week, you had your first chin buster.  You have a nice cut and scrape on your chin after you and dad went to the park. You tried to jump from picnic table to picnic table (why??) and it did not go well!

You are getting to be quite the communicator.  You try to say lots of words if I prompt you.  Today we tried to say colors and you do a great job of repeating.  My favorite word is "yo-yo".  You are just so cute!

Currently, you are obsessed with snow.  I have no idea why.  It's April and there is no snow and hasn't been snow for a month!  But every day you go and get your boots and mittens and hats and look out the window.  I'm glad you don't realize that you have about 8 months before you have a chance to see snow again!

On Saturday, we took you to the Bushey's house so we could go to a wedding.  We picked you up at 2 and you fell asleep on the way home.  You slept until 5:15!!  I was worried that you wouldn't sleep that night, but sure enough, you went to bed at 8:30 and slept all night.  I thought you would wake up sick, but you didn't.  You just went about your day as if it was normal to get that much sleep.  I have no thoughts that three hour naps will become the norm.  But I do want to know how they were able to wear you out so thoroughly!

We're about to leave to go meet some friends for a playdate at the library.  I love you, buddy!!

Mom

Thank You Much

Dear Jordan,

You don't just say "thank you", you go beyond the call of duty!  You say "thank you much"!  It is so cute.  You said it to the cashier at Sprouts this morning.  It just rolls of your tongue.  You've also started growling.  We have no idea where that came from but it cracks us up so you keep doing it.  You'll say something and it sounds like you are doing your best Gollum impersonation!  You are just a silly guy.

Your Dad came home from Haiti last Sunday.  We went to the airport to welcome him home.  Because we left your Mimi's house, I left in plenty of time to get there.  We were running early, so I stopped at Starbucks and we went inside.  You sat at a table by yourself and played on the ipad while I waited in line.  You kept looking at me to make sure I knew where you were and every once in a while you would call "Mama!".  I guess you were a little concerned about making sure I didn't leave you!

You made your Dad's day when you ran to him at the airport.  You saw him and took off with your arms up in the air.  I don't know who was happier, you or him!  First thing you did after he picked you up and hugged you was you pointed at me and said "Mama!".  Your Dad carried you over and you grabbed both of us around the neck.  You were so happy for us to all be together again!  It took a few days before you stopped freaking out if one of us left the house.

This week, the city of Norman is here in the backyard laying new plumbing pipes.  They have big, heavy equipment and you are a happy kid.  You keep running to the front window and then back to the back to keep an eye on them.  You even pulled up a chair today so you can sit comfortably and watch them work.  We're both going to be sad when they leave!

This has been a hard week for me.  I found out yesterday that a dear friend, the one who supported me the most when I was praying for and waiting for you, has cancer that has spread and there is nothing anything can do.  Someone reminded me of the verse in John when Peter says "Where else can we go?".  That is the point we are at now.  The doctors cannot do anything.  All we can do is pray.  Sometimes it is easy to think that this is our last resort, but I try to keep remembering the God of miracles is the one who we are praying to for this miracle.  I look at you and I see a miracle, both in your birth and in how He brought you into our family.  I know He can do big things.

It makes me cherish you even that much more, Buddy.  Our life on this earth is gift and none of us (regardless of cancer or health) is guaranteed a day.  I hope that we live each day that we have together to the fullest. 

I love you, little man.

Mom

Where's Dad?

Dear Jordan,

I didn't write you last week because your were sick.  You had a stomach bug and it was rough on your poor little body.  You got through it though and are completely back to normal!

This week, your Dad is in Haiti.  We're about halfway through his trip now and I'm sure he is really missing you.  You were very sad when we dropped him off at the airport.  You are not old enough to understand where he is and what he is doing, but you are old enough to know that he's gone and that you miss him.  You've been pretty good for me this week, but we will both be ready for Dad to walk in the house again!

We went to the Science Museum yesterday with Mrs. Ying.  We were going to go the zoo but your Dad took the zoo pass to Haiti with him.  So, we enjoyed almost three hours of playing at the museum.  You had a blast (and a nice, big fit in the cafeteria area!).  My goal for this week is to get out of the house as much as possible.  So far, we've accomplished that mission and worn you out at the same time!!

You continue to grow taller and in your vocabulary.  You talk alot more than you used to.  You've learned to say "water" and "please" but you rarely use them together in the same sentence.  You ask "What's that?" alot!  It's kind of exhausting sometimes, but you are so cute when you say it that it's hard to resist!  You say "stop" and "let's go" and "ruuuunnnnn".  You are so cute when you run around the house in your diaper as fast as you can.  You always have an agenda...and I rarely know what it is!

You just crawled up into my lap, so I think you are looking for some pre-nap snuggles.  I am always happy to enjoy some snuggles.  Pretty soon you'll be reading this and you won't be snuggling anymore!  :)

I love you buddy!

Mom

Snuggle Buggle

Dear Jordan,

You have been such a good boy this week!  I think it's a combination of several things.  First, I am starting to feel better so we've able to get out of this house a little.  I think it makes you more content when I am up and moving around.  That's how I usually am, so that's your comfort zone!  The other factor is that I have been trying to be more patient with you.  For some crazy reason, you feed off of my moods! :)  So, when I am impatient and cranky...well, it just makes sense that you would be too!

Anyways, you have been playing by yourself so much this week.  You will sit and play with your train or with your tool set for a decent amount of time, which has allowed me to get caught up on some housework.  And the weather this week has been gorgeous!  We've gone to the park and for walks.  Sadly, it is supposed to get cold again tomorrow and stay that way for a week.  I am so ready for spring and summer.  You are going to have so much fun playing at the splash pad and enjoying the park.

Your sleeping has been a little out of sync this week and I'm not sure why.  The past two nights, you have done great.  But there were a few nights this week where I had to get up with you several times.  When I get up with you, I usually just go tuck you back in.  I think that sometimes you get scared and when I come in, it helps you relax and go back to sleep.

This week we went to the science museum.  It was fun to get out of the house and explore with you!  You are a little bit claustrophobic.  When I tried to get you to get in an airplane cockpit or a photo booth, you made it very clear that you were not interested!  My little fearless boy has fears...so crazy!  I don't try to force you, we just move on!  You enjoyed the dinosaurs until we got to the T-Rex room.  They have life-like dinosaurs that look at you and respond to you.  Well, when we walked in that room, you backed right out and took off!

Well, we are having some company this weekend!  I need to get going so I can get our house ready for Aunt Katie who is bringing her new boyfriend.  We'll see how this goes!

I love you, Buddy.

Mom

Birthday Boy

Dear Jorda

This one is a little late (just a couple of weeks!).  It's been busy around here!  Your Dad went to Nashville for two days and then we had your birthday party.  Last weekend, you spent the weekend with your Mimi so Mom & Dad could go to a marriage conference.  We had a great time and got some good sleep, but we were ready to see our little guy!  You were pretty happy to see us too!

All in the midst of all of this, I've been nauseated.  It's kind of sad.  I am a foodie.  I love food, especially good food, but nothing tastes good.  But if I don't eat, I get sick.  So, I try to force myself.  But every few days, I have a day where I can't hardly get out of the recliner.  I feel so bad for you on those days.  You fend for yourself pretty well, but it's always good when your Dad comes home so you have someone to play with!

Your birthday was so fun.  I just cannot believe you are two!  Your birthday was on a Friday, so that evening, we went to eat Mexican food with you.  I tried to catch up on some homework that night while we watched the Olympics opening ceremony.  Then the real party started on Saturday.  We started by having lunch at Chick-fil-a.  You love playing there and it's great for us so we can eat and enjoy our time.  Life is more fun for all of us when you're having a good time!

After that, we had a bunch of friends over.  Silas, Henry, Izzy, and Brielle came over with their parents.  Aunt Abby, Mimi, Aunt Megan, Ying, Grandma Nietzie, and Grandpa Larry came too!  It was a full house.  You kids had a great time playing with all of the balloons.  Your birthday party theme was...what else?...Elmo!  You love that guy!  The funniest part was when you tried to blow out the candle.  You didn't quite have enough lung power and then you got too close and almost burned your nose!  Don't worry, we have it on video. :)

Jordan, it is so hard for me to believe that you are two!  You are a real live boy!  You are talking, running, playing, and learning.  It is an absolute privilege that I get to be your Mommy.  I hope you always know that.  You are a precious gift from God to our family and I wouldn't change a thing about you. Even those sleepless nights you still give me..because they lead to good snuggles in the morning!

I love you!

Mom

Oh, Baby

Dear Jordan,

This is my last post before you officially become a little boy.  I have one week left with my one-year old baby.  Sigh.  You just have grown up so fast.  We are excited about celebrating your birthday next week!

Something I keep forgetting to mention is how cute you are when I get up from your bed.  You always stand up for me to pick you up, but then at the last minute you decide to grab as many blankets and animals as you can.  Usually you bring your Brobie pillow and a blanket, but somethings you are able to grab Leon too.  You have snuggle expectations for me and it's hard for them to meet them if you don't get to bring your pillow and blanket.  Usually, you will lay in my lap until you drink some milk or water and then work up the energy to get going.  It doesn't take long!  Let's say this...in the mornings, you are always ready for action quick than I am!

It's been a hard week for me.  I feel so bad for you, because I think you feel neglected, but there have been a few days where morning sickness has been hard for me.  You are having to be patient with me, your lame Mama.  For the most part, you don't mind, but I can tell you miss going out as much as we used to.  Hopefully soon I'll be back to full strength and you'll be able to get out to play with your friends again.

You are a little basketball fan.  You call it "ball-ball" and whenever we watch it, you feel the need to bring your basketball goal in the living room.  You're actually pretty good.  I don't think you are going to be very tall, but you have the personality that, if you felt like making it happen, you could play basketball someday!  You have even learned to chant "OU!" in your little whimsical voice!  By the time you read this, I know that voice will be no more, but until then, I love it.  It's so soft and sweet.

Tomorrow is the Superbowl.  I'm excited to watch it but I'm much more excited to watch the Dog Championships that come on before.  You love dogs and will get such a kick out of watching them jump after frisbees and running through obstacle courses.  It should be fun!

Well, we have a week of snow and your birthday coming up.  I bet we're going to have some fun, too!

I love you, buddy!

Mom

Beautiful Days

Dear Jordan,

This has been a beautiful weekend in Oklahoma!  It's so funny that every week day in January has been cold, but somehow every weekend has been amazing.  Yesterday, the high was in the sixties and it was sunny with very little wind.  Magical is probably a good way to describe the day!  We went to the FBC playground with Henry and Ms. Courtney and then joined Mr. Brad at Chick-fil-a.  You did a great job of playing by yourself while we were there so we could talk to the grown-ups.  After your nap, we went to the park with Aftyn and her parents.  Then they came over and ya'll played in the front yard for a while.  They stayed for dinner.  It was a great day to spend as a family with some of our friends.

This was a big week for our family.  We found out that I am pregnant!  We are completely surprised and astonished at this news.  We are so thankful for this sweet little baby who will be your sibling.  God's timing is perfect and I know He is going to be going to be glorified through your sibling's life, just as He is through yours.  As excited as we are, we are so thankful that God closed my womb for so many years.  He knew best that you were supposed to be ours and we are very very grateful that He made us wait so long.  You were worth the wait, little man!

Your new favorite game is the copy-cat game.  You and your Dad started playing it.  You will do some sort of action and he will mimic you.  You are so funny to watch as you try to come up with new things to do.  You two will go all over this house.  You wanted to play it with me the other day, but I didn't feel like putting in the effort your Dad does, so we made up a new version.  This time, I make silly noises and copy it.  We have a great video of it.  You love mimicking and learning new words.

I have a word to add to the Jordan dictionary of silly toddler-ness.  This week's word is yuck...but you say "Yutch".  It is so stinking cute!  I don't want to correct you, so I've started saying it too!  Your favorite book right now is "Good Night, Gorilla" but you called it "Bye Lilla".  Eek!  The cuteness!  Also, you say "Bite?" when you offer your Dad or I a bite of your food or want a bite of our food?  Not as cute when you are offering a booger that you have on your finger!

Well, it's been a good week.  You get bigger and bigger and I love you more and more.  We are so blessed that you are our son.  God definitely knew what he was doing and He created a masterpiece when He thought of you!

This week's picture is during your nap yesterday.  Leon was standing guard over you!

Love,

Mom

Ruby

Dear Jordan,

By the time you read this, I'm sure you will have siblings and this week will make sense.  But for now, it's been one of the tougher weeks in our family.  We had been picked a couple of months ago to bring a baby girl into our family.  We decided to name her Ruby after my great-grandmother.  She was born on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, but we never got to meet her.  We found out two days later that her birthmom decided to keep her.  This is the third time in nine months that we came so close and ended up with no baby.  It's been hard on us every single time.  I enjoyed making plans about how you and her would interact.  I've even thought that this might be the end of the road...that you will be an only child.  But I don't want that for you.  I know you would love to have siblings.  You are so social...you would enjoy have a life-long playmate and friend.

Another reason why we are going to keep trying is because adoption is not about us.  Of course, I wish we could just decide when to have kids and plan our perfect family.  But adoption is about letting God put together our family.  He decides which kids He designed to be ours.  He picked you for us long before you were born and even before we were born.  He knew you would be our son and that you would be perfect for us.  The years we waited for you were so worth it and seem like a vapor in the wind.

OK, on a happier note.  Buddy, you are just getting so grown up.  You know so many words and keep surprising us with new ones.  The word of the week this week is "banana" and you ask for them all the time.  Another commonly used phrase is "Where's Dad?"  After your dad was off for two weeks, I think you got used to seeing him all day every day.  So all day, now, you ask "Where's Dad?".  It is so cute and I love seeing you and your Dad be best buds.  The other night, your dad's neck was hurting and he couldn't play with you.  It was hard on you!  You kept bringing him balls and climbing up in his lap, trying to push his buttons so he would chase you or tickle you.  Even though you are almost two, your favorite place in the world is still in Dad's lap.  You've claimed that as your spot since you were about two months old!

Well, bud, I've got to go keep you from throwing your sippy cup through a window.  It sounds crazy, but it's about to happen!

I love you little man,

Mom

A New Year, a New Question

Dear Jordan,

Happy 2014!  You are going to change so much this year.  You are really picking up the pace in the talking department.  Your big one now is to ask "What's that?"  Yesterday, you sat on my lap and asked about the pictures on your blanket.  "What's that?" "An elephant" "What's that?" "A leaf." "What's that?" "Another leaf."  I'm sure some day I'll get tired of answering your questions, especially when you stump me!  But I am really enjoying being able to hold basic conversations with you.  I like that when I ask you to hand me something, you do (unless you are feeling stubborn!).  It's just so fun to watch you grow and change!

Sleeping is still an issue for you.  You were up for two hours last night.  I am at a loss at how to help you sleep better.  I think it is something you will just have to grow out of.  I'm not very nervous about the sleep deprivation that will come with your sister because I never really got used to you sleeping through the night!  Let's just say that it's not an expectation I have for you!  I think once you wake up, you are ready to see somebody and hate to be in your room by yourself.  I try to go in there every fifteen minutes and tuck you in again and let you know that I'm still there.  I used to get more angry about it, but I've accepted it and try to rejoice that I have a sweet kid like you to wake me up!

You do the funniest things.  It is freezing cold outside today and this morning you moved your Elmo chair over to the window so you could sit and look out.  You strategically placed it where you could put your feet on the vent.  So funny!  Of course I got a picture!

We thought that your sister was coming on Friday but we're still waiting.  Honestly, I am kind of glad.  Your dad had two weeks off and it was fun, but I am so happy that we got to spend today together.  For so many days, it is just me and you, little man, and I'm going to miss it.  I'm so excited to bring a sister into the mix, but things will definately change for us.  I will do my best to accomodate both of you when it's snuggle time!  The house may not be very clean, but hey, you won't remember that any ways!

Well, buddy, I'm going to get back to the to-do list.  I'm thankful for you even if you keep me up at night! :)

I love you so much!

Mom