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