whoa...

My kid can write! We are so excited about this new development. We were at the Wilmore craft fair today and Nathan wrote the letter M on a chalkboard. Then he wrote an O and then another M. MOM! So cool. Almost as amazing as when he said "mama". He amazes me. Some other things going on...He loves going to School Skills at Gymboree! He is learning his letters. He loves the letter L and O :-). Also, he is watching a new cartoon called Rescue Bots. He thinks it is really neat. He growing up right before our eyes!! He ate peas tonight for the first time. I have been stressing about this for years. He had an aversion to anything green. I did have to bribe him with a candy cane. We went to Christmas in Wilmore tonight. That was nice. He liked petting the goats and seeing the camel.

Abe is sitting up, crawling backwards, he rocks on his knees but he can't move forward. He naps mostly two times a day, he eats solids. A lot of solids! Bananas and every kind of baby food. He is super cute and I love his laugh. We are having a good time as a family during this crazy season of life. We are grateful for our blessings.

Tomorrow you turn three...

Tonight I picked up the toys in your room and fought back tears at the same time. You will be three tomorrow. I am tired. Your dad and I ate at Tumbleweed the night before you were born. The spicy burrito was just what you needed to enter the world. Then you changed my world. You were tiny. Now you are a big guy. I know the times you curl up in my lap are numbered. I try to savor each time all the while wondering if it is the last. I am thankful I only remember the firsts and not the lasts. You still love trucks. Backhoes are your favorite. "A dragon" is your answer when I ask you what you want to be when you grow up. You love Blue's Clues and sing the songs with lots of emotion. Maaaailllll time!!! You love people. You don't have a lot of friends your age, but you know how to get along well with all ages. You still like riding your tractor in the back yard. Daisy is one of your best buddies. You are fascinated by all things, from the tiniest bug to every single plane that flies over head. You enjoy life. You love God. You talk to me about kids in this world not having homes and how we need to do something to help them. I pray you will one day. You have been an awesome big brother. You surprise me each time you want to hold Abe. I know we are all still adjusting. I am so thankful you are my son. I can't believe you are turning three. You sing, "God keeps me, God keeps me, in my Bible book it says that God keeps me." It is because of this I can rest. I know you are His. He loves you. Happy Birthday sweet boy.

tonight...

Tonight I was lying in bed with Nathan. The lights were out and we were looking at his glow in the dark stars. It was quiet for a long time so I asked him what he was thinking about.
"God"
"What are you thinking about God?"
"God is with me."
Amen and amen.

Plastic knives and cars...

About two weeks ago Nathan I were playing on the floor in the kitchen with a box of plastic knives and race cars. Endless possibilities. I was feeling sick. I mean take one moment at a time kind of sick. I didn't think Nathan was noticing me since we were so busy. He went to his bed room to get another race car and on the way back to the kitchen I heard him mumbling and saying my name. He rounded the corner to the kitchen with his hands folded together. I asked him what he was doing. "Praying, mom." I asked him what he was praying for. "I'm praying for you, mom."

I am so thankful for God's presence in his life and in mine.

He is TWO!

Two years ago we were staring down at an amazing creation. We had no idea how sweet and silly he was going to be. We had no idea he was going to love trucks and trains. We had no idea how much sleep we were going to lose or how much we would worry. We certainly had no idea how much he was going to change our whole lives. We had no idea how much we could love someone. 

A little birthday prayer...

Thank you God for the amazing privilege of being Nathan's mom. Thank you for helping me understand how much you love and delight in me because of the way I feel about Nathan. I pray he will continue to grow in knowledge and love of you. Amen.

Happy Birthday sweet boy!

23 months...

Dear Nathan,
I've noticed something about you.You are an encourager. You tell other kids you play with and your mom and dad, "good job" and "nice work." Most of the time you are the only kid who stops and pays attention to what your friends are doing. Tonight at church you told a little boy "good job" twice when he went down the slide! When I dress up you tell me, "nice dress", "I like your hair", "I like your eyes." When Daisy's bowl is empty you never hesitate to fill it up with some food and then you tell her to "come Daisy." You notice things, little things, and you care about your world. I am so thankful for that and I pray your gift of encouragement grows and grows.
I love you. ~Mom

22 months...

Have I mentioned that every month with Nathan has been my favorite?
He is really amazing. Here are some of the amazing things he does...
When he wakes up we ease into the morning together usually with Bob the Builder. He can sing the song.
He LOVES bulldozers. He says bulldozer at least 100 times a day.
He knows his trucks. He lines them up and says, "this tractor, this bulldozer, this dump truck, this trash truck, this big hook (tow truck), this flat bed."
He plays with his trucks for LONG periods of time. He fills them with sand or rocks.
He really likes riding his John-Deere tractor in the back yard. He is getting good at steering it.
He LOVES ice cream and calls it meh-meh.
Whenever he counts he starts with 8-9-10.
He is really good at basketball and loves to play "my ball."
He blesses me every time I sneeze or cough.
The other day we spilled some blueberries on the floor and he ran to get the mop.
He gives hugs and kisses without asking.
When he says thanks it sounds like "shoot." "Shoot mama, shoot." Love it!
He amazes us with his vocabulary everyday. Today he pointed to a dragonfly and said, "This is a dragonfly!"
Yesterday he looked at me and said with a big smile, "I'm the best!" He has a healthy self-esteem.
He is a great kid.