To my beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy on your second birthday,

"I have died everyday waiting for you
 Darling don't be afraid
I have loved you For a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more."
-Christina Perri


 Oh my darling Munchkin, growing so big and so fast right before my very eyes! When I hear that song on the radio, even with you sitting right behind me gazing out the window looking for "tucks!" it makes me tear up thinking of how Daddy and I waited, month after month for a year to see that wonderful positive sign on the pregnancy test! And even though you're only two years old today (Happy birthday, love bug!) I truly do feel like I have always known and loved you, for my whole life, you've been a part of me- the best part of me- waiting to come out. And yes, finally, time and our Father in Heaven brought you to us. What lucky, blessed, unworthy people we are to be blessed with your care!


I know when you're a bit older that you will have years of discovering who you are and what you want from this life- those so-called Wonder Years. But for me and for your daddy, these years with you while you're small are our Wonder Years. It is truly an awe-inspiring wonder to witness how you change, grow, and learn every day. Daddy and I laugh in amazement every day about how much you TALK! Sometimes it is your own language, but more often than not it is clear as a bell, full sentences, and sometimes verbatim from what you've heard others say. Some of your favorite things to talk about are trucks, trains, cars, airplanes, helicopters and "moto-bikes." You are so smart and know the names of all kind of different automobiles: fuel trucks, transporters, bull dozers, tractors, dump trucks, and so on. You call them out by name as we see them driving down the road. You LOVE the movie Cars, and often will re-enact the tractor tipping scene with your own Mater and Lightning McQueen cars and a few other match box cars playing the part of the tractors.


 You are forming quite an imagination, and talk to your toys as if they are your friends, which absolutely delights me. You have also started using your blocks to pretend they are other objects- such as an ice cream cone. That's one of your favorite games to play with Mommy- stacking up three blocks and saying, "Mmmm, ice cream! Yummies!" while taking pretend licks and bites off your blocks. A lot of the time when you ask me to play, you really just want me to watch you play, which is fine with me.



You and your Daddy are great, great buddies. Your face absolutely LIGHTS UP when he is home, and when he comes through the door, you greet him with shouts of, "Daddy here! Daddy here! Hi, Daddy!" followed by a great big hug! You two love to wrestle, and Daddy is so, so good about letting you be a big boy, encouraging you to try to work things out before coming to your rescue like I am often too quick to do. Daddy also takes you outside a lot, which you love, and the two of you play with what you call "tubs" but are really your golf clubs. I have to say, your swing is actually impressive, as is your ability to throw and kick a ball.


As far as your personality, you do love playing with friends and have a few favorites. Aiden, Caleb, "Ash-y" or Miss Ashley, "Wobyn" or Miss Robyn and her little girl, "Baby" whose name is actually Landon Lea, "Tee Tee" or Miss Katie and her little girl Bella Grace, and of course, Na Na (Miss Amanda),Na-fan (Mr. Nathan), Bet-it (Becket) Cate (Mary Cate) and Baby Wucy (Lucy)top the list. You are not a big fan of large crowds of kids right now. I found that out the hard way after trying out the splash pad and the mall play place on crowded days. In those larger crowds you hang back, watch the other kids, and try to find your own space away from the majority of the others. You much prefer smaller groups to play in, and when you get together with your buddies your wild, silly, high energy self comes out and you have a blast.


You are growing so, so fast my sweet boy. I struggle daily between running to you immediately after you fall and letting you pick yourself up off the floor. In my head, I know that it's important to let you become more independent, to shake off the bumps and bruises and get back to playing. But in my heart, I know that all too soon the day will come when hugs and kisses from your mama will be the LAST things you'll want, and I want to soak up every chance I get to snuggle, console and enjoy this time with you.


 Before long you will be a big brother, my little man. You will have a baby sister watching you, how you play, how you explore, how you treat her. She will want to do everything you do right along side you and I hope you'll let her. My hope and prayer for you is that you continue to grow into the sweet, smart, caring, funny and generous boy I see in you. I pray that you love and dote on your sister, that even though she WILL bug you, take your toys, and crowd you and your friends, that you will allow her to be your friend. My greatest hope for you and your sister is that you become the kind of friends and siblings, bonded by shared memories of your crazy parents, that will take care of each other after Daddy and Mommy are gone. I am so, so proud to be your Mommy, and I want you to know that I am working each day to be worthy of you! Happy Birthday, my sweet wonderful Munchkin.


"Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better"
 -John Lennon

In the last six months...

Yes, it has been SIX months since I've blogged. So, to keep it brief while updating this blog about our family's latest news, I'm just going to go with list form here. Then maybe I'll get back to blogging on a more regular basis, say, every two months. :) 1. The Wiz is still working at his company's home office in Chicago. The Munchkin and I are still.living.in.SC. We have had ZERO luck selling our home on our own. This means The Wiz has been flying (on his company's tab, thank GOODNESS!) home just about every weekend and commuting back to Chicago on Sunday nights or Monday mornings to spend a week working and living out of his suitcase. NOT the easiest time in our marriage. But, I will say that it has helped us really strive to make the most of our time together as a family and a couple, it has forced us to improve our communication, and it has helped me realize just how INCREDIBLE my family is. I don't know what I'd do many afternoons if my mom and dad weren't willing to come by after work or cook us dinner at their house. 'Cause sometimes, y'all? Mama needs a BREAK. I don't have a clue how single parents DO IT. 2. The upside is this- The Wiz's company has graciously struck a deal to give us a full relocation package. This means that we are currently working with one of their realtors to get our house listed, and making appointments for appraisers to come out to the house to get this house SOLD. If it doesn't sell within 90 days of being on the market, his company will buy our house from us. AND THEN WE CAN ALL BE TOGETHER AGAIN AS A FAMILY!!!!WOOOOOHOOOOO!!! Of course, this means we'll be living in Illinois, 600 miles from our family, friends and the only home I've really known for the past 20 plus years, but I can't think of all that right now. 3. Despite all of The Wiz's traveling, he still managed to get me knocked up. That's right, I'm currently about 26 weeks pregnant with a sweet baby due in November!! Haha!!! The belly is steadily growing, and Munchkin looooves to hug and kiss it, "his baby". On a daily basis I shake my head in disbelief that I'm going to have two- TWO little ones by Christmas. WHA?? I am feeling like the luckiest, most blessed, most ill-prepared girl in the world! Ha! I'm trying to prep my routine-loving self to be ready for the reality that for a while after this baby comes, there will be no routine, and we'll be finding our new normal. 4. Did I mention- baby is a GIRL. That's a whole different post, but I will say that I'm soooo excited! 5. This pregnancy has been extremely hard on my body, specifically my heart, as compared to my first. Long story short, I have a congenital heart defect and at about 16 weeks along I found myself in what's called Atrial Flutter- basically my heart was racing and I couldn't catch my breath. This went on pretty much an entire day before I called my cardiologist. In the end, I was rushed to a hospital 2 hours away, prepped, and in the end they had to use the defibrilator machine to jump my heart out of the fast rhythm to a normal rhythm. The most terrifying part was worrying about my baby, especially when they couldn't find her heartbeat when two different people tried with the doppler after my procedure. Thank the LORD that the third person, a doctor using the ultrasound machine, found that baby girl was alive and well. 6. Since then I've been trying to take it easy, taking my heart meds, avoiding caffeine and depending a lot on my family to help with the Munchkin. I've had to get creative to find ways to get him exercise and get him play time as much as possible, while avoiding the ridiculous southern heat that leaves me breathless and exhausted. But we're getting there- 26 weeks and counting. 7. Lastly, amidst all of the exciting going-to-be moving news, and going-to-have-a-baby news, my cardiologist has strongly recommended that I have the baby at the hospital where I was treated for my heart condition earlier in the pregnancy. Which means no moving before the baby comes. Which means if our house sells before the 90 days are up (the 90 days haven't started yet, as we have some things to finalize before putting the house on the market) then we'll probably move in with my parents until the baby comes. This means my nesting/need to organize/need to plan to prepare for this baby has kind of been blown to bits. In the most basic sense, I have no idea exactly where I'll be living when this baby comes, or when we'll find a place to live in Chicago, when we'll move all of our stuff and our family, and how I'll manage a two year old, a newborn, unpacking a house, and living in a brand new city and state all at the same time. For now, it's going to have to be one day at a time, with my eyes pointed upwards towards Him who holds our future in His hands.