Snowmageddon 2014

When we were packing up to come home from the Poconos after the holidays, I decided to leave Little B's snow pants and boots there.  "If we were going to have any snow this winter we'd have had it by now," I said.  Famous last words...

Hubby T has been home 6 of the last 10 work days, 5 of which were for snow!  The first snow day last week Hubby T and I were pretty excited to get out and play.  This is how far we got - the trunk of the car.

 I'm pretty sure the reason Little B didn't want to go out and play in the snow is because his mommy and daddy did.  His general attitude these days is to want the opposite of whatever we want.  *Deep sigh*  Notice that at this point in time he wouldn't even put shoes on.  That's how much he didn't want to come outside.  And poor Baby P, who doesn't have a winter coat but has snow pants and boots that will probably fit him this time next year, was stuffed into this crazy assortment of clothes until he was even more of a blob than usual.

 Little B eventually loosened up and the snow has been lots of fun since.  He has enjoyed digging in the snow for treasure (inspired by a Bernstein Bear book we had from the library last week)...

 

Today we went for a walk in CW, mostly because Mommy absolutely had to get out of the house.  You could tell that the college kids had had their fun there yesterday, and that ye-old-colonial snow plow had come through a few times, but it was still beautiful.

Hubby T is home, again, tomorrow.  Don't get me wrong, I have no complaints about not getting up at 5:30, but I think we'll all be glad to get back to normal next week.  It feels like I've been trying to get back to normal all month.  Maybe now that this month is basically over I'll finally get there?  Or maybe there is no more normal.  Ah well, at least I have these guys to make me smile, most of the time:)

 

The conversation I wish we could have

Dear Little B,

I'm sorry.  I'm sorry that I had to wake you up from what was obviously a deep, deep sleep at the end of naptime today.  But if I don't wake you up you won't go to bed, so it was for the best.

I'm sorry that Daddy had to go to church without you tonight and that it made you sad.  I know you love spending time with your dad but you're just not old enough to help serve the homeless yet.

I'm sorry that I didn't wait for you to wake up more before insisting that you try and go to the bathroom.  I'm trying to get you in the habit of going at consistent times, when I am 99% certain you need to go, and after nap is one of those times.

Most of all, I'm sorry that we got into a contest of wills.  Mommy who is certain you need to go and really doesn't want to clean up an accident versus the spun out of control temper tantrum of a three year old who is stubbornly, irrationally, equally certain he doesn't need to go.  I realize that going head to head didn't get us anywhere.  I realize it made you resist sitting on your little potty on principle and that's what led to your eventual accident when you couldn't hold it anymore.  I'm sorry that I didn't parent you better through that situation.

But I wish that you could apologize too.  It's hard on me to see you spin so strongly out of control where nothing I say or do will make anything better.  It's hard to have you come out of this tantrum, calm down while having a snack, and then be happy as a clam as if nothing happened for the rest of the night.  I'm glad you don't hold a grudge, but I unfortunately do.  The only thing that will redeem this night for me is a cup of hot chocolate and Netflix now that you are finally in bed and out of my hair.

I'm sure that there will be many, many, many times in the future when we will have to offer and accept forgiveness to and from each other.  I feel like tonight was just a glimpse into what is to come, and I'm not going to lie, it's going to be tough, and probably pretty heartbreaking for me.  In the meantime, I will go to bed tonight and pray for the strength to continue to be the bigger person, to be able to model grace, patience, and forgiveness to you so that someday you will be able to model them back to me.  Today was tough little boy.  Let's both try and do better tomorrow.

Love Mommy

Hey diddle diddle

Hey diddle diddle,

Baby P and B Little,

they are driving me crazy, over the moon.

The potty trainee

The little baby fussed

while Daddy watched his sport,

and the big boy ran in circles like a loon.

The teether

Here's hoping your weekend has been more calm and less stressful than ours!

Little B's 3rd Birthday

Happy Birthday Little B!  Somehow those two little words can't convey the depth of joy that I feel over the fact that you became part of my world three years ago today.  We have formed quite a bond, you and me, over the last three years.  I am so absorbed in who you are now, and who I am helping you grow to be, that I almost can't remember when we looked like this...

Baby B around one month

...or this...

Baby B around 15 months

You went through a lot this past year.  Figuring out you have celiac's disease and helping your body get back on track was a pretty big deal.  So was becoming a big brother.  But through it all you have proven that you have your dad's laid back personality, your mom's strong opinions, and your own charming love of the life we have built around you.  I can't wait to see how you grow this coming year. 

Little B's third birthday.  He had no interest in blowing out his candles, perhaps he remembers everyone's loud reaction when he touched the candles last year!

And now I'll wrap this up so that I can go read you a "bonus" birthday bedtime story.  Happiest of birthdays my darling boy!

"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be"*

 * from Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

The new year

So 2013 ended in a harried flurry of Christmas celebrating and travel, we welcomed 2014 with a screaming baby (literally, 10 feet away from us in his crib, awake and screaming at midnight), and 3 days in I'm already wound so tight I'm about to burst.  It seems like this year I have finally come to understand why the holidays can be so stressful for moms.  I wish I could say that I was able to keep a healthy perspective and focus on the holidays this year but I'm not sure I did.  So to bring a smile to your face (and mine) here's a couple pictures of our holiday highlights. 

Auntie A with the boys on Christmas Eve

Calm after the storm on Christmas Eve

Happy Gramma with Christmas baby

We made it to the snowy Poconos!

Baby P's first snow

No Papou, that is not the way it works!

2013 will be remembered as a life-altering year for us, not only did we welcome Baby P but we received Little B's celiac diagnosis and began to live life with that condition.  It was also the year we gained a new sister and aunt.  We took a trip to California, two to the Poconos, and I started graduate school.  The only goal of 2013 I didn't achieve was potty training.  But do not despair, it's coming!

2014.  My new year's resolution, if you can even call it that, is to continue living life as best I can.  This means not giving into the constant frenzied feeling that I am barely keeping everything together.  This means spending my time and energy and money on the things that really matter to me.  To live out God's wisdom and presence in my life.  To love those around me as best I can.  I have some pretty good motivators to help keep me on track. 

So look out 2014 - whether I'm ready for you or not, here we come!