Counting Down to 2...

It's hard to believe but we are approaching baby J's 2nd birthday!  One of the most precious parts of passing my birthday and approaching his is that both days hold such special meaning when it comes to our little guys adoption story.  It was on my birthday, just 2 short years ago, that we met the precious young woman who chose to give us the most amazing gift (you can read more about that here).  September 7th, 2010 will forever be far more than just a birthday.  That day lead to baby J's birth, the beginning of an amazing relationship and the end of a journey (you can read more about that here).   We have seen God's hand's all over this little guys life and we truly believe there are those out there who need to hear his story.  

So in honor of baby J's big day, I am going to try and finish his story this year.  Please bear with me as life is a little crazy these days, but I will do my best.

Blessings!

In A Word Wednesday...

Just a few I don't want to forget...

• Exki-ded = Excited
• Mommy Jaedy dry pants! (every time he goes potty)
• Pee Pee potty, keep pants dry.
• Aww, Roxy girl love you.
• Mommy Janson, Daddy Janson.
• You go od-er der (over there).
• Robbie do's basketball, Hunter do's baseball!
• Very hot! (every time I'm using the stove)
• Love you moon a back.
• 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10...20's....9,10, 40's...yay counting (still not sure where he got 20's and 40's)
• Wochte Dog.  Wyan Wochte swimmer.  (He named his stuffed dog Lochte Dog after Ryan Lochte.  Guess we watched the olympics just a bit :)). 

The little man has started singing and praying on his own now, it does take a little help when he get stuck.  I wish I could bottle his little voice and how precious he sounds.  We still cannot get him to do it on camera, maybe soon.  It sounds like this...

Bedtime prayer:

Now way me, down seep, pway woord, sole keep. Jesus watch me, fru night, keep me safe, mornings wight. AMEN!

Dinner prayer:

God is great, God is good, and tank Him, for food. AMEN!

He really loves when he gets to the amen, he throws his hands up and yells "AMEN".  He loves to sing Jesus Loves me and I am quite surprised at how well he sings it.  

The biggest accomplishment (other than potty training) has been learning to count to 10.  He has a hard time with 3 and 4, but gets them eventually.  His favorite time to count is going up the stairs.  He counts each step.  

Blessings!

Potty Time...

Well it seems I blinked and summer raced by!  In the midst of all the business of trips we decided to give potty training a go.  This was definitely not something I was looking forward to, but knew it was time.  How did I know it was time?  Let me back track for a moment...

In April the little man went for his 18 month check up, which was all fine and good until the pediatrician chose to alter the course of life (okay a bit dramatic I know)!  The conversation went something like this...

Pedi: "He is a very bright little boy"

Me: "Thank you"

Pedi: "I am really shocked, he talks more than most of my girl patients.  With an extensive vocabulary it is a good indication you are probably ready to start potty training."

HOLD THE PHONE....POTTY TRAINING...AT 18 MONTHS!!!  

Let's just say shock doesn't begin to explain my expression, at one point in time I think I actually grabbed the table for stability.  PT had not even begun to cross our minds and starting at the age of 18 months...does this seem abnormal to anyone else???  I agree he is a smart little boy, but potty training?  The handsome hubby and I talked it over and decided with a busy summer ahead we would wait until after vacation, thus buying me the time I needed to prepare myself.  That may seem a selfish statement, but all the parental advice I had received from family and friends was that we needed to be all in if we were going to do this.  And while I do believe at 18 months he was interested, I don't believe he was quite ready, I know now that there is a world of difference between the two.  

So we purchased a potty seat and just let the little man play and explore it.  I spent time reading every possible piece of material I could find on potty training a boy, I talked to moms of boys, read little man every storybook I could find on using the potty, watched potty videos and attended a few potty training classes with him at the local library.  

Fast forward to last week.  We decided right after vacation we would do it, begin potty training!  As soon as we arrived home I spent the weekend preparing for the big day.  We talked about it with our little man and pumped it up.  By Sunday morning I felt like a broken record.  As we were getting ready for church I was about to give the little man a bath.  Daddy stripped him down and he ran in the bathroom.  The little man looked me square in the eyes and said "pee pee", you can guess what followed.  I quickly picked him up and put him on the potty.  He finished peeing and was SO proud, that's when we knew it was definitely time.  After church we took him to the store to pick out his big boy underpants...I have to say that's when the reality hit me and the disbelief that we were doing this at 22 months!

We woke up Monday and began the potty process I found in a great blog post by a fellow pastors wife.  You can find it here.  We chose not to use Pull-Ups at all but rather just start training in big boys underpants.  For nap time and bed time we started by using the Bum Genius cloth diapers I had purchased and never used.  We called them night time pants to keep from calling them diapers.  If you would like all the little details let me know, but I will spare those who don't have little ones with my potty process.   

I wish I could say it was an easy day and he picked it up right away, but let's just say the equation looked more like this...

Strong willed child + even stronger willed mommy (x) potty training = a barrel of monkeys!

It was an exhausting and frustrating experience for both of us.  By Monday night dinnertime we hadn't had a single success.  I told daddy perhaps we weren't ready and we talked about holding off a few more months.  Feeling completely defeated I took the little man up for a bath and bed time.  Out of no where he looked me in the eyes and said "Mommy, go pee pee potty".  So on the little potty he went and suddenly he did it...he began to pee!!!!!  I jumped up and called out to daddy "He went potty!!!" and we began cheering.  All the stress from the day was washed away when his precious little face lit up with a huge smile of accomplishment.  We laughed and cheered.  But that wasn't it, after bath time he asked to potty and once again he went and he hasn't stopped using the potty since.  The next two days were a little rough, but by Thursday he had it down pat, telling me every time he had to use the potty.  Thanks to daddy he actually began to use the big potty on Friday and now prefer's it to the little potty.  

Potty training has definitely left me feeling like an unaccomplished individual as funny as that sounds.  Teaching another human being how to do something, that you yourself have no recollection of learning you just do it, is an extremely daunting task.  But it is SO worth it.  Sure not having to purchase diapers is a blessing, but seeing his face light up each and every time he uses the potty on his own is the greatest accomplishment to me.  I am not always going to be the one who helps him learn how to do big things, but boy am I one proud momma to have had the chance to do this along side him.  

For more details on how we did it, shoot me a comment below.

Blessings!

In A Word Wednesday...

Well our sentence phase has rapidly turned into the conversation phase!  Our little man loves to jabber on and REALLY loves to talk with mommy and daddy.  Even when he's in his crib napping you will hear him talking or singing over the monitor until he finally falls asleep.  I adore him so much and I love this phase in his little life.

Here are a few conversations we had just this week...

Pulling into the garage...

• Little Man: "Tennis...Racket"

• Mommy: "Where sweetie?"

• Little Man: "Right Dare.  Two tennis...racket" (pointing at the rackets on the wall)

Getting ready for bathtime...

• Mommy: "Are you ready to take a bath?" 

•  Little Man: "Yes, yes! Bath disa-bubble bath too, fruog too?"  

•  Mommy: "Yes you may have Mr. Bubble and frog too" 

•  Little Man: "Yeah, disa-bubble, fruog" (laughing and shaking his head)

Morning Routine (when he wakes up)...

• Little Man: "Mommy, where are you?"

• Mommy: "Good morning!"

• Little Man: "Daddy go?"

• Mommy: "Where did daddy go?"

• Little Man: "Daddy go work." (nodding his head)

• Mommy: "That's right daddy did go to work and where does daddy work?"

• Little Man: "Church! Daddy go work, church...yeah."

Story Time...

• Mommy: "What books do you want to read?"

• Little Man: "Bible book....baby signs....lama"

• Mommy: "Who's in your bible books?"

• Little Man:  "Noah....Jesus....puppy dog too"

One afternoon while I was checking email on my laptop...

• Little Man: "Pway, Close it!"
• Mommy:  "Close what sweetie"
• Little Man:  (walking over and shutting my laptop lid)  "No, Close it! Pway, shwizbee"
• Mommy:  "Where do you want me to go play frizbee?"
• Little Man:  (Grabbing my hand and pulling me to the hall) "Seet (sit) down, pway shwizbee"
• Mommy: "Okay mommy sit.
• Little Man:  "YAY, shwizbee, can jam it!"

More vocab...
Lately our little man has been saying some hilariously cute words and with that his current words are changing, which is both exciting and heartbreaking at the same time.  Never before have I felt time was going by as fast as it is now.

Here are a few of his latest:

• Disa-bubble = Mr. Bubble
• Too-ed = Tooted (thanks to a kids song :-/, he loves to say "Mommy too-ed, daddy too-ed, doggie too-ed.  As you can imagine this makes mommy really happy...arg)
• Woshie = Lotion
• Shwizbee = NEW! Frisbee
• No much, no much! = So much, so much
• No wike it = No like it
• Bee-chu = Beat you (when we race :))
• My schuggars = My Sugars (when we give him kisses :))
• Can Jam It! (anytime he throws the frisbee)
• Mommy baby kwy-in.  (anytime he hears a baby cry. sorry that one is hard to spell!)
• Drive, cool car. (anytime he wants to go for a ride in the car)
• Pee pee in potty (NO, we are not potty training just yet)
• Daddy Sing Song
• Pucky Dog is now Puppy Doggie

Learning his name...

We are currently working on teaching our little guy to say his name and learn to recognize the letters.  You can imagine my excitement after a week of asking him how to spell his name he actually said "O"!  Of course that is the only letter, but it's a reoccurring letter in both his first and middle name, progress baby!  He is absolutely obsessed with his middle name so if you ask him what his name is he will most likely respond with "Maaaa-nix" (Maddox).  He says it in the CUTEST WAY!!! I love that he is recognizing his own name!  

Current Fav...

This week my favorite part has been hearing him recite his prayers back to me.  It goes something like this:

• Mommy: "Now I lay me"
• LM: "Now way me"
• Mommy: "Down to sleep"
• LM:  "Down seep"
• Mommy: "I pray the Lord" 
• LM:  "Pray ward"
• Mommy: "My soul to keep"
• LM:  "Soul keep"
• Mommy: "And Jesus watch me"
• LM: "Jedus wach"
• Mommy: "Through the night"
• LM:  "Night"
• Mommy: "Keep me safe"
• LM:  "Keep....safe"
• Mommy: "Till mornings light"
• LM:  "A-MEN!"

Did I mention he closes his eyes and folds his hands the entire time!  I honestly do not know how it is possible that he is picking this up at 21 months, but paint me a proud mama.  He is learning to pray and oh how I love it!

Blessings!

Melt my heart...

Are there things that happen with your kids that just simply melt your heart?  For this momma it was just before bedtime:


Me: "Baby where does Jesus live?"

Little man: "Heaben!" (pointing with both fingers to the sky)

Me: "That's right, where else does He live?"

Little man: "Heart!" (pointing to his heart)


Hearing those precious little words come from his lips, it's a little hard to maintain composer.  I love that my sweet little man is learning about Jesus at such a young age.  Somehow exchanges like this one make me feel like we're doing something right.

Blessings!

In a word...

This week our little one has moved into sentence mode!  I have to admit, as hard as it is to hear him sound so grown up, it is stinkin' adorable.  Here are just a few of the things he has been saying:

• "Where mommy/daddy go?"
• "Thank you mommy/daddy"
• "Milk please mommy"
• "Daddy/Mommy go bye bye"
• "Please have it" or "Please have some"
• "Go bye bye, cool car" (when he wants to go for a ride in the car)
• "Daddy/Mommy read book"
• "I you-ya no much" (I love you so much. For some reason it is "no much" instead of "so much")
• "Via-min time please" (vitamin time, he loves his vitamins!)
• "Go pee-pee/poo-poo on the potty" (we are working on potty training)
• "Go down-ner, puwa wif it" (down there and play with it are ADORABLE! going to miss those)
• "Ro-sy go ni-night" (when we leave and Roxy "Ro-sy" goes in her box)

I keep forgetting to write down what he says as he says it, somehow I think I will just magically remember but I never do :(.  I am sad to say several of the cute little words he would say in his own language are now forming into the proper pronunciation:

• Don-on is now Donna
• Durama is now Grandma
• Basidas is slowly becoming basketball
• Bees-bow is now baseball

But even with these changes "I you-ya"(I love you) still remains the same and I LOVE IT!  We are frequently told that our little one has a huge vocabulary (not even joking, at least 10 strangers made remarks about it just this week) but to be completely honest we don't know any different.  To us he is just a growing little man who talks alot!  We have been asked what we have done and I have absolutely no idea, it is truly just the way God designed him.  We read ALOT of books and have always made it a point to have conversations with him, but does that make the difference?  Like I said we have no idea, he is our first so we have nothing to compare him to.  To this mommy and daddy he is just our little boy, growing up WAY to fast and amazing us every step of the way!

Blessings!

In a word...

These days it seems our precious little man just talks non stop!  He is saying so many words and seems to be right on the verge of full sentences.  Since many of his cute little words are changing from baby j language (as we call it) to the actual word, I thought it would be a good idea to document them before I forget them.  So here we go with the first installment of "In a word..."

• I lu ya = I Love You (:) by FAR my favorite!)
• Bas-i-das or Bas-i-dar = Basketball
• Bees-ball geemes = Baseball (for some reason he doesn't ever just say bees-ball, it's always bees-ball games)
• Foot-bar = Football
• Shwibee or Shrizbee = Frisbee
• Sotter-bar = Soccerball
• Bob build it = Bob the Builder
• Boos Boos = Blues Clues
• Bible Book = Bible stories collection
• Einstein or Baby Bach = Baby Einstein videos
• Durama = Grandma
• Rossi = Roxy (our dog)
• Fuend = Friend
• Cool dude = ANY drummer
• Dwums = Drums
• Cool-tar = Guitar
• Bees = Bass
• Hold You = Hold me
• Whoa Mam = No mam

He is a funny little man too!  He exclaims "FOUR" every time he hits the golf ball and proceeds to say "Oh gosh" if he misses it.  He loves music and is very taken with the "Arky Arky" song.  It's not long after getting in the car that we hear "Noah Noah, Arky Arky" coming from a little voice in the back seat :).  He also LOVES "Oh Happy Day" by Fee, he exclaims "Happy Day! Happy Day!" whenever he hears the intro, not even the lyrics!  He is a very smart little man. 

I feel like there is so much more he says that I am missing, these are just the most memorable/common things he says.  I love the way he talks and all the little things he says, time just needs to slow down a bit!

Blessings!

   

Chair war, croup and a few changes...

Well if your wondering where I have been, let's just say it's been a month! And it's not even half over!

First off the projects haven't stopped, OH NO, I am deep in the throws of an all out WAR with one wingback chair.  Let's just say I WILL NOT be upholstering the second one and a post is coming on the reality of upholstering furniture.  It has not been pretty ladies and gents, it has not been fun, but it is almost done (after 2 weeks!).  If you haven't caught my disdain for this project, just wait!

Unfortunately our poor little love came down with croup!  For the love of Peet, could we just be well for once!  Sick baby/mommy after a while just simply wears you down.  I am so grateful he is such a happy baby all the time, even when he doesn't feel well.  Thankfully it has been a mild case of croup and we caught it early.  When your hubby's job is ministering to a large group of youth, these things are bound to happen.

And speaking of our wonderful students, we are approaching the busy season of graduation, grad parties and missions trips.  It keeps us running, but we wouldn't have it any other way!

Finally, who doesn't love a little bit of change every now and then :)...

Over the past few months this blog has focused more on DIY projects than on the life of our family.  It seems daily our little love is growing up SO fast, I feel like I forget things he has done or said.  The point of this blog was to have a record of our little loves life that I could print out yearly and have bound into a book.  At this stage in the game that book would have alot of neat DIY projects, but very little of the everyday.  What kid is really jazzed to read about his mom's crazy adventures with stripping furniture or waring with reupholstering a chair. So to help myself out, and give our little one a record of all the fun things we did as he grew up, I have decided to move all DIY projects to a new blog, leaving the content of this blog strictly about our family, our journeys through infertility and our passion for adoption.  Stay tuned I promise to let you know when it's ready.

Now your all caught up, I know it's not the most exciting post, but cheer up and look at some cutie pie pictures of our little man on Mother's Day!

He was very proud, he picked mommy a flower all by himself :)

By far the most blessed mama on the planet!

Check out those eyelashes! 

Love him so stinkin much!!!

Blessings!

Things people say...

One day very soon I'm sure I will blog about the different things people have said to us over the years in regard to infertility and adoption.  Today I leave you with two that have been said to me a few times recently and I'm not going to lie, they hurt...

"So what about his real parents..." (speaking of our little man)


"You have a baby it's a little easier for you..." (speaking of the fact that we adopted a baby, as if that means our infertility disappears!)


Suffice it to say, sometimes you just have to practice grace...

Blessings!

A different kind of Good Friday...

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...Ecclesiastes 3:1

A number of times in the past I've sat down to write this blog and the words never seem to make it from my heart to the page, but this year I feel confident to put down on paper what I feel in my heart.  I beg you to read this post in it's entirety...

As I approach this mothers day, I feel burdened and heartbroken, not the normal course for a mother.  I remember feeling this same burden just a year ago, my very first mothers day.  Sitting in church service, surrounded by mothers of all ages, I should have been overjoyed.  On the contrary, my eyes were filled with tears and my heart ached so deeply I couldn't breath as I recalled so many mothers days before this one.  When I should have been feeling joy I was burdened with anguish over those I knew desired so badly to be in the moment I had been given.  Seven years I waited, patiently for my time to celebrate, but I felt no sense of celebration.  

See infertility doesn't care if it's Mothers Day.  Infertility doesn't care how many times you have attempted and failed to conceive.  Infertility doesn't say bravo when you attend a friends baby shower or hold their new born baby in the hospital.  And infertility doesn't just go away when they place a baby in your arms.  This throne in the flesh is a constant reminder of what you cannot do and what you have no control over.  What is so seemingly easy for others is so painfully difficult for you.  Mother's Day is a reminder of what you desire, what you long for daily and wait for patiently.  And while you put on your best smile, mustering up every bit of strength you have to celebrate with the mothers you are blessed to know, you are quietly crying inside.  

I find myself asking the question: why if I have been blessed with a precious son do I still feel such a heavy weight?  I truly believe it's because God has called us to carry the weight of one another burdens.  By recalling to memory the seven years prior to our little ones adoption, the pain and anguish of infertility along with three failed adoption process', God is helping me to remember their are those who are still struggling.  Many of them close friends and family members.  That's not to say this burden should take away the celebration of the great blessing God has given me in my son, nor should it diminish the joy I have in being a mother.  Rather it is a matter of reverence for me personally.  Because I still struggle with the pain of infertility myself, there are parts of Mother's Day that will forever remain a silent painful struggle.  It is a thorn in my flesh, however I choose to see this thorn as Paul chose to see his:

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Please do not misunderstand me, I DO NOT for a moment believe the thorn of infertility is a messenger from Satan nor do I believe I have even a muster of strength as great as Paul, but I do believe God has put this into our lives personally so that His power, His plan, His purpose and His glory might be displayed in our life.  Without this thorn we would not have our beautiful precious son!  Without this thorn we would not have met the precious young woman who gave birth to our son.  Without this thorn we would not have been able to give a voice to those orphans who cannot speak.  Without this thorn we would not have been able to minister to so many other hurting couple's.  And most importantly without this thorn we would not be the same believers we are today.  Because of this...All the more gladly I WILL delight in this weakness, for when I am WEAK, then I am strong.

So in preparation for this Mother's Day I have decided to observe a "Good Friday" of sorts.  Around Easter we observe Good Friday to remember the sacrifice Jesus made when He died on the cross for our sins.  This is in NO way to be anything like that, but it is a day I am setting aside to remember and pray for those who share this thorn in the flesh.  If you have those in your life who share this struggle I would greatly encourage you to pray along with me.  Here are just a few ways I will be praying:

For Couples who struggle with infertility - For peace, comfort and strength to continue on.  For a sense of God's presence to know they are not forgotten.  For great assurance that they are fearfully and wonderfully made.  For confidence that they are nothing less than God designed them to be.  For laughter to replace tears, joy to replace heartache and mourning to be turned into dancing.  For peaceful guidance to make Godly decisions on the direction they should go.  For understanding and grace for those who don't understand or say the wrong things.  For understanding and grace for one another, to grow closer through this journey.  For the Lord to show Himself in mighty ways.  

I pray as we approach Mother's Day that we might be sensitive to all those who struggle with what should be a day of great joy.  Not just for those dealing with infertility, but those dealing with miscarriage or the loss of a child, for those who have lost their mothers, for the sacrifice of those PRECIOUS birthmothers and for all the babies just waiting for a Mommy of their own.  May our hearts be burdened for one another.

Blessings!

Found...

I found God on my deck.  I promise I'm not crazy, I'm linking up today and you can read more about "Found" on one my favorite blogs Beautifully Rooted.   So lately I have been challenging myself to "Find" God everyday.  As I said I "Found" Him on my deck...

Around here the seasons are changing and with them our little man.  This spring he is a little bit older, a little bit taller, a little more grown up.  It's hard to grasp the fact that time isn't going to slow down and our baby boy won't be a baby for long.  Life has been so busy lately, so many changes, so many things to get in the way of dedicated time with just me and my little man.  So when I saw him standing at the screen door, looking intently at the leaves blowing around, I knew this was a moment I wasn't going to get back.  I slid the door open and out he ran...

Without hesitation he began running around the deck, laughing hysterically as he made circles around me, as if he was playing his own little version of duck, duck, goose...

Pausing momentarily in a curious stare over all the little creatures flying around him or the noise the deck would make when he stomped his feet...

He wasn't worried about missing his favorite cartoon, playing with his favorite toy, what he would eat for lunch, if the house was clean or the laundry was folded.  He simply enjoyed all the little wonders God put around him...

And the only thing he asked of me was my time and attention.  It wasn't in the words he said, but in those eyes and the toothy smile.  It was the way he lit up like a Christmas tree when I ran circles with him.  It was that infectious little laugh when I would chase him from corner to corner...

It was in the way he would take a break just to sit in my lap and talk about the birdies or the kitty that lives next door...

He just wanted me!  In those moment's, on that deck, I "Found" God.  He used the most precious gift He has ever given to me to remind me just how precious I am to Him.  How He longs too for nothing more than time with me.  He reminded me that He doesn't want my clean house, my folded laundry or my next pinterest project, He just wants me!  He reminded me of Matthew 6:26:

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

I am worth so much to Him!  He reminded me I need to slow down and not feel like I need to accomplish everything, just enjoy the little moments running around on a deck.  

So run we did, the dishes and laundry will always be there later.

Blessings!

Swim Lessons...

With summer around the corner and our little ones love for the water, we knew it was time to start swim lessons.  As a kid I remember growing up in the water and loving every minute of it, so having a little water bug of my own really excites me.  I loved every minute of watching him in the water tonight (daddy took the first class so I could take pictures), daddy said he kept saying "FUN" during the entire class.  I'm guessing he really enjoyed it...

Time for class!

Daddy and Little Man doing the Hokey Pokey!

Kicking to catch the ball!

Floating on his belly with daddies help.

Water and a ball, 2 of his favorite things!

Time to float on your back, needless to say he didn't like that so much! 

With daddy and his ball he was just fine after a few minutes.

Hi Mommy!

And of course he made some friends along the way!

That face says it all!

Happy little man!

Time to learn to jump into the pool!

Class is over, until next week! 

The cutest little water bug after his first swim class!

He looked like such a big boy tonight, it's hard to believe he will be 18 months old in just a few days.  I am such a blessed momma to have such a precious little man.  These swim lessons are going to be a blast, I can't wait until next week!

Sweet 16...

My Precious Little Man,

Today you turn 16 months old, WOW!  I look at that number and wonder where time has gone.  It just doesn't seem possible that you are growing so fast.  I feel as though I blink and another month has flown by.  I am amazed at all the things you are doing and saying.  You repeat so many words we say, which means mommy and daddy have to watch what they say.  You love to climb, run and play chase each night before bed.  You are so active and yet I am amazed how you will just sit in my lap, completely still, while I read to you.  You love to be read to!  You are a smart little man, constantly trying to figure out how things work and how to take apart everything you touch.  You love music and balls more than anything else.  You sing and dance all the time,  I just love hearing you sing Jesus Loves Me with mommy each night.

You love to talk and you are saying so many new things in your own little way:
"Bou" = Ball
"Backit Bou" = Basketball
"Boot Bou" = Football
"Poon" = Spoon
"Pone" = Phone
"Iee" = Hi
"Whoa" = Hello
"Jaedee" = Jaedy :) Your learning your name
"Papa" = Grandpa, Grandma's not to happy about that one :)
"Thant Chu" = Thank you
"Besh Chu" = Bless you
"Down"
"Dedus" = Jesus, Mommy LOVES hearing you say that!
You also are learning to say your auntie and uncles names, I have to say "megan" is my favorite so far :).

Today you shocked mommy when you strung words together in a sentence for the first time, not once but twice.  I asked you if you wanted to call daddy and you said "Dadee phone, okay" and shook your head yes.  You sure do love your daddy, or "Dadeeeeee", so much.  You light up every time you hear his voice, even if it is just on the phone.  You even said "Wuv You" to daddy for the first time as he left for work this morning, it made his day and mine :).

January you made a big move to New York with mommy and daddy.  You rode 35 hours in the car, passed through 6 states, stayed in 3 hotels and saw alot of neat things along the way.  Through it all you were a champ!  Mommy loved playing hide and seek with you in the mirror or seeing you wave to people driving by.  You have experienced alot in the past month and you have brought more joy than you can possibly know.  Jesus has used you, little one, in ways you do not comprehend.

I feel like time is passing so quickly and I do my best to cherish each moment with you. Nightly I am reminded how blessed I am that Jesus has given me another day to be your mommy.  As much as I love seeing you grow, I wish time could slow down.  I know before long you will be all grown up and I hope you will always know how much mommy loves you.  There are times mommy will make mistakes but I hope you never forget my love, I will:

Always read to you
Always hold you hand
Always kiss your boo boo's
Always dry your tears
Always sing you to sleep
Always dance with you
Always listen
Always answer when you ask why
Always be your biggest fan
Always cheer you on
Always discipline you
Always teach you to be gentle and polite
Always laugh with you
Always spur you on to Jesus
Always be there for you
Because I will always be your mommy!

So happy 16 month birthday my precious gift, my little love!   Keep growing, but not to fast.

Love ALWAYS,
Mommy