My second child is the big 2. He is vastly different from my first! However, he has stolen my heart just the same. I know that I am partial, but I really feel so blessed that God choose me to be the mother to the two of them!
Cole is part monkey, part charmer, and since he has turned two, part dictator. As part monkey, he would definitely qualify to be a member of the Xtreme toddler team (if that existed)! He does amazing feats with his body that would have put most children in a body cast 10 times over yet, knock on wood , we have not made any trips to the E.R.! However, he just got his first skinned knee, it has concerned him very much. He truly seemed astounded that he could have let this happen. Also, as part monkey, he has even started using his feet to hold his sippy cup and to turn the pages of a book. He is also the toughest little guy I have just about ever seen. The other day our glass door swung shut on his face. He did not flinch! Another time he put his hand on the elevator door as it was opening but never took his hand away. The door slid back into the frame with his little hand inside. I pulled his hand free and he did not seemed the least bit fazed. While I wanted to curl up in a ball in the back of the elevator and shake and cry! I am quite sure that he has already taken a few years off of my life. The rapid acceleration of my heart rate, gasps, shudders and heightened quick response times are all part of a normal day. He also has fine motor skills that astound me all of the time! He plays with the tiniest Legos, little toys, and loves to pour from one container to another and hardly ever spill. Although sometimes he likes to pour with only one container. (Read: He loves to just pour things out on the table or floor!)
Also,Cole is the truest definition of a charmer! He has the biggest brightest blue eyes and he has no trouble using them when needed. My Dad is convinced that he has a lot of Gentry in him! My grandfather is the original charmer! My little boy loves to cuddle, to read books, and follow his big brother on any adventure. He melts our hearts all of the time, probably too much of the time! When he does get into trouble, he crosses his arms across his chest and huffs. He normally goes and puts his face on a wall and then turns those bright blues over to us. As to say" You could not seriously be upset with me?" He also loves to roll his eyes until they seem as though they might get stuck. On many occasions I have had to cover my face so that he does not see me laughing!
His newest tricks leave people confused or into fits of giggles! When he first encounters someone we are just meeting or haven't seen for some time, he sticks out his tongue and points to it saying "Dis my tongue". It is his version of the handshake! Then a few moments later if he spots anyone looking his way, he pulls his shirt over his head and says" dis my stomach". No one is sure what to make of any of this but normally everyone has a good laugh and is completely charmed! His sentences also keep me completely adoring him. They are short but completely do the trick! "What doin?", "Are youuuuuu Bubba?", "Yes, momma!" "What dat noise?" "Touchdown Tennessee Titans"
As 2 yr. old dictator, he began hitting, and we worked through that, then he moved onto hitting himself. He did not get anything on that one! He has now moved onto screaming his reactions at us. I tell him that he needs to say, " I am sorry for screaming, momma." He mouths the words "sorry screamin momma." I say, "Cole, I can not hear you" He says in the softest whisper, " I sorry sreamin momma." We go through that a few times until I get an audible answer. Then I make him say, " I am angry" He says, " I angry." "Yes, Cole instead of screaming, you can say, 'I am angry" This has not worked yet but we are still working! This normally gets us straight for a few minutes. Then the next event comes, this time instead of screaming, he will usually just fall face down on the floor or refuse to make his legs work or do what we call "going no bones" or "falling out"! I am not sure if I should consider it progress that he is not screaming again.
The bottom line is that no matter how many screams or fits, I am unabashedly smitten with this boy! (Everyone knows I am smitten with Jack, but this is Cole's birthday post) I come from a female dominant family and always thought I would want all girls. I am as happy as a pig in mud being a mother of boys! I truly could have a few more! If only there was a guarantee they would be just like these two!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
An open love letter
To my dear,
I have never been more thankful that you are my husband! You have not only supported me but given me the extra push to start this journey to better health. You have celebrated every pound lost.You have gotten up with the kids so that I could go work out! You have told me you are proud of me every single day! You have truly kept me going! I have been so grateful for all of those things. However, I am the very most grateful for you the week in the hospital!
My hospital stay was really rough and you were there every moment.
After surgery, when all I could have was ice chips you fed them to me spoonful by spoonful.
Each time I was asked to walk the halls, you helped me out of bed and walked each step by my side!
Each of the 9 IV starts, 6 blood draws, and the 14 shots in my thigh you held my hand each and every time, even though when anyone talks about blood you usually leave the room.
You went to Smoothie King when I had a whim for strawberry banana and just banana smoothie. Even though I only had two sips of each, you were so excited to see me drinking!
You went with me to both of my CT scans and donned a lead apron during my upper GI. That was really pretty cute!
You kept a vigil by my bedside as my blood pressure plummeted and fever began and my white blood cell count started going up. You talked to the doctor, friends and family all the while keeping wash cloths cold, spoon feeding me, and not eating more than one meal a day until I was out of the woods! I was so scared and you were so strong!
You also helped me keep the lights out or a pillow over my face as my migraine intensified and people scurried around trying to figure out what was wrong with me!Even though I was so scared about was happening, I was so comforted that you were with me every moment! At the two week check-up my surgeon praised you for being by my side the entire time. He said that most husbands just visit after work! You raise my statistics of being successful with the wonderful ways that you support me!
One of my favorite funny things that you did was let me to pretend to be asleep while the transport worker wheeled me back to my room after a test. He decided to describe in detail about the tick that was attached itself to his "nether regions" last summer. If only he had stopped there. Ohhh noooo! He continued with all of the ways that his wife and parents had treated his problem after his shower for two weeks. Then once you told him your tick story about how your parents were told to light a match and blow it out and put on the tick on your head. He responded with "Now if I had done that, that would have been a real WEENIE ROAST!" By this point I almost started making "honk, shoooo, honk, shoooo, honk" noises! If I had of been able, I would have run away! You told handled the situation and kept me from being uncomfortable at all! In a way, that is exactly what you did for an entire week! You were so focused on me, getting me better and catering to my every need! It was a horrible time but just like most other horrible times, I came out grateful for the experience of seeing just how much you love me!
Jack's teachers told him that everyone has an invisible bucket that needs to be filled. In one week, in my worst week, you made my bucket overflow! You showed your love for me in every moment! The Bible says that we are each other's help! You embodied that all week! I hope that I can be equally supportive of you and fill your bucket to overflowing one day too!
I love you!
Ash
I have never been more thankful that you are my husband! You have not only supported me but given me the extra push to start this journey to better health. You have celebrated every pound lost.You have gotten up with the kids so that I could go work out! You have told me you are proud of me every single day! You have truly kept me going! I have been so grateful for all of those things. However, I am the very most grateful for you the week in the hospital!
My hospital stay was really rough and you were there every moment.
After surgery, when all I could have was ice chips you fed them to me spoonful by spoonful.
Each time I was asked to walk the halls, you helped me out of bed and walked each step by my side!
Each of the 9 IV starts, 6 blood draws, and the 14 shots in my thigh you held my hand each and every time, even though when anyone talks about blood you usually leave the room.
You went to Smoothie King when I had a whim for strawberry banana and just banana smoothie. Even though I only had two sips of each, you were so excited to see me drinking!
You went with me to both of my CT scans and donned a lead apron during my upper GI. That was really pretty cute!
You kept a vigil by my bedside as my blood pressure plummeted and fever began and my white blood cell count started going up. You talked to the doctor, friends and family all the while keeping wash cloths cold, spoon feeding me, and not eating more than one meal a day until I was out of the woods! I was so scared and you were so strong!
You also helped me keep the lights out or a pillow over my face as my migraine intensified and people scurried around trying to figure out what was wrong with me!Even though I was so scared about was happening, I was so comforted that you were with me every moment! At the two week check-up my surgeon praised you for being by my side the entire time. He said that most husbands just visit after work! You raise my statistics of being successful with the wonderful ways that you support me!
One of my favorite funny things that you did was let me to pretend to be asleep while the transport worker wheeled me back to my room after a test. He decided to describe in detail about the tick that was attached itself to his "nether regions" last summer. If only he had stopped there. Ohhh noooo! He continued with all of the ways that his wife and parents had treated his problem after his shower for two weeks. Then once you told him your tick story about how your parents were told to light a match and blow it out and put on the tick on your head. He responded with "Now if I had done that, that would have been a real WEENIE ROAST!" By this point I almost started making "honk, shoooo, honk, shoooo, honk" noises! If I had of been able, I would have run away! You told handled the situation and kept me from being uncomfortable at all! In a way, that is exactly what you did for an entire week! You were so focused on me, getting me better and catering to my every need! It was a horrible time but just like most other horrible times, I came out grateful for the experience of seeing just how much you love me!
Jack's teachers told him that everyone has an invisible bucket that needs to be filled. In one week, in my worst week, you made my bucket overflow! You showed your love for me in every moment! The Bible says that we are each other's help! You embodied that all week! I hope that I can be equally supportive of you and fill your bucket to overflowing one day too!
I love you!
Ash
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