Best Life

Not going to do a "fun things about the weekend" this week. Maybe it's an MLK holiday thing, maybe it's feeling like I'm settling into a "mold" thing (I like routines, dislike molds) and truthfully, there's just more to share than pictures will do justice!

This past weekend was wonderful. From the warm weather, to seeing our house in the light of day, playing w.John, hearing a joy-filled sermon on Sunday, having a long weekend, making progress on the "2010 de-cluttering bonanza", long afternoons, naps, walking in the rain, enjoying a winter thunderstorm, adult bevs (of course) and best of all - lots of laughter and smiles...just our kinda weekend.

I feel like every other breath I take around John is just filled w.awe & amazement at how much he's growing & changing. I don't even know where begin when talking about all his lil' nuances right now :)

I guess a typical day would help "re-cap" the goings on...

Our day normally starts w.a wake-up call (courtesy of lil' man) anywhere from 5-6am. Depending on where it falls in that hour we take turns w.who gets to go the bonus room for an extra 30 min. of sleep. The loser, I mean the other one, gets to lay in the bed w.John till about the time the alarm would have woken us up. That space of time can be filled w.things like John trying to put his feet in your mouth, stand in the bed (in the dark, mind you), a lil' voice sayin' - "maaa-maaaa", "meeeee" or "hebjABLABNhngi" (not a big, articulate vocabulary just yet), John tryin' to roll over top of you to reach the remote or Seth's favorite - a lil' arm pattting :) After this flurry of activity, we usually cave & switch on Noggin to fully greet the day via "Wow, Wow Wubbzy" until it's time to officially get up.

Once out of captivity of Mama & Deddy's bedroom, he usually trots into the bonus room to help whatever sleepyhead's in there snoozing to wake up. He gets "fresh britches" (aka, clean diaper), dressed & a lil' hair combing (almost comical w.all the fluffiness) before heading downstairs for some more Noggin, milk & oatmeal. After the coffee's been poured & shoes & socks are on - he bumbles into the kitchen and begins his chorus of "Byeeeeee". Sometimes he gives out hugs & sugars, sometimes not. Doesn't matter - I'm greedy & steal as much luvin' as I can! As long as I can remember (long before John), I've always waved bye to Seth through the blinds in the mornings as he backs into the cul-de-sac. I now have a new lil' hand waving at me some mornings & that's just pretty great ~ my boys, off to face the day :)

Seth & I do the work thing during the weekdays, which is a blessing. Work = ability to pay bills = peace of mind! When we pick John up from daycare, he's usually busy into something. We've noticed he's not like most of the other kids, who greet us at the door & would probably leave w.us if given the opportunity. Nope, one of the teachers usually gets his attn., saying "John Fisher" to announce our arrival. To see the smile spread across his lil' face at our appearance is butter :) He quickly gets down to business, though - retrieving his "juissshhh" cup (which is really water), heads down to his room to collect his "paaa-paaa". He then lets out a chorus of "byeeee" to everyone we pass on the way to the car. The ride home is sometimes chatty w.a lot of "mooooooooo" (although we pass ZERO cows on the way) and then a submission w.palms up, shoulders shrugged - "dOne?" (gone - like the cows went away). If we had a dollar for every time we have to remind him that an open field does not equal cow, well - let's just say we'd be making some $$$!

Once home, we kick off the shoes/socks, wash our hands and he usually bustles into the living room, turns on the TV & plops on his beanbag. His favorite thing to watch right now is Blue Clues - he gets pretty excited for it & we use that to our advantage. If we're trying to deter a tantrum, squash some tears, we bust out w.the "You want to watch Blues Clues?!?" (in a very sing-song, happy voice) - been working like a charm :)

Supper time's been kinda hit & miss lately - we think his appetite may be slowing down a lil', he's getting pickier & he's also had a lil' stomach/cold sickness. Par for the course, there's always 8 theories/reasons that can explain a change in behavior. The advantage of being in year 2 of baby's life - you don't worry as much, you don't call the dr. - you just ride it out for a few days & wait for some normal to find it's way back in or simply redefine the norm. Flexibility has become paramount on so many levels! He is fervent about the food you put in front of him - he sometimes likes the bread on the corn dog, sometimes not. We're over ketchup for the time being & that's fine. Still eating sandwiches, but now we're eating them open-face & licking out the middle - pretty messy & a general waste of bread. Point for Mama - I pureed some sweet potatoes (w.a lil' brown sugar & butter) into a sandwich spread recently & it's been a hit. Go on & eat just the middle - you ain't gettin' nothin' over on us, ha! We still hold hands & pray, but we think John has a lil' Papaw Fisher in him - he likes to skip the 2nd verse of the blessing & bust on in w.his "Aaaahhh-men." He even draws it out a lil', probably in hopes that we'll take the hint & just wrap it up :)

After dinner, we quickly clean up & all usually end up on the floor in the living room. John's becoming quite the wrAstler and he's got his "rraaaarrrr" (gonna get you sound) down pretty good. He's all boy, for sure. I don't worry much about him being a pushover, but getting calls that he's being the bully - can't say it hasn't crossed my mind! Depending on his energy level - we head up for bath/bedtime anywhere from 7:00-7:30. Now, we just say, "ok, buddy - bathtime" & our smart lil' guy hops up, turns off the TV & heads up the steps. He sometimes looks back w.a cusped hand & a "moan" (C'mon) to whoever is behind him on the stairs.

We have potty time once he's stripped down & in the past week or so we've actually seen some "pee-pee" and heard/smelled/saw some stinky :) He's quite proud of himself when he's perched on the potty seat - never thought anything involving a toilet could be so precious. In the bath, John will sometimes take the wash cloth & help wash himself - sometimes not. He's very good at throwing toys out of the tub & faking us out that he's gonna drink the bath water - he thinks this is funny & will let out one of his fake lil' laughs. One of his favorite words right now, is "buh-bllle" and there are usually lots of those in the bath. He points out most of them :) and fiercely tries to destroy the lot of them! He "hits the deck" when its time to drain the bath water - this also amuses him. I often "pank" his lil' wet bottom when he's laying like this (can't help myself) and he likes to reach around and help pop it sometimes too. I told Seth, how will I ever truly "pank" him - the smile, that lil' personality, just too much!

After bath, we get our nighttime diaper on (cause he pees buckets) and lotion up. I usually squeeze some on his belly & he'll help rub it in. This has become one of my FAVORITE times with him. He's full of chatter and giggles - I steal lots of sugars during this, kissing everything from his head to his toes! After he's pajama'd up, he grabs his blanket, and whoever's lucky night it is gets to rock him for anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute & a half. At that point he will sit up & point to his crib to be laid down - he's such a big boy & I believe our rocking days are swiftly fading altogether. I cannot explain the simultaneous ache & swell of pride this gives me. He's such a good & big boy, but that's just it - hard to see much baby there anymore. We lay him down on his belly - I usually pat his bottom a few times, whisper "love you buddy", cover him w.his blanket & quietly back out of the room. The peace & joy in that moment are heart-filling. Doesn't matter which of us gets to "put him to bed", when the other comes out of his room, our smiles usually consume our faces. He's the joy at the center of us and we couldn't be more thankful to get to be his parents.

As I sit here, my mind's playing endless images of all the neat things he's doing & saying - I can't fairly articulate it & I don't think I'll try. Instead I'll just talk about how immeasurably blessed Seth & I feel. I can't quote it exactly, but Seth said something the other night about us giving each other so much happiness as a couple - but that didn't even compare to the joy having a child has brought to our lives. I couldn't agree more. John is a living, breathing, laughing, smiling, loving, lil' rascal that radiates God's love for us each & every day. I've said it before (and will likely say it again & again) but a child truly is a wondrous gift from God, and though we're so undeserving - so thankful He loves us THAT much & blesses us anyways. We are such sponges for that lil' boy, soaking up each lil' moment as best we can.

I have truly feared lately that my heart may just fall out at any given moment - he gets away with me that much! Seth knows the signals, and will instantly look from John & whatever precious thing he's doing to me, as the tears fill my eyes and w.pity say "oh,baby" (in a half-chuckle). I've enjoyed every stage of John's life, even when he was just rooting around kicking me from the inside, but I have to admit this is the "sweetest spot" by far. Maybe it's b/c we're getting more sleep, we don't worry as much, he's becoming more independent, that lil' personality reveals itself more each day - there are just so many things that are making this time with him so great.

In going through some things the other day, I found a Family Circus comic that I had cut out in high school. The dad's pushing the son in a swing & as the lil' boy's soars through the air he says, "This is the best life I've ever had!" I know exactly what he means : )