So stinkin' smart!

My kid is a genius. I'm just sayin'.

In the last 2 weeks David has learned how to say about 15-20 new words (though he can and will say just about anything you ask him to). My personal fave is "I love you, Mama". He can string about 3 words together to form a more complete thought and can recognize, say and point out the colors green, red, purple, blue and yellow. I'm always amazed at how fast he can pick these things up!

In the last week or two I've also discovered some physical changes going on. He's cut 2 molars and is working on 2 more, gone up 2 shoe sizes and is outgrowing size 2T clothing. He's moving into some 3T now. Wow. They aren't kidding about the "spurt" part of growth spurt!

His halo is bent and rusty and there's mud on his white robe, but underneath he's still an angel

Ever had one of those moments where you just sit back, zone out and think "I'm doing ok as a parent. He listens so well. We've had our battles, but we're getting through. He's such a well behaved kid." and then you look over just in time you see him clock his best friend in the face? I have.

We tried to be good and awesome friends tonight. We took dinner and dessert to our very pregnant and due-any-day-now friends. Apparently, little David did not get the niceness memo so all we did all evening was yell at him for clobbering their precious little daughter in the face. Nice. Just when I thought we'd gotten a handle on his horrible hitting habit and was feeling pretty good about my ability to discipline him he has to go and pull crap like that. Thanks kid.

Every time we leave home I just pray that he makes us look like good parents while we're gone. I always hold out hope that he can behave and make it through one evening, one dinner or just a few hours without a tantrum or meltdown. But then, when he flips out in the middle of the produce department because I won't let him hold the apples or throws his plate of spaghetti on our friends' brand new carpet, I remember that he's just 21 months old and sometimes that's asking too much of him. And really, I've never seen anyone (especially another parent) gasp in horror at any stunt he's ever pulled as if toddlers never act up or something. Everyone understands right? My kid isn't the only one who does this crap, right? It's only a phase, right?

Ok, good. I feel a teeny bit better. He is a good kid. He is a good kid. He is a good kid....

Back in the saddle

It's been 24 days since I had Max and life is going well. We are finally back to "normal". We (with the exception of Max) are finally 100% healthy and well. Max has a lingering cold and terrible little cough (that I'm assured by his doc is nothing...yeah right), but he's handling it like a trooper...with a name like Maximus would you expect anything less from him?

David is getting his lower 2 year molars. They have partially cut through now. It was quite the surprise to me. I didn't see it coming, but it does explain a lot about his cruddy behavior lately. With a little Tylenol and a long nap I'm sure we'll be fine.

I started back to "work" with Taylor today. She'll be here about 4 days a week again. She's 9 months now and starting to crawl...and she's also cutting teeth. She had her first little pearly white poke through yesterday. Again, nothing a little Tylenol and a long nap can't cure. She's playing well and adjusting to David just fine. I think they'll be best buds in no time. David is much more willing to be friends with her now that she's a little older and more fun to play with. She beats max by a long shot right now. Floppy newborns aren't so much fun. Kinda worthless to a big brother who wants to rough house. :)

I'm sure there's more I could share, but Friends is coming on and there is a box of fudgsicles in my freezer calling my name. Peace out.

My anthem for today

We sang this at church yesterday morning. It's been on my heart and stuck in my head ever since. GOD, YOU REIGN!!!

God, You Reign

by Lincoln Brewster

You paint the night

You count the stars and you know them by name

The skies proclaim

"God, You reign"

Your glory shines

You teach the sun when to bring a new day

Creation sings

"God, You reign"

God, You reign

God, you reign

Forever and ever

God, You reign

You part the seas

You move the mountains with the words that You say

My song remains

"God, You reign"

You hold my life

You know my heart and You call me by name

I live to say
"God, You reign"

Hallelujah, Hallelu

Um, February? Where are you?

Wow. Sooo....February's over. That was fast. It was a complete whirlwind for me. I'm sure you've all heard the rumors by now and yes, they are true. Max has arrived. We now have 2 very precious sons.

Maximus Lott was born on Feb 12th after 18 hours of labor (we'll get to that another time) weighing in at 9lbs 10oz and measuring 22 inches long. He's a great eater. It seems to take a couple of weeks to get things smoothed out with nursing, but everything is great now. I've also been blessed with a great sleeper with him. He usually does about 4 hour stretches at night for me and like any newborn sleeps all day too. You'd think with all that downtime I'd be getting sleep too, right? Let's not forget about my toddler at home too.

David has been adjusting well to Max - as well as I think someone who is 20 months and sick can adjust. He got sick right about the beginning of Feb and is just now getting over it. It's made him somewhat cranky, whiny and clingy, but seriously if you had a sinus infection for 4 weeks and a new kid was stealing your mommy's attention wouldn't you be all of those things too? Yeah, I thought so.

David and I are manging the leap to 2 kiddos very well I'd say. We had a rough start, but things are looking up now. I was very sick for a while. About a week after we brought Max home I got mastitis. Before that cleared up I got a really nasty cold and that ran into a bout with pink eye before clearing up. I think I am finally on the mend now. Along the way, I shared my cold with David. It took him down for a few days too. Luckily, I have an awesome mom and she was here at our beck and call helping us out and getting us back on our feet. Thanks, Mom! Couldn't have done it with out you!

I have loads of pictures and many more stories to share. Be on the lookout!

Cuddle time

I don't know if little David is feeding off of our anxieties and nervousness or if he can just sense that something big (as in a little brother) is about to happen, but he's being very clingy to me today. We never EVER have a problem getting this kiddo to nap on his own. We lay him down and that's it. No fussing, no tears. Today he stood in his crib for a good long while screaming my name and sobbing. We finally gave and accepted the fact that no napping was going to happen and let him get back up. I sat on the couch with him in my lap for about 3 minutes before he fell asleep. I carefully laid down and we cuddled our way through a glorious hour long nap. It was so sweet. I never get this kind of time with him anymore. It really blessed me.

On another note, I'd like to point out how terrible I look before anyone else does. Yeah, I don't really know what to say. I felt awesome today so I really don't get why I look half dead and drained of all energy. Is that impending labor I see in my eyes?? I hope so....

Of all the awkward places...

Being hugely pregnant and due just about any day now, I often find my mind wandering off to labor and the birth of this little guy. At the forefront of just about any pregnant woman's mind is the dreaded "water breaking in public" scenario. I have a pretty good sense of humor so I've thought of just about every funny, humiliating or random place that this could happen. I think I've found one that tops them all. Church.

So you're standing there hands raised, in the overwhelming presence of Jesus and a couple hundred of your closest friends, totally in the moment, praising the Lord and then....splash. You're sitting in the front (or even the middle) of the church so dozens of people behind you just saw your amniotic gush. Yeeeeah, embarrassing. How are you getting out of that one? Or maybe you're sitting and listening to the sermon, totally into it, soaking up every word....and then the pew under your bum is soaking up your gushing fluids. Nice. "Clean up in pew 5, clean up in pew 5".

Of all the awkward places to experience an amniotic explosion I'm pretty sure church tops the list.