Thank Goodness

So my frustrated post yesterday was upsetting to some family.  And to any one else who found it disturbing let me be clear: I'm not bashing my kid.  I love him to itty bitty pieces...like Tiny Toons Elvira style love.  OK just googled it and her name is ELMYRA,  oops.  Anyway its still the same obsessive, sometimes a little too rough, eat him up because he's just so cute, I kinda want to hurt him (but I won't) kind of love.  Make sense?  Is EVERYONE disturbed now?  My work here is done.

AAAnyway... I wasn't putting him down yesterday, I was venting some frustration.  And I'm not worried about him one day reading because it's a real part of raising him.  Being a mom is not all butterflies and rainbows.  Also... he napped for 3 hours after those videos were taken so part of his frustration was him being tired.  And, I hope you see that whenever I post something like that I wrap it all up with a little moral.  Yesterdays moral came from the book quote I mentioned.  "Thank you for being the you that you are."  Reading that reminded me what a wonderful kid Oliver is and how thankful I am for every little part of his personality even when it drives me crazy, and reading that calmed me down and reminded me to just enjoy the ride with him.  And I know he is a genius and will get there.  It's not like I'm worried he won't speak, I just get a little frustrated because I am his mom and know what amazing things he is capable of.

Today was a MUCH better day for both Oliver and I.  He was in a very good and helpful mood all day, and I was well rested and enjoying all the love he had to give me.  It was a great day for reflecting all my "Thankfuls" in preparation for tomorrow.

1.  First and foremost I am thankful for my perfect children.  I am so thankful for their health.  For their perfect eyes, and noses and mouths.  Their perfect lungs and bronchioles and alveoli.  Their perfect hearts- atria, ventricles, valves.  For their kidneys, for their livers, for their spleens and duodenums.  Every little blood vessel, every single nerve, every gland doing its job, every synapse firing its fire.  I am thankful for every messy poop diaper and soaking pee diaper because it means everything is functioning in just the right way.  When you're pregnant you think: OH THIS TAKES TOO LONG! But really...can you believe 9 months is what it takes to build a human being from scratch!?  Considering the millions, billions, trillions, zillions of little itty bitty part in those itty bitty bodies, that they are born with all those parts working just right is a blessing I am so very thankful for.  Especially knowing there are others who didn't fare the same.  Still blessed, perfect in a different way, but with maybe a few more tears and hard days.

And if I ever forget to be thankful for this... here is my reality check: Notes from a Dragon Mom

2.  I am thankful for two easy conceptions for my two healthy pregnancies.  Apparently I have PCOS, but I'm not sure how confident that diagnosis was, especially two pregnancies later.  I thought I'd have a hard time, have to try a while, maybe need some treatments...maybe not be able to.  I am very thankful I was very wrong.

3.  I am thankful I get to be a stay at home mom.  It's really hard sometimes.  It's emotionally, mentally, and physically challenging on top of being financially restricing.  But both Nate and I are happy with our choice.  Like Nate has said, he never thought of himself as old fashioned and that this would be our lifestyle, but he can't imagine me working now and our children in daycare.  And I am certaintly greatful he feels that way, especially with how hard that means he has to work to keep things that way.

4.  I am very thankful for my parents.  Each of them can drive me B-A-N-A-N-A-S but call me a glutton for punishment I love being able to be with them.  I'm so greatful they don't mind the1.5+ ride to come see us, and that they do it so often.  I am so happy when I see how much they love their granchildren. And so happy they get to spend so much time with them.  And all the support they have given us helps make our lifestyle doable.  I remember telling Nate I wanted to wait on getting engaged until we didn't have my parents giving us money for anything anymore.  Well we are now married homeowners with two children and I will take a few bucks whenever they are offered!  Thanks mom and dad!

****There is a lot more I am thankful for but this post has been interupted...I have to go be a mom and wash puke out of PJ's and sheets.....still thankful though, still thankfull****

Wordful Wednesday (Thankful edition) Link Up with Parenting by Dummies

The Boy is Crafty.

Oliver FINALLY showed some interest in crafting!  I am so happy!

It started with him sitting down on the living room floor with a coloring book and color pencils for longer than 10 seconds.  So I thought we'd give something more a try.

I had gotten these wreath kits from the mall halloween weekend.  They were being handed out for free!  I love free!  Really, they are very basic so I think we will be doing this again with materials we can pull together ourselves.

He had such a blast with this he didn't want to stop even after he had finished both wreath kits.  So I went into my scrapbooking supplies to find materials for him to make a collage.  I grabbed some thanksgiving stickers and paper and some leaf shapes I had cut out using my Cricut Expression. 

He was so proud of himself.  Just look at how he posed for his picture to be taken with his work of art.

(And by the way I can't get over his resemblance in this picture to pictures of his father at this age...crazy!)

The end results.  A wreaths for Nana and Mema's houses and a collage for mommy.

The past two or three days I have just been blown away by what a big boy he is becoming.  And this is just one more example of just how big he is getting.  Getting closer and closer to 2yrs there is just an explosion of awareness and development that has been so fun to see.  I am so excited to get creative with him and see what his imagination is capable of!  I have no doubt he will continue to amaze me.

Thankful for... cuddles.

I never thought Oliver would be a cuddler.  He gave us lots of big open-mouthed kisses but never a hug. He never layed in bed with us.  Never put his head on our shoulders.  I felt horrible whenever he was hurt or upset because he found no comfort in my embrace... that killed me.

I swore I would "ruin" my next child to make up for Oliver's lack of cuddling. 

Well Oliver has totally become a little love bug.  I don't remember exactly when it happened.  But he turned into such a sweet little boy.  His hugs make your heart sing, and he's very generous with them.  Back in July we went to a birthday party where we knew only 3 people, but he hugged EVERYONE there.  Yeah they all fell in love with him... they didn't stand a chance... his hugs are so genuine and deep you can't help but fall head over heels for the boy.

With his little brother here Oliver has become even more effectionate and loving.  He gives the baby lots of hugs and kisses and rubs his head gently.  I think he even says "I love you" but it's not at all clear.  And when he sees cuddling going on without him, whether it's either Nate or I holding Owen, or even Nate and I hugging each other, he very sweetly joins in. 

And at 5 weeks Owen is totally "ruined" and loves to be cuddled, carried, and to co-sleep.  I love it!

Thankful for... this little face!

Look what I caught going on in my arms...

I was watching Oliver do something or other and looked down to see Owen making these funny faces and gassy smiles.

Thank goodness my camera is always right next to me!