How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways...

I love your smile and the way your face lights up when you see someone or something that you love. It is a cheshire cat smile that fills your entire face and the entire room.


I love your laugh. A laugh so full that sometimes it seems like you might topple over. It is a sound that makes my heart happy.


I love the way you explore objects with your tiny pointer finger. You poke and gently nudge a new object as if to test it out before you approve it for play.


I love that when you are excited, you pucker you lips and draw in breath. Sometimes you even whistle. It's an expression that you make dozens of times a day, but it still brings a smile to my face each and every time you do it.


I love your tiny curls. They show up best after a bath, and I can't help twirling them with my fingers and day dreaming about what you will look like in a few years. Will you have a head full of curls or are these just baby curls that will disappear after your first hair cut?


I love the way you bury your head in my shoulder and act bashful when someone talks to you or smiles at you (which happens frequently when we are out). You slyly peak out and grin at the person talking. I swear I want to eat you up.


I love that when you actually settle down long enough to let me cuddle you, you always clutch a piece of my shirt and suck your thumb. You will definitely love a lovey some day soon.


I love your little profile - the chubby cheeks, the long lashes, the button nose, and of course the curl. I love watching you and memorizing every tiny feature.


I love the way you adore Charlie. You look at him and literally shake in anticipation of his attention. You laugh harder for Charlie than anyone else. I know that you will always feel this way about your big brother.


I love that you are my baby - my perfect, sweet Jack. Being your mommy is a true gift. I love you, I love you, I love you!

Jack is 8 Months Old

Another month has flown by, and our little Jack is seeming less and less like a baby. He is not yet crawling, but he is so close. He can hold himself up on his hands and knees, is pulling up on his knees, sits up from lying down, and can turn and scoot around on his belly and his bottom. Jack gets so frustrated when he can't get where he wants to go and is still not a fan of being on his belly. He wants desperately to crawl, and I am torn as to whether or not I want him to hit this milestone. Of course I want him to be successful and be able to explore his little world, but man, I am not ready to chase after him. Plus, crawling just means one more giant step away from babyhood. Today, I walked into Jack's room after a nap and found him standing in his crib. It's the first time he has ever pulled up, and he was crying because he could not figure out how to get down. I guess it's time to lower the crib.

This month will be remembered (not fondly) as the month that Jack cut six teeth. That's right folks, SIX teeth! He cut his first two teeth at four months, and I was expecting more to follow shortly after that. I waited and waited, while wiping up puddles of drool, but there were no teeth in sight. Shortly after he turned 7 months, Jack became very irritable and was digging in his ears all the time. I took him to the doctor just to make sure that it was not an ear infection, suspecting the entire time that he was just cutting his top two teeth. Sure enough, she said that he was cutting those top teeth plus two more on either side. Jack has been a little beast while cutting these teeth, and I do feel bad for him. The other day he bit down on my hand, and I thought I felt something on the bottom. A quick check revealed that, in addition to the four on top, Jack had just cut another bottom tooth. There is one more just waiting to pop up on the other side. No wonder he has been such a grump! It's crazy how teeth can change the way his little face looks, but it really does. No more gummy grin now. That eighth tooth is ready to come through any day now.

Jack is now eating three solid food meals a day. He also goes 4 hours between nursing/bottles. Nursing has become very difficult in the last couple of months. I am lucky if I can get him to nurse for three minutes. The baby who refused to take a bottle for months now prefers a bottle. He just seems to have lost interest. Instead of putting up a struggle for the next four months, I have decided to wean Jack. Right now, he is getting three formula bottles during the day and is being nursed twice. I am sad about the end of nursing, but at the same time, I am ready. I have been either pregnant or nursing since June of 2007. The idea of having my body back is exciting.
I love the little person that Jack is becoming. We fall more and more in love with him every day!

Surprise Visit with Pooh

Lisa and the girls came to Atlanta on Labor Day weekend for a last minute visit. I swear we saw them more last week than we did during the entire month they were here in June and July. Of course we had a wonderful time. However, I was accused of posting unflattering pictures of Sidney in previous posts. I happen to love Sid and think she is just about the cutest baby girl. So, here is a picture that portrays just how precious she truly is!

Mum Mums are Yum Yum

Jack loves Mum Mums. He looks so cute munching away on these biter biscuts. It's hard to believe he is eating solids and now finger foods. What a big boy!

Lazy Days of Summer

One of our favorite things to do this summer was to go to the pool after dinner. Not only was the heat less oppressive, but we were protected by the shade which meant that we did not have to wrestle two children as we applied sunscreen. Tonight was another great night spent at the pool as a family.

I Will Miss This

A couple of weekends ago I attended a baby shower for my friend, Colleen, and her son, Robbie, who is due in November. The shower was given by a few of my girlfriends from college, and it was beautiful down to every last detail. One of the decorations for the shower was an advice tree for Colleen. Since I have two boys of my own, you would think I would be brimming with useful tips. However, when presented with an advice card, I suddenly drew a blank. I wanted to give Colleen good advice, not just fluff that she could read in a baby book. I wanted to give her the holy grail of baby advice that only a mother of two little boys could give to a mommy-to-be. I shared two pieces of advice that were actually lessons that I learned from both of my boys. I happen to think they are helpful little tidbits:

1. Don't mess with nap time. Maybe it's just my kids, but sleep is important, and every time I have tried to skip a nap, let someone take a nap in the car, or woken someone up, I have lived to regret it. It is hard to have life revolve around nap time, especially when a baby is little and taking multiple naps each day, but it really is in everyone's best interest to stick with a schedule and not mess around with it. Amen!

2. Aim boy parts down when putting a new diaper on. This is a lesson I had to learn after changing many a sheet, outfit, etc. with Charlie. I was always stumped when I would find one of Charlie's legs to be soaking wet in an outfit, yet his diaper was dry. How was this even possible? I shared my mystery with a girlfriend one night, and she asked if I was pointing his boy parts down. Well, I'll be!

I was pretty happy with my advice, but as I thought more and more about it, I realized that the advice I really wanted to give Colleen would never fit onto a tiny advice card. It was something that I needed more room and time to explain, and so I am using the blog to share this advice with Colleen, all of my mommy friends, and the mommies-to-be. It is not an original thought, and I must give credit where credit is due. I had read a post on another blogger's site a few night's prior to the shower, and I was brought to tears when she shared a life changing moment that she had as a mother. I urge you to read her post, because she is an eloquent writer, and explains herself much better than I am about to do. Since reading her post, I have tried to remind myself every day that...I will miss this.

There are many days that I am counting down the hours and minutes to bedtime. It sounds awful, but it is true. Some days are just harder than others - Jack is fussy, Charlie is being a total toddler, laundry is piling up, I never had a chance to shower, bills need to be paid, etc. But in the midst of the chaos that is my life as a mother to two babies, I am filled with more love than I can ever explain. I have two little people who light up when they see me, want only me in the middle of the night or when they are hurt, and who beam when I praise them or play with them. I have two beautiful children who, all too soon, will be in school all day, and then driving, and then leaving for college, and then getting married. It may seem like that is far away in the future, but if you talk to any mom, you will always hear the same thing, "It seems like only yesterday...."

Yes, I have years and years ahead of me to love and be with Charlie and Jack. But it will go fast, and I want to be present in every one of those fleeting moments so that i never look back in regret. Because I will miss this. If my floor is dirty, then so be it. If the laundry is spilling out of the laundry room, who cares? Some day Charlie or Jack, maybe both, will not want me around. They might think I dress weird, talk weird, heck they might even despise the way I breathe. But, right now, they want to be with me and love me best. I am mommy, and that is sacred in their little worlds.

The author's advice resonated with me so deeply. When you are a mom, everyone always wants to hear how much you love it, how perfect your children are, and how you can't remember what life was like before having them. The fact is, all of those things are true...just not every second of the day. As a mom, you will get stressed out, you will wish that something was different, you will want bed time to come a little sooner. And that is okay. When times like that happen now, I remind myself that I will miss this. I will miss Charlie wanting to be held all the time, I will miss my cuddles with Jack in the middle of the night, I will miss hearing my name 100,000 times a day, I will miss being asked to sing "Old McDonald" with every animal on God's green earth (and the vacuum cleaner), I will miss being asked to sit in Charlie's chair for just a little longer while he goes to sleep, I will miss all of it!

So, that is my advice to all who read this blog...You will miss this. Cherish every moment, no matter how crazy, and be present in your little ones' lives. All too soon, they will be grown up and won't need you the way that they do now.

Charlie 2.5

Well, it has been 30 months since Charlie came into our lives and made Nick and I parents. Hard to believe we are now mommy and daddy to a two-and-a-half year old little man. And, oh, what a little man he has become. Here is all you need to know about Charlie at two-and-a-half.

-For the longest time I was concerned with the fact that Charlie was a late talker. I worried that he would never catch up. Well, Charlie has certainly proven me wrong! Not only has he caught up, but he is also ahead in some of his developmental milestones for communication. He talks non-stop and is constantly amazing us with the things that he picks up even when we think he is not paying attention. For instance, he came downstairs the other night after his bed time, and I had a program about babies on the TV (because I don't get enough in my own life). Nick and I were talking while Charlie half watched the TV. It was mentioned that the family in the show was going to Waco, TX for an event. A few minutes later, Charlie turned to me and asked if they were in Waco yet. His little ears hear everything, and he is just soaking up so much knowledge every day. We have definitely entered the "why" stage. He used to just ask, "What's that?", but now we have graduated to wanting to know every last detail about why something is the way it is. His speech has developed beautifully, but he still talks like a toddler and misuses pronouns and speaks in the third person. Currently, we are working on using "is" in place of "are". For example, "Where are he?" Charlie has a lot of funny phrases that continue to crack us up: "Oh well!", "Oh dear.", "Carlie do it.", "For a little while?", "Just a little bit?", and "Wait a minute."

-Charlie has grown to be a real animal lover. He always wants to read books about animals and talks about them all of the time. His favorite animal right now is the elephant. Nick and Charlie watched "The Jungle Book", and ever since then he has been fascinated with elephants. He also likes barnyard animals. He is particularly fond of the cow. There are three barns near our home, and we always look to see if a cow is inside. Lastly, Charlie is a big fan of cats and dogs. He has fallen in love with Samson and always wants him to be around. Too bad Samson would much rather nap than tag along with us all day. For the last few weeks, Charlie has been asking for a cat. I have told him that we can not have a cat because it would make me sick. Apparently he is willing to take the risk, because he keeps asking. I bought him a little cat figurine the other day in the hopes that it will be substitute for the real thing.

-Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. I do not understand what it is about the vacuum cleaner, but Charlie loves it. He does not want to turn them on because they scare the ever living daylights out of him. He just wants to pretend to vacuum. He also likes to have all of the vacuums out at once and knows their names: Shark, Dirt Devil, The Big One (Dyson). I don't think I will ever understand the vacuum fetish. I just hope he is this into cleaning when he is a teenager.

-Charlie continues to be a picky eater. He would live off of carbs and dairy if we let him (okay, so would I, but it's my job to make him eat healthy, right?). He has not eaten veggies in a year, unless you count a few bites here and there that usually end up being spit out once he realizes that it is healthy. I have tried pureeing veggies and adding them to foods, mixing small pieces into sauces, dips, etc. He does eat fruit but tends to like one fruit at a time and then gets burnt out on said fruit and won't touch it again. Meal times are always a challenge, and I am just hoping that the multi-vitamins that he gets every morning are filling in some of the gaps in his diet. Even though he may eat like a bird, he is growing and putting on weight. He is now wearing 3T clothing.

-If Charlie does not do something with music in the future, I will be shocked. He just lights up when music is playing and loves to dance. This really is not anything new, but I feel like it deserves to be mentioned because it is still something that he loves so dearly. Currently, his favorite song is "Old McDonald". We just started a music class, and I am looking forward to our special time together, just the two of us, each week at music class.

-One word to describe Charlie would be cautious. He is not one to run into a situation without fully assessing it first. This is especially true when he is in an unfamiliar setting. He is one of those kids who acts one way at home and totally different out in public - Goofy and loud at home and shy and reserved in public. He often hides behind me or covers his eyes when meeting someone new. This is hard for me to understand because I am not shy and love meeting people. Nick, on the other hand, is like Charlie and takes time to warm up to others. I had planned to send Charlie to preschool this month to help with language and socialization, but because of the anxiety that he has been exhibiting in new situations, I have decided to hold off until he is three. Instead, we are continuing with playgroup, taking music class, and having as many play dates as possible.

-Now that he is such a big boy, Charlie has become very strong and coordinated. He runs, jumps, climbs, throws, catches, and kicks very well. We have thoroughly enjoyed doing all of these things in our new backyard and spend as much time as we can out there (when it is not too hot). I am looking forward to the fall when we will be able to spend some quality time outdoors.

-With age, Charlie's imagination has really taken off. He comes up with the most creative stories and enjoys pretending. His favorite imaginative play activities include Playdough, drawing, cooking, and playing doctor. My mom always jokes that when I was little all I ever wanted to do was "tend". It looks like Charlie inherited his vivid imagination and love for pretending from Momma.

-Over the last 7 months, Charlie has had to make the transition from baby to big brother. He was only 22 months old when Jack was born, and it was a tough transition for everyone. Despite the occasional bouts of jealousy and rough play, Charlie has turned into the best big brother. He adores Jack and always wants to know where he is. His face lights up when I bring Jack into his room in the morning, and he can't give enough hugs and kisses to his little brother. Of course, Jack thinks that Charlie hung the moon, and I believe that fact is just starting to sink in with Charlie. Today at lunch, Charlie did something that made Jack laugh. He then sat there doing anything and everything to keep Jack giggling. And just the other day, Charlie came up, gave Jack a hug, and said, "I love you bigger than the sun, the moon, and the sky, Jack." Jack is lucky to be loved by someone with such a big heart!

Night, Night Charlie

Putting Charlie to bed is always a challenge. That kid has more excuses to stay awake than anyone. He will procrastinate and drag out the process no matter what it takes as long as it means a little more time with us. Nick usually gets Charlie in pjs, brushes his teeth, and reads books while I take care of Jack's night time routine. After I tuck Jack in, it is my turn to tuck Charlie in for the night.

Tonight, he was pulling out all the stops: extra kisses, more water, looking for the moon, etc. After indulging him for over twenty minutes, I put him in his crib and told him that play time was over, to which he replied, "Wait a minute. I am talking to my momma." Sheesh! Just when I was starting to lose my patience, he had to go and say something so darn cute. That line definitely bought him a few extra minutes tonight.

A Beautiful Thing...I Think

As I made dinner tonight, a beautiful thing took place. Fortunately the camera was right on the counter so I did not have to go far to document the momentous occasion.

Jack had just finished eating, so I decided to give him some toys and see if he could entertain himself in his high chair long enough for me to get dinner going. Of course, before I had even bent down to retrieve the pots and pans, he had thrown all of his toys on the ground. I asked Charlie if he would pick them up and give them back. Before I knew it, Charlie had made a trip to Jack's toy box to get some of his favorites and had pulled up a chair in front of his little bro. He sang to Jack and was happy to fetch any toys that happened to fall.

I actually got dinner started without one interruption. I was so thrilled to turn around to see Charlie belting out "Old McDonald" while Jack stared at him in adoration. I grabbed the camera and started snapping away.

I should have left well enough alone, because the situation went down hill fast. Charlie got a little too excited that I was taking pictures, and as you can see, grabbed Jack's wrist rather roughly. Poor Jack's expression says it all, "Woman, put down your over-sized camera, and help me!"

Excuse the wad of tulle in the background. I am making a tutu for a friend. That's right, I may not have a little girl, but I can still make a tutu.

Paging Dr. Shaw

Charlie has never really enjoyed playing with toys. As a baby, he would get bored with the little toys that we gave him and was much happier being held and talked to, read to, sang to, etc. As a big kid, not much has changed. Charlie does not really have a favorite toy. He is interested in pretending, role playing, and anything that has to do with his imagination.

We recently got him a doctor's kit and a doctor's coat. He loves to give everyone check-ups, and it has really helped him become more comfortable with visiting his doctor. The other morning, he said he wanted to give Samson a check-up, so I explained that animal doctors are called veterinarians. He was thrilled to play vet and gave Samson a very thorough exam. Once Samson had had his fill of being poked and prodded, our giant stuffed lion and horse were the next patients in line.

It was wonderful watching how serious Charlie took his job. I see a definite career possibility on the horizon. Wouldn't you want your pets to be treated by Dr. Charles Harrison Shaw?

Big Ball and a Little Boy

I blew up this enormous beach ball/sprinkler for Charlie a couple of weeks ago, and then the boys got sick (yes, I said sick. Germs invaded yet again, and I am beginning to believe that this is what life is going to be like with two kids.), so we never brought the darn thing outside. Instead, it has been sitting in the family room and has proven to be a fantastic source of entertainment for both boys. Jack's eyes just about pop out of his head every time he sees it, and he loves patting it and trying to take a bite out of the side.

He is looking like such a big boy these days, that I enjoyed seeing how tiny he looked in comparison to the mammoth beach ball. The last picture is just a random close up because I can't get enough of his face. I mean, really, look at those cheeks! I think I must kiss them at least a thousand times a day.