Oh my, Hello Twos...

Well, it has happened. My sweet baby boy, though not chronologically yet two, has certainly entered his twos...earlier than his brother and with a bit more force.

Here is one of my favorite pictures yet of my Connor. He has been giving us a run for our money with his sleep. For the past month he has been fighting sleep like it is his JOB! He has the will of an OX, screaming up to three hours when we were re-sleep training our almost 2 year old. Not. Fun. For. Anyone. This picture was taken during our playgroup, kids all around him as loud as could be...and he slept. What a precious reminder of how sweet children are...and cute...good thing, huh? :)

This is the "ham" side coming out. He has really started to ham it up for pictures and competes with Landon for the biggest "ham" prize...

He has become a sweet-lover. We have had many a table battle lately over him not wanting to eat his meal, yet wanting his dessert. "NO Mommy, you go to time out!" Nice. Proud of those verbal skills young man, but let's learn how to properly use them...

Um, yeah. This is the two year old attitude.

And this, my friends, is my sweet boy getting into his markers. I am not sure what happened. I literally cannot take my eyes off of him. He climbs the table, scales the wall, climbed out of his crib causing us to turn it into a toddler bed way before I was ready, he turns the water on and washes his hands, he plays in the potty water, he loves to type on Stan's computer, he knows how to turn the TV on with the remote, he can open doors, he can open the fridge, he has the vocabulary of a 3 year old and he still loves to cuddle on mommy's hip at over 30 pounds.

He is definitely growing up way to fast. I feel thrust into his twos and I am not ready. This is one of the times I realize that I cannot control these little people. I realized that many times when Landon was a baby. He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't sleep and I could not make him. He wouldn't use the big potty for number two no matter how much I bribed.

Now I am again reminded that each little creation is his/her own. I cannot control how fast they grow or who they are. But I can stop and realize that there are moments every day when I am making a difference amidst the hundreds of dishes and loads of laundry, the billion times I count 1-2-3, the countless times I pick up the floor, sweep the floor, fix a meal that my boys turn their noses up at... like... today we stopped to pray for the person in the ambulance together and today I was able to enjoy the proud mommy moment of Connor peeing in the potty for the first time and today I held Landon in my arms as he got Connor's cold and needed me, his one and only mommy.

It is not easy, but I welcome the twos, I welcome the 4 1/2s and I welcome whatever and whoever else God has in mind for me to take care of.

Of course, a little wine doesn't hurt... LOL!

Sacred

"Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing." Isaiah 26:4, The Message version of the Bible.

Pictures above represents a precious memory for me. Landon and I sat at the table one afternoon having one of our "faith talks". It was in this time that Landon made the above cross. When he saw that I was making one, he said, "Mommy, that is a cross and Jesus died on a cross for me and for you. When you accept Jesus into your heart, you get to be with Jesus forever. Just like Pappa, Mommy, right?"

That time will forever be etched in my mind and heart. He then told me that he had Jesus in his heart. It was a simple statement he made and I was a little taken aback. I thought, does that mean that he has accepted Christ? Should I pry, should I question him further? Should I ... Wait a minute, Kristen...

What about God and his ways? What about his Holy Spirit? What about the fact that Landon and God have their very own relationship? Landon is, after all, a beautiful creation made by God and made to have a relationship with him.

Landon accepts the things I tell him about Christ without question. He may not accept my asking him to clean his room, but he eagerly, almost innately accepts what I say about Christ. He point blank told me that he had Jesus in his heart and why in the world would I question that?

I started thinking about this after we had playgroup at our house this morning and I discovered that Connor had broken this cross into 4 pieces. I was crushed, I was angry....and my dear friend Janise uttered those words I was thinking..."Nothing is sacred anymore".

It often does seem like that as a mom. This precious cross that I held so dear was cracked in a moment- without any ability to acknowledge its significance.

Man...do I acknowledge the significance of Jesus's death on the cross? Do I acknowledge the brokenness our Lord endured for me? And, I DO have the ability...

Just like I glued that cross back together, the Lord says to depend on him always, keeping at it- even when it is hard and when it seems that "nothing is sacred anymore" because in him we have a sure thing. He takes all of my broken pieces and makes me whole. He makes me sacred.

He also gives me daily reminders of his love for me, despite my constant trying to do things my own way, to figure things out, to question the realness of child's simple faith statement.

The memory with Landon is sacred and that cannot be broken into pieces. What Christ did for me was sacred and that is a sure thing.

Labor Day 2011

This year we made our now annual trip to Lake Lure for Labor Day with Kay, Anna and Brandon and some of Kay and LD's dear friends, John and Karen. We had a wonderfully relaxing weekend and I reflected on the value of spending family time away from home. No laundry, no worries about cleaning up the kids' toys on the floor, no computer, no lawn, no errands, no stress (well, we do have a 2 and 4 year old...but I can handle the stress that comes along with them when there is so little else to distract/stress me!). We did get the above family photo, the best of several and hopefully Aunt Moo will be able to crop a great smile from Connor out of another photo... we shall see...

Good Morning Nanny! Kay is such a trooper, getting up early with the boys, sipping her coffee and letting Stan and I snooze. The boys are completely entertained when Nanny is around!

Uncle B and Daddy spent some precious time together with these boys. Landon and Uncle B really bonded this trip, it was just plain awesome. :)

We did have such a great time in the pool with the boys. Landon was quite brave and by the end of the weekend, they were both jumping off the side of the pool!

Landon and I got to go on a boat ride with John and Karen. Landon was so well behaved and had a blast. I had so much fun hanging with my little buddy. He sure is a fun one!

Here he was driving the boat...after looking in John's "fish finder". John was absolutely wonderful with both our boys, just getting on their level and really including them. What wonderful friends.

Landon found the boat trip extremely relaxing...all 2 hours worth!

I had a chance to spend some great time catching up with Anna. What a special sister in law I have. :)

Aunt Moo and Uncle B spoiled Landon a bit too, getting him this blue slushie. He loved it!

Here is one of the many shots I got of Uncle B teaching Landon to swim. Landon was such a brave boy with his Uncle B!! He was swimming back and forth so much, obviously making Brandon's day. Brandon is such a great uncle!!

And off to the Apple Festival...Landon had to be a complete boy and get a snake painted on his arm... :)

Followed by Daddy, who had to enter the pull up contest put on by the Marines. Of course, Mr. Teen Alamance won and set the record for the day at 21 pull ups, straight off the street! I am so proud!

Connor got to jump in the bounce houses!!!

Take that, Cary Jump Zone!

Landon got to slide...

Connor enjoyed his first ever caramel apple, let me rephrase that...his first ever caramel...he only used the apple as a tool. :)

This is what you get for eating nothing but caramel for lunch...sugar CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a picture of our spectacular hosts and our boys. Obviously the boys had a great time with John and Karen. Thank you guys so much!!

And, we simply could not pass by Pa Cole's exit without stopping in for a visit! Pa Cole is always so happy to see us and this time we surprised him by bringing him and Jane some good ole' KFC!! We love our Pa Cole (and Jane and Sue too!!).

I just love this picture of Pa Cole and his grandson and great-grandsons. LD would be so proud. I know I am.

Hope you enjoyed the photos, we certainly had a wonderful time. What a blessed life we live.