As a new year begins, I want to take a little time to make note of the little things in life that make me so happy as a mom and this life, so amazing.
Trenton is now 3 and Tayt is 1.. Life is CRAZY. Trenton is a little person, telling stories, having full on conversations with strangers and dominating every sport or game he tries. He is such a funny kid, making us and everyone around him laugh constantly. He talks in his "big boy voice" which is like a low, characters voice.. not sure where it came from or why he does it but its hilarious. It comes out when he wants to tell a story or talk about something that Dad does etc. My mom thinks it is his 'Shaun Voice'. He so badly wants to be one of the big boys. I guess thats normal. He wants to play golf, basketball, drive the car, go to work, mow the lawn.. He is so talented, intelligent and wise beyond his years, we are so excited to see who he becomes when he is a 'big boy'. He is still is not a big eater, especially for how active he is. He somehow survives on ovaltine and fruit. He is loving his first year of preschool, has lots of friends and has learned to 'use his words' and talk it out rather then be physical like he did when he was younger.
Tayt took her first couple steps on Thanksgiving and started finally choosing walking over her 'goblin crawl' (as shaun named it, with one leg bent) around Christmas, or a week thereafter. She is so happy to be walking and just follows her brother around all day.She tries to talk and tell us stories, using funny sounds she makes, pointing and big facial expressions (like her mom). She says assttt,shhh,psttt,yaya.. but also says momma, dada,uh-oh, eyes, wa-wa. She mimics our words all day long. Its so neat watching them learn how to speak and see which words they master first. She has blossomed into a little person with SO much personality. I love this age. She is loud and very busy.. getting into everything all day. She is one mess after the other. She giggles when I tell her "NO!". For a tiny bald person, this chick has 'tude' already. She is also dramatic at times...going limp when i pick her up and laying down on the ground if she doesn't get her way. She knows what she wants and how to get it. We are scared for the terrible twos (more like 1-3) with this one.. and highschool. We have a funny feeling she will not be shy... she will be more like her brother, ultra-social.
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| throwing a fit.. so cute |
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| Tayts 2nd Halloween |
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It has been so neat for Shaun and I to watch their relationship grow. We always wonder what it is like to raise a girl but this far their personalities are a lot alike. She is just as loud, strong willed, curious, busy and outgoing as he was/is.. and she is even more of a thrill seeker and risk taker, he wasn't so much at that age. Trenton is so good with her, protective and loving. We just love how he cares for, worries about and loves 'his baby'. He tells her "I always right here baby Tayt, I always love you". It melts us. They hug and kiss all day long, its the cutest thing. She is fine as long as she sees Trenton. At Sunday school they even bring him in the baby room sometimes because he is able to calm her down if she is upset that mommy left her. The first thing she does in the morning is looks for him and gets so excited when she sees him. When they fight over a toy, he can generally distract her with something else at this point. The constant fighting is coming though, she is one tough cookie and definitely puts up a fight if he takes something from her. But it's all just part of it, right?! I've learned that anything annoying or challenging that my kid is going through, they aren't the first or the only kid who does that "bad behavior" for a minute.. then its over and they are on to another annoying behavior. Kids grow and change so quickly that right when you are at your breaking point with an annoying word being repeated over and over and over and over.. it's gone. If you fight it, it will stay. It's amazing, they are so smart, much smarter then we think.
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| caught cuddling |
Shaun got a promotion a couple of months ago, which was such a blessing..however it really rocked our world for a bit. He wakes up at 3:15 am and is in his office in Orange around 4. This means that there is stirring in the house while he gets ready at 3am. He tries to be quiet but in our small home he cannot sneak out without one of us waking. It is often hard for me to go back to sleep, and by the time I do, one of the kids is up. That said, he is supposed to be home by noon or 1 pm right before kids naps so they can all take a nap. That hasn't happened much since he is an over-achiever.. but when he is home he is still working and/or exhausted. But, it is really nice to have him home earlier and before the sun goes down. It is so helpful having him home for the evening routine.. plus he has been cooking dinner most nights now! AMEN! Also, he now has Fridays and Saturdays off and works Sunday mornings while I take the kids to church. We really miss him at church and he misses that time with us too. It's hard for me to get there but usually by the time we are done, he is on his way home, which is great. And, we still get to do Sunday Funday at my parents on Sundays evenings. I love how he has Fridays off too, because things we do as a family aren't as crowded as they are on the weekends, we can get appointments done with both of us home etc.
He is such an incredible person, husband and father.. we are so proud of him and lucky to call him ours. He works so hard for us and allows us such a great life.. raising my babies is the best job in the world. This season of life is so hard, messy, challenging, and exhausting yet so important, short, and rewarding. I am so honored to be the mommy of these amazing kids and the wife of such a great man.
Back to a few of my favorite things (right now)...
- Tayts baby smell (that is almost gone)
- the way Tayt melts on us when we hold her
- waking up with the whole family in bed
- catching the kids cuddling together
- Trenton's prayers
- Trenton hoping into Tayts crib with her in the morning if mommy isn't up yet
- how both kids come running from all over the house when I turn the bath on
- Tayt hugging my leg
- How everything is SO exciting to tayt
- How Tayt pats the back of whoever she is hugging (learned it from Trenton)
- Tayts big facial expressions
- Her funny kisses (just learning how to give kisses)
- Trenton's stories in his 'big boy voice'
- Trentons voice
- Trenton singing bible songs ("Jesus loves me, this i know!")
- Tayts smile & giggles
- seeing the holidays through my babies eyes
- Watching Trenton teach Tayt something
- Our daily oatmeal breakfast together
- the boys vs girls games we play
- How excited they get when daddy gets home
- Having shaun home in the afternoons
- Tayts toddle & dancing with her arms
- The kids cuddling on the couch
- The swishing of diapers and pitter patter of little feet down our hallway
- Trentons funny dances (mom/dad wanna see my dance?!)
xo,
Momma T
