{Christmas Pictures 2013}

.LOVE.

God All Around You -- {First Day of Second Year of Preschool}

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:14-15

Joey's first day of preschool this year was wonderful!

It makes such a difference to be facing the known instead of the unknown.

There were about 20 seconds of eyes welling up with tears at the realization that school was back in session but they were quickly whisked away with Mommy snuggles. Mommy snuggles still have the magic to cure all his woes.

He was sooo excited to go back to school!

He was so happy to see his teachers!

I loved seeing him run up to them and hug them.

He couldn't wait to show them his alien lunch box and he was sure to tell everyone that he was now four.  He had a birthday over the summer :o).

He was confident, I was confident. 

 I had none of the worry and sadness I felt last year.

It was just good :o)

 These pictures are blurry but I love them because they capture his emotion as we left for school.

Little four year old happiness.

He is in the front room this year, which we debated last year. I wanted to keep him in the back room, with the three and four year olds who are starting, one more year.  According to age and where his birthday falls he really should be in the back room one more year.  He had classmates last year who turned five in December, while Joey was still three and wouldn't turn four until the following August.   He was the youngest one and now will be the youngest in the front room which is where kindergarten takes place. My concern is age and maturity, though he is very smart and learns extremely quickly, he will still be younger this year starting in the front room than many of the children who are starting in the back room. That's crazy.  Mrs. Comerford said she thinks he will want to be in the front room since that is where his friends are and we should see how he handles it since academically it is where he belongs.  We will play it little by little and all keeps tabs on the situation.  It was clear that the final judgment call lies with Joe and myself so it really is ideal and I'm feeling great about it. 

While all of this is important and stuff I want to remember, what struck me most today was the conversation Joey and I had on the way into school.  We talked in the morning, at home, about the fact that he knew many things this year that he didn't know last year -- rules, friends, where the bathroom was, etc. -- and that there were new, younger children who would be at school who didn't know these things.  We talked about how he imagined they might be feeling and ways he could show them kindness, help them feel more comfortable, and be a good example.  We talked about how they might make many mistakes because they were just learning and how this year he should make fewer mistakes because now he understands what is expected of him.

All of this led to him recounting a time last year at school when he got in trouble for something and was punished at home by being sent to his room.  He remembered it so clearly, but ended his story by saying, "But you still loved me that day."

 Taken aback a little, I said, "You're right." And proceeded to tell him a message he has heard many times -- Whether you are happy or sad. Silly or quiet. Mad or wild or thinking. Disappointed or joyful. Wrong or right, alone or in the middle. Anyway you are, no matter what you have done or haven't done, I will always love you. Nothing can change that.  I may be mad or sad over choices you make and Daddy and I may have to punish you because choices have consequences but I always, always love you.

To which Joey paused and then, out of the blue, said,

in the most sincere way possible,

in a quiet little voice from the back of the car

"Wow, Mommy .... you sound like you have God all around you."

 

 Isn't my message to Joey God's message to us?

How does a four year old, with little spikey blond hair and a love of superheroes, see such things?

How does he make the connection so quickly?

It is impossible to explain what it feels like to hear your young child say things like this to you when you know he is not just repeating things he has been told. This is something that came from Joey's heart, not something we say to him that he is repeating back to us.

It is incredibly convicting.

He makes me increase my faith. 

At four years old, he increases my thirty year old understanding of and belief in God.

Joey talks about God a lot with me.  The conversations are very natural and almost always initiated by him. He wants to know just how big is the bed that God rested in on the seventh day and if our dog, Jake, is in a cage up in Heaven and if he isn't just how is he waiting for us.  He has a pure belief and is a deep thinker which sounds so silly to say since he just turned four but he wonders about so many things I don't have answers for. He has many questions about Heaven, but ironically few questions about God, seemingly unlike the rest of us. They will come, I know. 

But for now, it's like he is still so young and untouched by the world that the truth of it all remains untainted within him.  He doesn't have to ask about God because he understands it -- God is all good things. God is love.

 And still Joey is Joey.

He is so bright and so analytical and inquisitive but he is silly and goofy and energetic.

And so as I, with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, praised his understanding of what God is, I mentioned many things.  I could tell by the look on his face in the rearview mirror that this conversation was very important to him and he was listening to every word I said.

I tried to choose my words carefully.

And then I said, "God loves us all very much because God is our Father in Heaven."

I try to expose him to sayings he will hear that may be difficult to make sense of so he can muddle through them before saying something crazy to a stranger or teacher who says something to him that he doesn't understand.

Joey has heard this many times, but oh. my. goodness. the look on his face!

In the midst of this sweet sincere conversation between us, he looked so appalled and perplexed like what does that mean as he tried to make sense of what I said.

He caught me looking at him and quickly corrected the look on his face like he knew maybe it wasn't appropriate in that circumstance.

I waited for him to ask me a question as he clearly tried to wrap his mind around something that is difficult to grasp.

It was clear. He was really trying to figure this one out.

And then he did --

But Mommy, who IS my Father-in-LAW?!

 

And that was the end of the conversation. :o)

This is our Joey at four :o)

Gracie's Beach Pictures 2013

Dear Grace {2 Years Old}

Dear Grace,

Happy Birthday, beautiful girl!! You are two years old and so very perfect. You continue to give meaning to sugar and spice and though you keep us on our toes we wouldn't have it any other way. You are so tiny but so strong in so, so many ways and we can't wait to see how you use your will and determination for good.  You have been gifted with a beautiful, fiery, joyful, sweet spirit and have completed our family in all the best ways.

I know all parents think this about their own children, but you are so very smart and incredibly driven.  You want to do everything by yourself and be just like your brother and this has led to you being one awesome just-turned-two year old.  Your vocabulary is limitless and has been for about half a year. You will say any word you are asked to repeat and almost everything you say can be understood by everyone.  You can read approximately twenty words and count to 14 by yourself and 30 with a little help. You can jump like a pro, climb anything, and swim independently with a bubble.

 You are just shy of 26 pounds and 33 inches tall putting you at the 35th percentile for weight and  25th percentile for height.  You are holding your own with both your height and weight and growing perfectly along your own little curve. You wear a size 4 or 5 diaper, are between size six and seven in shoes, and use 18-24 month bottoms and 2t shirts, for the most part. In terms of milestones you exceed every expectation of what a two year old should be able to do, both physically and intellectually. We are so very proud of you!

You are the perfect mix of shy and outgoing.  You are a little hesitant around strangers but quickly warm up once you get used to your surroundings.  Though you are tiny, you do not let anyone boss you around! You know what you want and are not afraid to show it.  Mostly, you just want to be big and independent and are learning how to deal with how it feels to have to do one thing when you really just want to do another.  In any group setting, it is amazing to watch how perfectly and naturally you fall right in line and are the perfect "student."  You do swim classes, baby gymnastics, and go to classes at My Gym.  You love all of these things and do so so wonderfully! I always say you are going to do wonderfully in school because you are such a good little rule follower, incredibly focused,  and do everything the teachers show you to do.

Right now, you are all girl with the definitely sprinkling of the influence of having an older brother you adore.  He runs around the house declaring he is whatever superhero he is choosing at the moment and you are right behind him yelling out that you're "Cin-dah-weh-wah!!"  Cinderella fights many bad guys around here right now.  You also love to say "Re-cue Bots... Roll to da Re-cue!!" and can identify Optimus Prime. :o)  You love Dora, Sophia the First, Doc McStuffins, and all the Disney Princesses. You love to twirl and jump and I see ballet in our near future as you've been declaring you're a "bal-a-weenah" and like to show people your moves.  You mostly just drink milk and water and enjoy both. You eat really well so it is hard to say what your favorite foods are but you like cereal, ham, chicken, bananas, Greek yogurt, and much, much more. You sleep with your dog Lucy, Wubby, and like to be wrapped up in Blanket, your pink blanket you've had forever.  You're a great sleeper and still take two naps (about an hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon) and sleeping 11-12 hours at night.  We've been trying to eliminate your morning nap for a while but it's been a tough transition for you.  You also have been using the potty since 17 months, with the plan to fully train you this summer while I'm off but we haven't had a good opportunity to do that just yet.  Soon we will be diaper free around here!

Perhaps one of our greatest joys as your parent is getting to witness, firsthand, the relationship between you and your brother.  You two are wonderful together and such a pair! You love your brother so much and want so much to be just like him but, I'll tell you, you are probably one of the luckiest little girls on Earth because, right now, you can be rough to Joey and he is just so sweet and tolerant of you and lets you get away with everything.  He is always looking out for you.  Whenever he is rewarded in any way for something he makes sure you receive a reward as well.  If he is getting a toy for reaching a certain goal, when we're at the store he'll ask us to buy you something too, and so it goes.  He gives you anything you ask for and loves you with this crazy love he has had for you since he was younger than you are now and you were only in my belly.  I will never forget playing with him in your playroom when I was about 8 months pregnant with you.  He stopped what he was doing, ran over to me with out saying anything, lifted up my black tank top, nuzzled my tummy and gave you a kiss and then went right back to what he was doing without even so much as making eye contact with me.  As long as I live, I will never forget that moment. 

You are a very lucky girl.

As for me, I am loving watching you grow. You are just flourishing!  With Joey, each new stage and milestone reached was bittersweet.  I wanted him to stay little forever because every little phase seemed so wonderful that I couldn't imagine anything better.  But, as every mother has learned before me, you can't stop time, and I came to learn that it seems, at least so far, whatever age my children  are is my favorite age for them to be.  This has been so freeing with you and though it's true, the years pass fast, both your Daddy and I relish all the little moments with you day in and day out and cherish the gift of being your parents. 

You are our perfect little princess,

 an answer to our prayers,

and a reality that is better than our dream.

You are so immeasurably loved, our sweet Grace

 and we can't wait to see what your next year has in store.

Happy Birthday, baby girl!

 

All my love,

Mommy

 

A Picture of Grace at Two Years Old