Dear Jacoby | 1 year

Coby J-

Happy birthday little man!

At least 4 times a week, your papa and I go from looking at you to looking at each other and back at you, commenting how big you are getting. You really are becoming a little man!

You are determined. When you set your little mind to something, you are going to achieve it. You can see it in your eyes and that little wrinkle in your brow. You're strong. Sometimes Ains will be standing on a kitchen chair and you'll slide her around the kitchen without as much as a grunt!

You are handsome. I love how your hair curls up like your papa's when you get a little sweaty. You've got a dimple so deep on your cheek and a toothy smile that causes everyone to smile right back at you. Not to mention those big ol' eyes! You're such a little charmer--it makes me a bit nervous for when girls catch your eyes especially with that slobbery kiss you give!

You began walking at 9.5 months--exactly a week before Christmas--and you haven't slowed down yet. I love how everything you do screams I'm a little boy! Exploring. Playing with rocks. Eating dirt. You enjoy it all!

Family and friends helped celebrate your first birthday with a "Little Man" themed birthday party complete with mustaches, manwhiches and little man [root] beer. You weren't as excited with your mustache smash cake as we expected. You literally destroy nearly all meals but after a few bites you were done with your cake and ready to play on the floor again.

The morning of your birthday party, you were dedicated at church. At the church we previously attended, the baby dedication was on a date that didn't work for us, so we hadn't had you dedicated yet. It made is nice though that we were able to have family and friends attend church to be a part of officially committing to raise you in a Godly manner. I know your papa and I will fail at times, but it is our intention to raise you to love and serve God regardless of what that may look like. More than that, all of your family attending church and the entire congregation at Lima First Assembly also commit to help raise you in such a way. I hope you grow to be all that God has designed you to be little man--and I'm excited to watch that develop in you!

 The past year has been a wonderful year. You bring joy and charm to our life and we celebrate our blessed we are to have you in our family. We love you so much and love how much you love us--including your big sis--in return!

Love,
Momma

Happy 2nd Birthday, Ainsley!

Dear Ainsley, 

Happy 2nd birthday, little lady! And what a little lady you are turning into--already! Someday when you're old enough and stumble upon this journal, you are going to read about how right "they" are. 

They say time goes so fast. 

They say cherish the moments. 

They say you can't comprehend a mother's love. 

They say that raising children can be tough, but oh so worth it. 

And you know what, Pete? They are right. 

Time goes so fast--how can I be the mother of a two year old?! A toddler?! A developing young lady with a personality that both takes my breath away and makes me cringe! (Usually only when you're mimicking me!)

I am cherishing the moments--because they'll slip right through our clasped hands if we don't. Life and circumstances will continue to evolve, and with that the day is coming when you will no longer beg to watch "Eenna", declare that Coby is AWAKE! until he finally is so that you can kiss and play with him, want to snuggle at bedtime after reading a stack and an half of books--twice. You're going to have your endless questions of "What's that?!", "Why?!" and "What's that noise?!" answered by someone else. So in the meantime, I'll explain life to you the best I can--even when I don't know exactly how the automatic flusher works exactly, I'll snuggle on your toddler mattress long after the first yawn of the night, and I'll allow my heart to be filled with joy as you fulfill your big sister role so well. 

Sweet baby girl, you can't comprehend your momma's love for you. To say I love you to the moon and back would be an understatement. You are who made me a mother, and you are the one who is refining me as a mother. No matter how disappointed I try to pretend to be when you pee your pants two minutes after you say you don't have to go or when you get that look in your eye and deliberately disobey my instruction, Ainsley Jo, I could never love you less or be less proud to be your momma. One day--in many, many years--you'll make me a grandmomma and you'll begin to understand my love for you. 

Raising you (and your brother) can be tough, but oh so worth it! I've only been at this gig for two years and I know I've made mistakes. There have been times I responded "no!" too quickly, cut story time too short, been upset too long, spent too much time on Pinterest, and didn't give myself 100% to the here and the now that will truly matter in the days to come. What seems like a perfect balance one day, is complete chaos the next. There have been nights of tears and shaking my head from a few feet away because I have to step away because as a mother, as your mother I have absolutely no idea how to meet your needs--how to love you and shape you and teach you and comfort you and discipline you into the person you were made to be. 

But they are right. 

Children are worth it. 

You are worth it. 

You make it worth it. Even at two, your personality and love has flooded my heart and added meaning to my life. 

Happy 2nd Birthday, Princess! Keep on being you--because you are a beautiful creation!

Love, 

Momma

2 More Summertime Goals

Alright, blogworld, here's the deal.

I have about half a dozen posts half-written in my mind, but I still have some 101 in 1001 goals to update on here. So, here's another checklist kind of post after a whirlwind of July so I can get my blog-brain up to date!

77.   Go to the drive in movies.
During the last week of June, my niece and nephew stayed the night with the plan to see Monsters University that even. You see we've got some serious Monsters' fans in the family! My niece used to beg to watch Monsters, Inc--and take a bubble bath and brush her teeth--every.single.time she came to our house. My nephew is equally enthralled with Sulley & Mike; as is Ainsley! I can't even guess how many times I've watched Monsters, Inc. Coincidentally the Van-Del Drive-ins has BOGO on Tuesdays evening and kiddos 5 and under are free. So for seven bucks, Mister, Sondra [2 days shy of her 6th birthday!], Stuart, Ainsley, Jacoby, and I were able to enjoy a movie! 

About three-fourths of the way through the movie, the temperature dropped drastically. People scurried about collecting blankets and popcorn bowls, seeking refuge in their cars. Sondra turned to me asking if we should get in car. I relieved her that everyone else was just wimps, we'd be fine, buuuut I did keep a close eye on the lightening in the distance! The kiddos stayed up for almost all of the movie, with just a little dozing off at the end! They then slept the whole way home and all through the night. 

Cue the hallelujah chorus!

10.     Can vegetables grown in our garden.
I felt a bit of pressure looming with this goal. You see, last year, I thought our garden was pretty lush. This year? I don't feel like we've gotten much out of it. Either way, if I wanted to accomplish this goal I needed to can something. 

After thinking that I picked all the beans and then being informed of a whole 'nother section, I realized green beans was the produce of choice. [That and we did grow any other commonly cannable produce this year.]

So we took our snipped beans out the Mister's parents and his mom helped teach me.  You see, we have "uh garden" at our house, but Mister's parents? Now they have A GARDEN! And his mom is good at storing away for winter. 

Mmmmm... How I love some comfort food on a chill winter night that includes preserved summertime favorites. Green beans. Corn. Peaches. Yum! Yum! So that's where this goal came from and we spent some time canning. Nancy really did all the work and I just asked all the questions. I'm no where near being able to do it by myself--although Mister reassured me that there's this thing called a "user's manual" and it'd probably be able to walk me through it step by step. I'd say he was talking nonsense! ;-)

In the end, we had enough to can just 5 quarts of green beans, but I'm already looking forward to enjoying them this fall/winter! Next year I'm hoping for the bountiful harvest, or at least not being on vacation when my mother-in-law could use the help canning beans and cutting corn!