Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Weight and Height Update!

You, my little 2 year old, weigh 26 pounds and are 34 inches tall! Woo hoo!

Happiness is....two kinds of Ice Cream



Well, I'm not so sure about the "happiness is" part, but I have learned that there are definitely two kinds of ice cream.

First, there is the "BC" (before children) Ice Cream. "BC" Ice Cream is eaten at your leisure. You get yourself a bowl, curl up on your cozy couch with a fuzzy blanket, and watch an episode of The Amazing Race.

On the other hand, "AC" (after children) Ice Cream, is like BEING in an episode of The Amazing Race. You sneak into the kitchen, get yourself a bowl, and furtively eat it standing at the counter. No time to lose! Still, they find you. Cries of "BITE?","BITE?" fill the air. All of the marshmallows are picked out of your ice cream. You endure a crying fit when they are told that "this is the last bite". And, of course, you end up wearing more on you than even they do!

Happiness, indeed!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

My Little Guy is Really 2......




My sweet little 2 year old,

You are TWO!!! I can't believe it!!! I have so much on my mind tonight and I want to try and say it all to you. First of all...I could never live without you. You...My love...are the one that made me realize how very precious life is. I can never thank you enough for that and I am forever grateful. You are so, so special.

I started this blog when you were only weeks old to document our journey as a family, to keep long distance friends and family connected, and to let you always know of my undying love for you. In writing to you I have cried, laughed, and grown more as a person and mommy.

You were born at 2:58am, so last night I set my alarm so that I could wake you up at that time to tell you Happy Birthday and just hold you for awhile. You woke briefly and smiled the sweetest smile....I swept you in my arms, half asleep, and carried you to your rocker where I just rocked you...sang Happy Birthday to you...and just held you so tight trying to forever imprint into my mind and my heart how you felt just at that moment. I drew back your hair, lingered in your neck and caressed your cute, chubby feet. YOU are my baby....the child I've always dreamed of having. As cheesy as it may sound...YOU COMPLETE ME.

Last night took me back to the first time I saw you, 2 years ago.... The first moment your little eyes met mine...The first time I fed you....Our first days home... It's all a big blur now, kinda like a slideshow flashing by, but sometimes the memories stop on one slide and it all comes tumbling back. As you snored quietly in my arms I prayed for you to know always how much we love you, as does God. I thanked the Lord with my whole, full heart for what a sweet, sweet boy you are, and how much joy that you bring into our lives.

I'm so thankful every day that I have the time to lose myself in your laughter, your cuddles, and your scent. Although things are busy and hectic....with you, all I have is time. Time to appreciate. And that I do.....

You are talking more and more these days....not as much as I thought you would be at this point, but because you are bi-lingual and processing TWO languages, we are told it can be delayed a bit. However....just in the last couple days I have seen you improve by leaps and bounds! :) You try to say EVERYTHING that we say....but it is not always clear, but the words we DO understand are as follows: Ball, Car, Mommy, Daddy, Wawa (water), Aqua, Mine, Peas (please) plplplplpl (porfavor) hehehe, Mas (More), Cracker, Truck, Fwaffle (Waffle), Bite, Luna (Moon), Moi (Nemo) (I have no idea on that one..) Buzz (from Toy Story), Woody (from Toy Story), No, Es (Yes), E (Si) Ow (Cow), Duck, Dog, Uh Oh, Owie, Dat Way (That way)... I know I'm forgetting several words, and I'm sure you will come up with more tomorrow as you do every day. One of these days I feel like you will just start talking in sentences...you understand EVERYTHING!

You love music and everytime you hear a song you start shaking that booty! I'm so glad for that! I hope you grow up to appreciate and love music as much as your mommy. It definitely makes this world a better place!

You are becoming quite the great eater-by-yourselfer too! Hehe! You maneuver that fork and spoon quite lovely, and when you can't quite get the fork to pierce an item of food, you get sooooo ticked off! You grunt and moan and sometimes even scream at it...You are such the perfectionist! Hmmm....wonder where you got that from?

I take you on Friday for your 2 year appointment with the pediatrician so I will have height and weight stats, but I think you are just right on track my perfect little 2 year old!

Your big birthday party is this Saturday....The Theme is CARS, and there will be lots of cars everywhere! I know you will love it.....I'll get lots of fun pictures then!!

Well, I know we will have such a fun year learning and exploring together my bestest little friend....I can't WAIT. You are the best reason to start every day feeling as if it was a miracle. Thank you for being such a good little boy, and for making me the luckiest mom that ever was. I love you my big boy!!

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!!!

Love, Mommy



.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Almost 2... :(

Caden is going to be 2 in just a few days... TWO YEARS OLD!! If you ask him how old he is, he "ON" and holds up his one little finger. I guess I'm going to have to teach him how to show two fingers now....How sad! :( Exciting...but sad.

Although I got choked up on Caden's first birthday, he still seemed like a baby then. But this 2 business is hitting me hard.... It’s like all of a sudden, he is a full-fledged BOY, not a baby. Somehow it made me feel better when I could conclude every anecdote with, “… and he’s not even 2 yet!” Now, he’s grown out of most of his footy pajamas, gets regular haircuts, and will have to pay full fare on airplanes. It’s sad times, people.

Not that he’s choked up about it.... On the contrary, he’s Mr. Independent lately, even more than usual. He wants to put his shoes BY HIS SELF...and has opinions on what books we will read a thousand times in a row. He insists on walking forward down the stairs WITHOUT any assistance, and most times he trots off at his Mother's Day out without so much as a backwards glance. In fact, the only time he seems to want Mom is when he needs something....snacks, juice, or digging a matchbox car out of the toilet. Thanks, buddy...

He’s exerting his independence in other ways too. He insists on being the one to turn off the TV. If I get impatient with him playing around and I turn it off myself, he cries until I turn it back on....just so HE can turn it off. He refuses to hold my hand, but likes to “pull MOMMY" down the street by her finger. (Hey, if that’s the only way that keeps him from being hit by a Mack truck, I’ll take it.) He HAS to be the one to push the garage door button when we leave or come home...if I forget, which sometimes I do, you would think I just beat the child the way he starts screeching. Good LORD! hehehe


It's so exciting to see the ways he is changing and I'm feeling bittersweet this birthday. I don't want him to grow up so fast! In so many ways he is still my baby! But, he is growing nonetheless, and in more ways I seem to be growing as well...learning to love more, learning more patience..and learning to appreciate each day more and more. So...although this 2 thing is a bit hard, I'm excited for what the next day has to offer. My baby is almost TWO!!!!!!!!!! :)

Saturday, April 11, 2009

The Boots....

Hi little man....

I just had to write a quick little blog to share again your love of your little green rainboots. It is absolutely precious/hilarious. :) Almost every night, we put you to sleep and then go in to check on you about an hour or so later and this is what we see....It never fails! :)







You always wait until we leave the room and then at some point you play!!! If we ever try to take them off, you wake up and start crying...soooo...we leave them on and in the morning you come walking into our room with your jammies and boots on! Who wouldn't love waking up to that sight? You are precious, and I am wildly glad that you are quirky just like your mommy...hehehe.....

I love you more than anything!!!
Love, Mommy

Friday, April 3, 2009

Robert A. Meyer (April 19, 1922 - March 12, 2009)









I know it's been almost a month since I have written but it has been a bit of an emotional month and I have to say that I've had extreme writer's block. Soo much to say, but no motivation to get it out. So now....I think I'm ok and ready to be back...

My Papa passed away very unexpectedly a few weeks ago and it was a big shock to everybody. My Nana is the one who has been sick for quite awhile and we have thought we were losing her a few times, but to lose HIM threw everyone off a bit. So, so sad..... He went into the hospital for a treatment and then ended up with a raging blood infection that his body just couldn't fight. Thankfully my mom was able to fly from Australia and get there in time to be with him and the family before he passed. I'll never forget the day when she called me and said "I'm going to put the phone up to his ear so that you can say goodbye. He can't talk to you, and we're not positive he understands, but say what you need to because there isn't much time." OH MY GOSH! How do you DO THAT??? I mean...you have seconds to process what you've just heard, and then seconds to form the words of goodbye? Talk about PANIC! Somehow my words just flowed, but I felt nauseous.....knowing that it was last time he would hear my voice just made me so sad.....I wish I could have heard HIS.

Caden and I flew out for the funeral and stayed for a week to be with my family. Until I walked into the church for the funeral and saw the slideshow of pictures portraying him and our family together the reality of what had happened hadn't hit me yet. Boy did it then..... I couldn't stop crying....crying...crying.... I had such a vast array of emotions that I didn't know how to hold back. The only thing that kept me from just sobbing was the fact that I had to sing. I just kept telling myself that every few seconds...."calm down, you have to sing...calm down" BOY WAS THAT TOUGH TO DO! I thought I would be fine up there...thought I would be able to control myself just fine, but I barely could get through both of my songs. It was by far the hardest performance of my life.

I didn't get to have the closest relationship with my Nana and Papa....Things were difficult and I always felt a little hurt and rejected. I was so sad for years and finally talked with them about some things about a year ago...just spilled my heart about how I felt. I've felt like since then things had been sooooo much better and closer. It was such a relief....I guess I just feel now that I missed so much....so much that I can never get back. I'm glad to know though that I will see him again, and that is something that comforts me.

As I was getting ready to leave for Kansas for the funeral, I was flowing with words that I wanted to say to him.... Words that I felt were encouragement to all of us that are left behind. I definitely felt like God was guiding my pen and it was an emotional experience for me writing this. Even more emotional trying to read it....
I want to share what I wrote for my Papa. If it can comfort even one person who has lost a loved one than I am thrilled.



FOR PAPA

Today you are having a different day than we are. As I put on my black dress this morning I thought about how you are dressed in white. As I shed tears of sorrow I know that you are shedding tears of joy. As I think of all the questions that I know we all struggle with today, I remember that all of your questions are gone. As I stand here now, I remember that you are not here. You are in Heaven with Jesus.

You are not watching your funeral...you are not thinking of death...You are more alive today than you ever have been before. You have shed the pain and sorrow of this world forever. That is a reason to rejoice for sure! :) The Bible says that you have your own mansion and you are probably getting the grand tour as I am reading this!

Like the final piece of the puzzle, you fit.... You are doing exactly what God created you to do. I just know that you are really good at it. You are known and loved and understood and cared about as only God can guarantee. When we meet you again we will know in an instant what we don't know now....why this had to be the way it is...and you will hug us like we've never been hugged before.

I know you are happy with a bliss beyond what our human minds can understand. The Bible says that "Our eyes have never seen and our ears have never heard..." It makes me happy to imagine the surprises you are discovering right now.

I know you were an honest man....a man of great character and integrity. I know you always helped your family and friends whenever they needed help. You were a wonderful example of true love and faithfulness.....for that I will always be in awe... You had to do quite a bit right because you gave me the most wonderful mom a girl could ask for....and the most wonderful family.

I wish I could have known you more on a deeper level. I wish we could have sat in a porch swing one evening and talked meaningfully with each other. I know I could have learned so much more from you. I missed alot by missing alot of you life and I'm not sure I totally realized it as much as I do now.

So...I'd finally like to say... Thank You. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for holding on...for living so that your life could continue through all of us that follow you. And thank you for being the kind of man who left a mark on people's lives....Who touched the world and made it better with his own. May our footsteps be as courageous and honest...May our lives be your legacy....and may we make you proud that we are those who called you "Papa."

I will miss you...I love you..., Tiffany

P.S. We will NOT miss your pop quizzes... :)



Thanks for giving me my blue eyes.....Yours will forever be the prettiest blue eyes EVER though.....