Where does the time go?

It has been entirely too long since my last post and my little boy is already 3 years old.  Where does the time go? Time goes by too quickly once you become an adult and it goes at hyperspeed when you work full time and have a child.  I'm so thankful that I was blessed with the opportunity to stay home with Jake for almost all of the first two years of his life.  Don't get me wrong... I absolutely love my job but there is nothing like spending precious moments with your little one.  Trip was out of town one day last week and I woke Jake up to get him ready for school.  He looked up at me all sleepy and said "hold me Mama" so of course I sat down on the bed and he climbed up in my lap and snuggled in tight against me.  He looked up at me with those beautiful blue eyes and said "Don't go to work Mama.  Let's stay home and you can hold me all day... if you want to.". 

We have had a quite few weeks weather wise but since we had already received over 5 feet of snow this winter we were probably due for a break.  But because it was so snowy and so cold from December through mid-February there was a lot of inside time and Jake picked up every illness that passed through his childcare group.  He had a virus that mimicked the flu with a very high fever that lasted over a week then he got an ear infection followed by a stomach bug and finally a plain old yucky cold.  Everyone tells me that if he gets all this stuff now he'll be better off once he gets to kindergarten so hopefully that's true because I would hate to think that he'll have to go through all of this again.  I even had a teacher tell me that you can tell which kindergartners were never in childcare because they are sick all the time once they start school.

Jake had his 3-year check up last month and he was 24.5 lbs and 35.5 inches tall.  It is so hard to believe that it has already been three years!  I remember "labor day" like it was yesterday and I hope that I will always be able to recall every little detail.  Our Valentine baby had fun making valentine's for his friends this year and he was really excited about his birthday.  He couldn't wait to be 3 so that he would be a "big" boy.  We've started potty training in earnest and he's doing great.  Everyone told me that boys are later and slower to learn than girls so we haven't rushed him but he seems to be ready now so I guess we'll change our last diaper soon which is a little bittersweet.  It's great to watch them grow and develop but it's still a little sad when those "lasts" occur.

Jake is VERY excited for us to find our next house and he has some very specific requirements... a big yard and a dog.  When Trip told him that it looked like someone was going to buy our old house he said let's go get a new house with a yard right now so I can get a dog.  We're not going to rush into anything unless we happen upon "the" one so it may be a few months before we get that yard and that dog but we've assured our little man that we will indeed make that happen soon.

Last night it was just the two of us and Jake wanted to dance so I put a toddler dance mix on called Crazy Frog and the two of us danced wildly and giggled uncontrollably for the longest time.  I love my life!  I'm very blessed to be Jake's mama and Trip's wife.  We have great family that loves and supports us.  We both have really good jobs..  We have an amazing little boy who is all that we could have every hoped for and so much more.  We have accepted an offer on our house and as long as everything goes well we should be mortgage free and ready to officially begin the search for our next home by the end of this month.  Thanks be to God for blessings too numerous to count.  I'm eternally grateful!

Enjoy all the pictures and videos (including one inspired by the Grammy Awards) and please forgive me for the extended period between posts but sometimes you just have to dance with your little boy.

 Too cold to play in the snow so let's paint.

 A snow day picnic with Mama...

 

Taking a little rest after playing in my jump pile.

Mama's drive to work...

 

Mama likes this picture...

and this one...

 

Happy 35-Month B-Day to Me!

I'm a real firefighter!

Mama said that this was my version of a drive-in movie...

whatever that is...

We had fun at this belated Christmas gathering...

I love to go to the park!

Catch me Daddy...

We made Valentine's Day treat bags for my friends at school...

Decorating these Valentine's is serious business!

Look what a great job I did...

Let me help you clean that up Mama...

Mama made birthday cupcakes for me to take to school.

I love birthday presents!

Happy Birthday to Me... Happy Birthday to Me!

Yep.. this big boy is 3 years old today!

 

 I'm Mama & Daddy's little Valentine... literally!

 I better help Mama get this place cleaned up for my birthday party.

Making my birthday cake took more than one brain.

Wonder when I can open these...

Let's get this show on the road.  

There are presents to open.

 

 My cousin Abbie likes to help me do things.

 

 It is so fun to have so much of my family here!

I'm pretty sure that cake is next!

 Eat fast everyone so we can get cake!

 

Smile for the camera Mama!

 Grandma & Grandpa came all the way from Maryland!

 Uncle Russell & Aunt Kristi are just crazy about me!

 I decided that cake can wait until after presents...

Here's what teenagers do at a toddler's birthday party...

 This card is hilarious!

 My hard hat is too small for you Uncle Russell...

 Mama made this for me and when I saw it I said...

"Yea Mama... that's a good firetruck".

 Let me help you light the candles Daddy...

I better taste test this ...

Yummy!

It's good Grandpa... have some...

Thanks for partying with me Mamaw & Papaw.

Let's build this together Grandpa...

Hey Guys... I want to help build the firefighter stool

that Mamaw & Papaw gave me for my birthday.

Look how tall this makes me Daddy...

Grandma did you see my firetruck balloon?

Dancing makes us happy!

 

My new stool works great!

I'll always be your baby Mama!

 

One happy family!