I am writing this exactly two months from my due date, watching my tiny dancer do her thing from the outside of my tummy. I just returned from a school visit and had to keep from laughing to myself as I attempted to observe my student, yet also observe my entire belly shift from one side to the other. It's a little uncomfortable when the movement gets this noticeable, but utterly amazing nonetheless - a feeling I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.
Friday is upon us and I have big plans to make lots of headway on baby girl's room this weekend. That, and maybe some Christmas decorating if I'm feeling extra ambitious. :)
Cruz has been putting his flag helper duties to good use at school. He surprised us one night after his school program by standing there with his hand on his heart, reciting every big word of the ol' Pledge. Now, Beau and I ask him to say it for us at least three times a week. My favorite is when he says, "wif wiberty and justice foh aaaaalllll!"
A fitting way to remember all the brave men and women who have fought for our country so these littles can be safe. We owe them so much. Happy Veteran's Day.
I'm skipping a week of pictures and updates to get on track with the baby bump! I am thirty weeks along, just ten weeks shy (give or take) of meeting this baby girl. My mind is completely overwhelmed with emotions from one minute to the next --- all knowing that soon after we pack away that Christmas tree we'll be bringing a new little person into our lives. Right now, she's working on filling up the little home in my womb, getting bigger and stronger every week. It's amazing how you can feel them grow and begin to visualize their size by the movements they make throughout the day. She's a mover, that's for sure, and I'm so fortunate to have another baby that gives me constant reminders of her presence!
Cruz turned three about a month ago and I'm telling ya, life hasn't been the same ever since! For those who told us the terrible twos had nothing on the threes knew exactly what they were talking about! Our little spark seems to be driving in one of two gears lately - a little light bulb, learning new things and growing into this smart, witty, and sweet boy before our very eyes, and other times, a ball of fire that can't be reasoned with, no matter how deliberate we try. Beau and I are yet again exploring unfamiliar territory as parents and while some days require us to exercise new amounts of patience we didn't know we had, we seem to be more astonished with his growth than ever before. I remember growth spurts, when he seemed to be changing right in front of me, but the last few weeks have been really incredible. He's growing into a little boy, one with friends, opinions, and knowledge that leave us shaking our heads in wonderment, or pulling our hair out in frustration constantly!
Some things to remember about Cruz at three...
...our bedtime routine. One of the best and most frustrating parts of my day. Cruz has been fighting going to bed lately, trying to reason with us with statements like "I'm not tired," or "It's not dark yet." (sorry buddy, welcome to daylight savings time, when it's now dark at 4:30). Our answer to getting him up to his bedroom at night is by allowing him to bring things with him to bed. Some nights, I tuck him in next to Tow Mater, a pirate sword, a DVD, and a tape measure. He's never liked stuffed animals, however, lately, he's taken to his Cloud B Sea Turtle as a night light. We cuddle up under his comforter, read 2-3 books, and talk for awhile before prayers, another potty break, a glass of water, and finally, sleep. Exhausting, but nothing more rewarding than reading those books with his little head on my shoulder and his little sister kicking away to the sounds of my voice.
...bathtime. Lately, an hour ritual because Cruz typically needs a 20 minute break in the middle to take care of some business on the potty. It must be the warm water, which we typically have to make warmer when he's done his job because it takes so long. We wrap him up in a towel, give him a toy catalog, and he kindly requests we shut the door to give him his privacy. Twenty minutes later and a resounding, "I'm done!" and he's back in the tub, playing cooking show or giving his cars a wash.
...Cruz moved to the three year old room at daycare a little early, about two months before he actually turned three. At first, I was a little hesitant about him being behind his peers; however, it's proved to be so good for him. The things he can do blows my mind --- things like putting on his shoes or pulling up his pants, walking in a line to the gym or waiting patiently for his food to be served before eating. He knows the months of the year in order, can tell me all about why the leaves fall off the trees during the fall, can recite the entire Pledge of Allegiance - with liberty and justice for all!
...Cruz has two best friends, Liam and Eli, and they're quite the characters at school. Cruz and I also do Kindermusik with Liam and his mom on Tuesday nights and it's fun to watch them interact. They're friends for sure, hugging and giggling one minute, and bickering and tackling the next! I'm still getting used to this boy thing - the tackling, shooting, playing bad guys, etc., and am constantly asking "Where is he getting this stuff?" with the things he sometimes says.
...Cruz seems to get more 'boy' every day. He loves monster trucks, race cars, football, and Batman, but Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater are still his favorites. They are the only surefire bedtime companions, the reason Beau and I will sometimes find ourselves halfway under Cruz's bed at 2:30 in the morning, groggily attempting to stretch our arm to retrieve the necessary accompaniment.
...Cruz had his very first ear infection a couple of weeks ago. For the first time, he was actually able to communicate what didn't feel right and we sprung into action to get our boy back to normal as soon as possible. He was very brave at the doctor's office, but the antibiotics were a different story!
...Cruz is wearing 4T in most shirts and 2-3T in pants (he has a waist like his daddy), clothes he has quite the opinion over as of the last couple of weeks. It's a new adventure every morning, as some mornings he'll be completely agreeable and the very next time I try the exact same outfit, he'll refuse. I've started giving him options every morning, picking two things for him to choose and that seems to be solving the problem for now.
...Cruz has one week left of Soccer Shots at school, a soccer program for three year olds on Tuesday mornings. I've been hearing a lot about Coach Marty and Soccer Shots, so I decided to sneak in and watch yesterday morning. It was completely adorable to see this twenty-something kid interact with a group of toddlers. It made me smile when Cruz kept looking over his shoulder to see that I was still watching him, and I was yet again amazed at how a group of three year olds can follow directions, do what they're told, and get something meaningful out of instruction.
...In addition to our school, we've also been blessed with an amazing children's ministry at church. Cruz has the absolute best teaching staff in his room right now, and there is truly nothing better than seeing your child begin to form a relationship with his Savior. Last Sunday, he came out of the room assuring us that "God is with you wherever you go," telling us the story of Deborah and how brave she was. Seeing this network begin to form of all the people that will be part of Cruz's story is the most amazing thing - a calm reassurance that it indeed takes a village.
...Cruz loves to sing and dance, and rarely a day goes by without the three of us singing the ABCs, Old McDonald, Twinkle Twinkle, or the Johnny Appleseed prayer. The prayers Cruz gets to recite at school have become our rotation at home, and I have no doubt that one of my fondest memories will someday be the three of us at the table before suppertime, arms stretched out like Superman, singing, "Thank you God, for giving us food..." to the tune of Superman.
...I can hardly wait to watch our boy become a big brother. Although he still sometimes thinks she is currently residing in my boob, he seems to understand that our family is about to grow and that he will soon have a new responsibility. He also seems to have a name picked out for her - one that may just be the one we decide to go with. He just sort of started calling her that out of the blue and it seems to fit for now.
...I wish I could bottle up Cruz's sweet little voice and the little things that come out of his mouth all the time. Times when he grabs my hand out of the blue, rubs the part between my thumb and index finger gently with his finger, and tells me, "yous my best friend, Mommy." He is affectionate, soft hearted, and so sweet, and he melts me all the time.
There you have it! A glimpse at our life with a three year old, one who teaches us patience, makes us smile, and melts our hearts every day. Every age, every stage is a new adventure, one that stretches us in new ways and makes us all the more aware of the important work we're blessed to do.
Today is November 4th and I am motivated to wear this month with bells on. It greeted us this weekend with the perfect mix of business and pleasure. A freshly painted baby room and empty dresser eagerly awaiting those newborn sleepers and onesies, a carry-out pizza and movie night on Saturday night, and a Sunday of family time, baby snuggling, and three adorable cousins in their pajamas, reading books and playing a rousing game of Simon Says before bed. October kind of blew in like a tornado and I'm slowly starting to see it settle just in time for this ever important season of thankfulness and reflection. I love this time of year and so much that accompanies it, and am eager to soak in these last two months of our familiar before 2014 begins with great change for the three of us. Two more months of feeling this baby move inside me, of sweet time with just Cruz, and of special planning and preparing for this little lady to join our lives. And all just in time for twinkly lights, snowflakes, and Christmas trees.
I can't close our month of October without reflecting on our wild Halloween and trick-or-treating adventures last Thursday night. My Halloween ended up attributing to well-deserved parenting lesson #272, a lesson I've come to experience many times since earning the title of mom. A lesson that goes something like: Go with the flow. Children are unpredictable. And sometimes, they will surprise the holy heck out of you. And, that? That's called joy.
Cruz and I spent the last two weeks of October sick. Nebulizer treatments and ear infections, coughing fits and sleepless nights. So when Halloween week rolled around, I felt like Scrooge. I honestly contemplated keeping Cruz home from school on Thursday morning because I didn't have a costume for him. His Max costume from last year still fit, yet he had no desire to wear it, and he just didn't seem into the whole dress up thing. I didn't want to spend the time and money on a costume that he refused to wear and didn't see the purpose in forcing him to do something he didn't want to do. I just kind of muddled through the week without a plan or expectation, and the idea of staying in, handing out candy, and watching It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown sounded better and better all the time.
But then Wednesday rolled around and I offered to be a parent helper during Cruz's fall party at school. I vividly remember my own mom coming to school parties when I was a child and I went through the morning in this weird kind of daze, feeling old and special and nostalgic as I helped my baby glue pom poms on a pumpkin, unwrapped fourteen juice box straws, and patiently answered to the label, "Cruz's mom" all morning long. I loved watching him interact with his peers, was proud of how he shared his pumpkin with his friend, and once again overwhelmed with thankfulness for the safe, nurturing place he spends his days.
Thursday, thanks to a pair of $12 John Deere overalls and a gaudy Spongebob sweatshirt turned inside out from Blain's Farm and Fleet, I put together a minion costume from one of our favorite family movies, Despicable Me. We love the minions around our house, and I had fun attempting my first ever homemade Halloween costume. Again, I was careful to not get too invested into this costume, as I had no idea what we were gonna get when it came time to try it on, especially when a dry run turned into Cruz screaming, "Take it off! Take it off! It's cold on my belly!" when I tried to see if the Spongebob sweatshirt fit him. I printed and laminated a Gru sign to tape over the tractor emblem on the front of his bibs, made a set of goggles with two mason jar rims, white construction paper, and a piece of elastic, and found some black pipe cleaner hair to tape to the top of his hood. No expectations, but a perfectly adorable, thrown together costume for under fifteen bucks.
So how'd my boy do as a minion? Well, he loved it. A boy who can feel a forgotten tag on a shirt three layers out or will often go through two or three shirts in the morning before finding just the one fully embraced his minion costume. He patiently waited as I readjusted his overall straps, let Beau tug and pull the pipe cleaners through his hood, and didn't seem to mind that the elastic piece was a little too tight around his hood. No, he stood tall and smiled sweetly as he admired himself in the mirror of our bedroom, carried his orange pumpkin with pride, and embraced every silly tradition of trick-or-treat night with childlike perfection. I'm not sure if it was the homemade costume or the fact that he surprised me so, but I was so proud to watch him that night, so in awe of his cuteness and uniqueness, and overjoyed watching him tromp up to each house, chant his little trick-or-treat or "Happy Halloween" and saying his thank yous about sixteen times at each house.
We trick-or-treated far longer than I expected and Beau and I often shared those "isn't our child the cutest thing in the world?" glimpses as he made his way through the neighborhood with his pumpkin of candy. I loved how he always requested to hold "yous hand" after each house, but refused to let anyone hold his pumpkin as it got heavier throughout the night. I loved how he cared more about ringing the doorbell than actually scoring the candy. I loved his often unprompted "Happy Halloween!" to the neighbors, and the many "look at the little minion" remarks we heard from other trick-or-treaters or parents. Our little minion, who once again surprised this mama and reminded me that the unplanned, unexpected surprises of parenting also bring the most joy.
Other pictures from our Halloween week...
Here's to lots of joy this holiday season. Happy November!
