Life isn't always a picnic

Today, on my way to the duck pond with my little boys to have our dinner picnic, we passed the elementary school where I saw a little football team playing. It hit me- so often when we have little children it's so easy to think "once they get older life will get easier"...well, I'm not so sure about that now. When kids get older they start getting into sports, music, school, birthday parties, swim team, etc. Moms are running from one place to the next and a picnic at the duck pond for dinner is the last thing on their agenda. It really caught me off guard today. I am in such an innocently sweet period of life with my children. We sat at the duck pond, eating our dinner, experiencing life together. When Parker was done, he got up and was running around pushing his grocery cart and then BEGGED to run across the little bridge they have. What lit up my little boys eyes, was getting to run across the bridge...wow, so preciously sweet. So innocent...
We enjoyed ourselves a little longer and then loaded Parker's grocery cart up with our dinner items and then walked back to the car. On my way back to the house, I thought...I can see myself 8 years from now, life whirling by, driving by the duck pond seeing a mother out there with her little pre-school children and missing so desperately these years. What a JOY FILLED time of life these sweet tender years are; watching my boys experiencing life with such excitement and joy. There is nothing quite as wonderful or amazing. Well, we pulled the car into the garage and I got in the back seat to start getting Beckham out and I just sat there for a second making funny noises with my mouth. Both of my boys were staring deep into my eyes, laughing so hard. They think I am the cat's meow. They think I am so funny and whatever silly thing I do brings so much joy to them. Mmm....will it always be this way? Doubtably. They will grow up and it will be harder for me to make them laugh...I won't always be able to snuggle with them curled up on the couch watching a movie together.

Slow down....watch your children grow....don't wish this time away....cherish each day.

He is 11 months old!!!

My Boo is now 11 months old!!! What does this mean??? It means that next month he will be 1!!!!! Wow, life is getting so much fun! So what is he up to?

-He has 2 teeth in and 1 top tooth about to make it's entrance
-He crawls like crazy, including his crab crawl like the one in the picture
-He stands up on his own and he has tried to take steps by himself, but is unsuccessful. He does well walking while pushing a toy around.
-He takes 1 big nap a day sometimes 2
-He goes to bed at 7 and will wake up usually once around 3-6 and then go back to sleep till 7 or 8.
-He eats real food and doesn't really eat baby food.
-He says, mama, dada, buh buh and uh-oh and sometimes thuh thuh thuh...
-He LOVES it outside
-He likes to be held!!
-He loves electrical outlets and unplugging things and then laughs at me when I tell him NO NO!
-He has a pacifier and typically only uses it when he is going to sleep or tired
-He wears 9 and 12 month clothes...some 6-9 month still too.
-He used to eat everything in sight, but now he is starting to think he has a choice about what he eats!
-He loves his bath time
-He LOVES getting rubbed down with baby lotion!
-He loves door stoppers
-He loves to go down Parker's little slide in the back yard
-He loves reading CERTAIN books
-He is still such a happy boy
This little boy is a piece of sunshine!!! I just want to eat him up every day of my life. I love holding him and snuggling, I love rocking him, I love reading books to him, I love talking to him, I love playing with him. He's my boo bear! Happy 11 months my sweet baby!!!! I love you more than you will ever know!!!!!