January Runner Ups

So I made it through my first month of my 365 project! I'm really enjoying this project and it's really proving to be a great challenge for me. I find myself looking forward to each day a lil more, excited for what I might catch my kiddos doing that day, as well as trying to plan more fun things for us to do, so that I can get out of the house and have something exciting to capture! But I have say the hardest part has been choosing just one photo of each of them! I obviously take A LOT more and it seems a waste to just let the ones that didn't get chosen to just sit on my computer, so at the end of each month I'll go through and pull all the "runner ups", the ones that I liked but didn't use and post one giant post for that month. 

Here it is, the month of January. 

31/365

You and peanut butter. Best friends. You love it and it loves you. Unfortunately it means I find it smeared here and there through out the house. Ahhh, the toddler years.

Up onto Daddy's shoulders you go and immediately become the controller and driver of the Daddy Robot. Complete with sound effects and voice recognition, your Daddy Robot is a high tech gadget. And you're getting pretty good at operating him. Only a few near collisions tonight.

30/365

oh to joy of holding the shower head after the frigged walk from the pool to the locker room. Your daddy was laughing at me, dripping wet, taking pictures of you dripping wet. Whatever it takes for the picture. Whatever it takes.

Up, up and away you went! So proud of you buddy, climbing almost half way up the wall three times! It's so fun watching you discover new things and find success and courage and confidence along the way.

29/365

It was crazy windy today, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the playground a lil while the sun was shining. You were so proud of yourself for getting up on this platform swing. And again you were not happy when it was time to leave, saying "I want the park! I want the park!" 

Zoom! Man, you move fast! Luckily if I plan myself at the bottom of the slide I get a few tries to catch you as you zip down and around and all over.

28/365

Oh my gorgeous babies. How did I get so lucky and blessed to spend my days with such incredible creatures? You are each so very wonderful. There are moments, every single day, moments when you're laughing and playing and filling my home with joy and filling my heart with pride and gratitude and I want to take those moments and marinate in them, let the bit of heaven that they bring to earth soak into me, soften my stressed heart, massage my fatigue and permeate my dissatisfaction turning it into thanks and praise for the blessings I have been given.  I love and embrace this amazing privilege of being your mother.

27/365

If you have to ride in the cart, you should bring a friend with you and strap them in next to you. And get your brother to push you around.

Readers are leaders, and you certainly are a reader. I love that you enjoy books and quickly "burn" through the haul we bring home from the library. I am grateful for the resources that allow me to keep a fresh supply ready for your eager mind to devour.

26/365

I'm getting a lil redundant with all my comments about how awesome it is to watch you and your brother play together. But seriously, you guys are just a blast! The hallway blanket rides were always a favorite of your brother when he was little and it's just too amazing that now he can pull you up and down the hallway as you squeal with delight.

Standing on the trash cans bird watching with the neighbor kids. I'm guessing this will be one of those things you forget you did, cause it's just a silly lil thing, not all that memorable. But for some reason I really love that you guys do this, I think because it reminds me of the things I used to do as a kid with my neighbors. No toys, no gadgets or even an organized game or a plan. Just being outside, looking at what you see, just hanging out.

25/365

Look at that.. I have two kids. Two kids. Not one kid and a baby. Two kids, who run around and cause commotion everywhere they go. Cora, I love the relationship you have with your brother. One of my favorite things is if he shares something with you or does something nice, you say "Good girl, Logan! Good girl!"

I love bedtime story time with Daddy. Your lil eyes beaming as daddy does silly voices and sound effects. This particular book had a "bite" taken out of it which gave me the perfect vantage point to your lil wide eyed face.

24/365

This is my view many many times through out the day. You have reached the needy two year old stage, the "I only want momma, and I want her all the time," stage. The "I want more milk, wait I don't want more milk!" stage. The I want a hat because my teddy bear has a hat," stage and since the only hat that I could find was the hat you wore coming home from the hospital, well, that's the hat you wore. Sigh... I know it's a stage. And as much as it wears me down and makes me a lil crazy sometimes, I'm trying to savor the fact that you need me because all too soon we'll be onto the next stage.

Today was the day you'd been waiting for! Your ants arrived for your ant farm. Oh how exciting that was. And oh so creepy they were for your poor mommy. As fascinating as they were to watch crawl around in there, it was much more fascinating for me to watch you watching them.

23/365

 Yep, at 25 months, you are still asking to be breastfed. And I oblige sometimes happily, sometimes reluctantly.  I am tired of it, or at least the inconvenience of it but I do like the way it forces me to sit and just stare at you and you just stare at me and you're still my lil baby and I'm still your momma who has everything you need. I probably should just be done with it and stop letting you, but maybe I'm not ready to be done.

Once a week I volunteer in your classroom. I try to help and make myself useful but it is a Spanish immersion class and my Spanish is still pretty rough so I do feel a lil lost at times. You on the other hand are right in there, possibly a lil clueless at times but not bothered at all, just having fun, learning and working hard. And of course goofing off a lil. I was worried you'd have a hard time, this being your first year at this new school, with a new language but you've adjusted and have friends galore. Well done buddy, well done.

22/365

 While waiting to pick up your brother from school today, you talked to your shadow. Probably saying something like "Where have you been all winter? We've missed you!"

Asking you to help with the laundry means, you'll be helpful for about 15 minutes, sorting the socks and underwear.. and then you'll get bored and get wild and well, I can either fight you or join you. Today I joined you and I'm glad I did. Yes, there's still laundry to be folded, but we had fun in our sheet tent.

21/365

 I've been wanting to catch you doing this for a while now. You do this when we're praying for dinner and when we ask you to pray you say "Tank you Jesos." It's too precious.

You two and your long gorgeous eye lashes. sigh... You were reading a book to Cora before bed. I love seeing how comfortable you two are with each other and how she just wiggled her way onto the same chair as you and fit so perfectly next to you.

20/365

Cutest thing ever this morning when Daddy was going to work. You kept saying "I wanna go to work! I wanna go to work!" and your poor daddy had to leave with out you.

You climbed the tree to rescue Cora's ball. You're a big brother and a hero. I'm so proud of you.

19/365

You do have a lil bit of a mischievous side to you, as seen in this face you made while splashing in the tub tonight. You're starting to explore your independence and boundaries and I'm trying to remember the tricks that work on a two year old. Granted whatever worked on Logan has not guarantee to work on you. You're your own person, that's for sure.

We let you pick out these cool new Jordan tennis shoes, the cool ones that two other boys in school wear, with the stipulation that you would learn to tie them yourself. And after just a few times showing you how, you've got it and you're so proud of yourself. I'm proud of you two buddy!

18/365

Oh my lil child of wonder. It is such a joy watching you discover things and see the world a new through your lil eyes.

You were jumping to your dad from the edge of the pool. Your daddy kept getting further and further away and you kept saying "Come back, I can't make it that far!" and he would say "You can! I'll catch you!" and this is your face after you did, you jumped farther and Daddy caught you and you both made these matching faces of joy and surprise and pride. You did it!

17/365

 You and your daddy. It's one of those things that just gets me, slays me. I had another photo I took of you today, a fun laughing shot on the swing. But this one won out, because it was a real moment. He was pretending to eat your hair and you just snuggled in and giggled and my heart melted.

I also had another picture of you, but again this one won out because it was real rather than posed. You and your dad created an game while leaving the mall. Daddy would tell you where to start and then walk ahead and when he lifted his leg you had to run and jump over it. And like a well trained hurdler you flew over his leg each time. Who needs a playground when you've got Daddy?

16/356

Window Gazing. A favorite pastime of both my children. And well gosh, it's just beautiful light so, me photographing you window gazing is one my favorite pastimes.

15/365

I loath grocery shopping. Like have to psych myself up for each trip, and will not go until we absolutely have nothing left to eat in the house. Today, we absolutely needed to go, and I think I timed it right. You were pretty happy and content in the cart for most if but then wanted out. Which is usually when the trip goes down hill, because I try to find something to distract you, in order to keep you in the cart. Well today, I let you and put you to work. I told you what what to grab and you worked hard at putting each item in the cart. It definitely was a slower process than normal, but you did great and were a good lil helper. Thank you for making one of my least favorite chores much more enjoyable today.

The home improvement project that never ends. Still working on that bathroom. It's getting closer though and you're being a good sport helping Daddy out when he needs an extra pair of hands. I remember doing this sort of thing for my Dad when I was your age. He is color blind so us kids always had to tell him which wires were red when he was wiring the light switches or if he needed to reach something down a small hole, he'd ask for "someone with little arms!". I'm glad you're getting some of the similar experiences I had growing up.

14/365

 Making you laugh and giggle is probably one of the greatest things ever. I know I get worn out mothering you all the time, but then you play and giggle with me and I remember that I'm so very lucky to be with you and get to do this with you whenever I want. I am so blessed.

A few days ago I asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up. I was telling you about engineers and what they do and how I thought you'd make a good one. You said "No, I wanna be someone who helps people build Lego's better."  Well, I'm not sure if that job exists but at 6 years old, that seems like a perfectly acceptable goal. You do know your way around a Lego set.

13/365

oh gorgeous girl. Your dad and I don't want to have any more children. But my goodness, when we make kids this beautiful, we really should make more!

I have to be quick to get pictures of you. I may have been been the embarrassing mom with a big camera, trying to get pictures of you today as you played with all your buddies at the playground after school. This shot, of you looking down at me from atop the stairs, you look so adult and grown up. As long as you keep growing up so fast, I'll keep chasing you with a camera. I've got to slow time down somehow.

12/365

I really do love the way you copy your brother. He does it, you want to do it. In most cases its good things you're copying and you've got a really great example to follow (Most of the time.) Since I am also the second born in my family I understand that following behind someone can have it's downsides but more than that you are a blessed one. An older sibling can be a leader, a trail blazer and a really really good friend. I'm glad you two have each other.

Ahh the simplicity of a shovel and a mud hole. I love that you want to play in the mud, and I also love that you came in and promptly asked to wash your hands. You have always been the type (Some would call it OCD) to not want to get your hands dirty. You want your shoes on and your face wiped. But you are also a boy and well, some things are worth getting dirty for. Like rescuing worms from the mud after the rain stops.

11/365

Home improvement projects are certainly a challenge with a 2 year old running around inside of said home. This weekend we've been tackling our master bathroom and for the most part we've managed to keep you out of the mess and debris. But today I decided to let you help a lil, and paint an area that is going to be covered anyway. You loved it and did not want to stop. I decided I had better take a photo of your artwork since it will soon be hiding under wainscoting. Well done baby girl. And you only got a lil blue paint in your hair.

 This was our third trip to Lowe's this weekend (not surprising). I had to get creative this time to keep you occupied. I brought along a notepad and created a scavenger hunt for you and you loved it. You were very quick and even added a few items for extra points!

10/365

Your daddy is amazing. I just love catching him in the act. Here he was just changing your diaper but it turned into a giggle fest and an epic game of peek-a-boo. And you just giggle non-stop for him.

You and your buddy Dustin sure know how to have a good time. This is one of the mellower moments of the afternoon play date. Playing a board game and making all sorts of boyish sounds.

9/365

Snackin at the window. One of your favorite things. You push the stool over to the window and ask me to pull the shade down behind you. And you watch the world while enjoying your milk and crackers. You're just do adorable. 

It's quite amazing the amount of information your lil brain is absorbing every single day. I am so impressed with how quickly you're learning to read music and play the piano. But I think the best part about it is seeing the confidence build in you. You're starting to recognize your own improvement and growing skills. That's right buddy, keep at it and who knows how good you'll get!