Ode to Shawn

To Shawn


I think this sums up my love and affection for Shawn, and for being one of the luckiest gals around to have a husband like him...

We have been contemplating doing a 10k race together for my 32nd birthday. As we were discussing this possibility, I told him, "Shawn, you do realize that I am a slow runner. I mean s.l.o.w. Like, you could probably walk next to me the whole time."

Without missing a beat he says, "Yeah, I know, but I it's about doing it together. And I will run next to you for however long it takes."

Love it. Love you.

How about a month of love?

Because I had all good intentions to write about some special people I love the week of Valentine's Day...and I only had time to write about Connor...it is only fair that I commission this entire month as my "Month of Love." So, interspersed throughout this month of postings, watch for these top-10 lists.

For Owen:

10. I love your energy. Sometimes you wear me out, but you always light up the room!

9. I love it that you are the negotiator. Nothing is ever set in stone for you, always up for "deals," as you call it. It sometimes causes me great frustration, but in the midst of it all, I realize that you feel like you have a voice and it is worth hearing. You have a good sense of self which other people might call stubborn, but I think it is a great asset. You know who you are and know you have value. A good lesson in self-confidence for sure!

8. I love your humor. Seriously, you crack me up. We have so much fun together, esp. playing with iPhoto!

7. I love it how you love to read and write. You are very smart and would sit for as many books as someone would read you. You also connect what you read to everyday life.

6. I love it your imagination. I never really know who I'm going to meet each day (in your play). Lately, you have been a lion, a bear, a dinosaur...it comes in handy as it is often how I get you to eat your vegetables..."Hey Mr. Pteranodon, here is your wiggly fish (dangle green beans above your mouth)!"

5. I love it how you are social. You are always up to meeting and making new friends. If you don't know someones name, you are not afraid to ask!

4. I love it how you love to cuddle. You have always been this way. You snuggle close and if you come to my bed in the middle of the night, you will always go to my (Mom's) side to slide in.

3. I love it how you just love to talk. Lately, you have been taking me by the hand and saying, "Mom let's go to the couch and talk." Coming from a 3-year old, this just cracks me up. You are able to verbalize your emotions well and I love it that we understand each other. You and me are a lot alike.

2. I love it how you love your brother, Coni. You come up to him and sing him "his song," so quietly and gently in his ear. You guys are going to have some really fun times together...

1. I love it how you are so full of love and want to be apart of our family. You started the tradition of making the "peanut butter sandwich hug." Mom and Dad are the bread (on either side) and you are the peanut butter that gets smushed in-between us. Sometimes Connor is with us too, and you have deemed him the "jelly." Then you put your arms around us all and say, "I love you guys. We are together as a family!"

Owen, know that we will always be together, and that we will always love you. Just as peanut butter is such an integral part of a PB&J, so are you in the place of our family's life. We love you and are so glad God gave you to us!

A week of love

This week, prior to Valentine's Day, I want to pay homage to some special people in my life that I love--with a top 10 list of reasons why I love them.

To Connor

10. I love how you sing, "Ma-ma" to me. "Maaaaaaa-ma." "Ma-MA!"

9. I love it how you love music and whenever you hear it, you stop what you are doing and shake your booty!

8. I love how you are serious about giving hugs. You give them so freely and say "hug" as you grab hold of my neck and lay your little head on my shoulder.

7. I love how you love your big brother, Owen. You want to do what he is doing and are not afraid to get in on the action. You guys are best buddies and I hope you will always be close throughout your life. I also love it that Owen started your nickname, "Conni," which your dad and I have expanded to, "Conni-con-con!'

6. I love it that you are not a performer. You have your own mind, as far as what you want to do, when you want to do it. You have a good sense of self, already as a 14-month old!

5. I love it when you point to the same things everyday when I get you up from your crib. You point to the quilt on the wall (that has a car on it) and go, "Brrrmmmm!" And when we walk downstairs and pass the wall-hanging with elephants and birds you make an elephant sound and pinch your fingers together like a bird chirping. You do this every time! You are very aware of your surroundings and like to point things out to me.

4. I love it how you kick your legs when I pick you up. You show such affection and have such a sweet spirit and disposition about you.

3. I love it how you hum when I rock you asleep.

2. I love your crocodile tears. You don't cry very often, but when you do, you have such a classic tragic look--bottom lip sticks out, open-mouth silent cry, huge tears begin to roll out, followed by a wail. Who could resist coming to your aid?!

1. I love it that whenever we are in the car and you need to go to sleep, all I have to do is reach my hand back to hold yours. You hold on tight and within moments are sacked out. It's like you don't want to be alone and need some reassurance that someone is with you. Know I will always be there for you.

Connor, I love it that God chose me to be your Mom. I am so blessed to have you in my life as you bring such joy not only to me but to so many others. May you continue to be a blessing all your life. May God watch over you, and guide you. May you know that you are deeply loved by God, your Mom and Dad and by so many others. May this love help you to deeply love others in this world, as well as cherish yourself as the gift you are. I am deeply honored to be your Mama.

Gross-ness

If you have a queasy stomach, you might want to skip this Owen anecdote:

This morning, while snuggling up together as a family, attempting to will myself to rise and shine, Owen looks down at my belly button, sticks his finger in it...(and wait)...licks it.

(Do you need to puke yet? I almost did.)

"Yummmmmm! Tastes like chicken!"

Really?!?! I had to laugh, but seriously, Owen, please don't make a habit out of this.

A need for a cup of tea

As I sit here at my computer, I see an unexpected surprise--a TAZO tea bag, "Calm." It must have been put there by an angel because let me tell you these last 4 hours have been nothing of the sort. In a nutshell:

• stopped by a train
• icy/snowy road terrain
• spilled my coffee all over my car
  
• managing wiggly boys through parking lots, exam rooms, car seats
• discovery of another ear infection
• Verizon store dysfunction
  
• juggling lunch tray with one hand, holding a squirmy boy with another, giving verbal commands to direct the other, who is telling me that he needs to go pee "NOW!"
• playing on the jungle-gym at lunch which was shortened by an "Uh. Oh. Mom, I pooped."
  
• cleaning off poop while 1 year old crawls under bathroom stalls and attempts to play in the toilet water.
• lost an earring in the midst of it all
  
• get home late, due to bathroom fiasco, miss a supervision meeting

So, let's get that water going on the stove. I'm going to make myself the biggest cup of tea I can find. I need it.