The 3rd Birthday Post--lots and lots and lots of photos

The older cousins early in the day

And the younger two

And later at Chik-fil-a

(Ada just saw this picture and asked me if I had a baby in my tummy--nope, Ada, no baby)

And finally cake and presents

Tricyle!!  Which wasn't the big hit we were expecting. 

And a few more presents funded by Mary Ann and Mae Mae

So there you go, we properly celebrated age 3.  Now, I am off for a long Sunday afternoon nap.

Dear Ada

Three?!!!  Three!!!

I will never forget what it felt like to see that positive pregnancy test.  You, my sweet girl, grew us up.  You grew us up into marriage, life, reality.  Some days I think I am still reeling from the shock of it.  One minute I was a newylwed teacher in midtown Atlanta and the next thing I know I am an at-home mom to two in the middle of suburbia.

And that life that showed up that day on the test is turning three today.  And we are forever changed because of you.

My days with you are rich with all that makes up motherhood.  That first year was full of diapers and late night feedings and pumping and finally nursing and swaying and shushing and hugging and kissing and cuddling and stumbling along blindly, so unsure of every move I made.  A lot of times we cried together, and we learned together, and we celebrated one together.  It was the milestone of all milestones--I was okay, you were okay.  We were learning each other.

Year two was full of first words and then phrases.  Walking and laughing and dancing and more cuddling and late nights with stomach viruses and colds and ear infections.  You made your first little friends and began to love crayons and books and yogurt and cheese and outside, always outside.  Year two also held another positive pregnancy test, the growing of our little family, and much sickness on my part.  You were patient with me in all of my first trimester inadequacy, and we made it through.  You, little girl, began to reveal so much life inside.

And this past year, year three.  You have been a trooper through all this change that comes with a pregnancy and a new baby.  And in the midst of that, we have said good-bye to diapers, your baby bed, and tomorrow your paci.  You are leaving babyhood behind.  I can't believe it.

Tonight, on the eve of your third birthday, daddy sits on the floor putting together your red tricycle, the gift you have requested for weeks.  Tomorrow, Near, Ann, Ellie, Luke, and Andrew will arrive, and Friday we will celebrate you. 

At three you are a so full of energy.  You wake up bouncing and jumping and dancing, and you go to bed doing the same thing.  You thrive on routine, down to the most minute detail, and if Scott and I (your scatterbrained parents) forget even one detail, there is the potential for a meltdown.  We have a very intricate bed time routine that involves one story, two songs, counting to fourteen twice, and a big giant hug from daddy.  You then scan the room to make sure that everything is exactly in place.  Your room is the only one that is clean all of the time because you can't stand for it to be any other way.  You love to draw and to paint, you love to create pretend worlds that mimic the things you see me do on a daily basis--grocery shopping, dinner cooking, baby caring--you are such a little mama.  You know all of your letters, numbers to twenty, and you can even pick out a handful of words when we read.  You have a very three year old like love for Jesus, and I pray that he would give you a heart to know and love him above all else.  That is what I want for you, Ada, to know him.  If you give your life to Him, surrender every part, everything else will fall into place. 

I love seeing how God has knit you together.  Your personality seems so different from both Scott and me.  You are very happy, full of joy.  You don't seem to have my melancholy tendencies at all, though you do have my flare for the dramatic.  You like to be assured that everyone is happy, and if you are upset or angry about something, it only takes a few minutes for you to loudly announce, "I'm happy now, mama!"  You are becoming very independent, wanting to do everything yourself, and these days you seem to be fighting me at every turn.  I pray that the Lord would give me the wisdom to discipline you in such a way that you would learn excellence more than simple obedience.  I often lose my patience with you, and I pray that God would give grace to both of us. 

I love you precious girl.  There are not words to describe how thankful I am that God gave you to me.  You are my treasure.

love,

mom

Busy...

I have 196 unread blog posts in my google reader.  That is a sure sign that things are a bit busy.  I hate being behind on my blog reading.

But...there are other, more important things, occupying my time.

This stinker has a tooth!!!  Not even six months, and a tooth popped through.  Ada was older than that.  On Sunday afternoon he was chewing on my finger (what can I say?  He loves it), and I felt something sharper than a gum, and, sure enough, there it was.  Maybe that explains some of the fussiness, and his love to chew on anything and everything.

In other John news, though the cardiologist said that his heart was all clear, John continues to get so upset and hold his breath (and it's more than just holding his breath, but it's so hard for me to really describe it), so the pediatrician has now referred us to the neurologist.  I still feel fairly certain that the doctor is going to say that everything is just fine, but it will be a relief to actually know that for sure.  From the get go, none of this seemed heart related, but I can understand how the brain might be involved, so I am a tad bit more nervous about this doctor visit, but relieved to go and get it all checked out.

As for her

Thursday she turns three, though we will celebrate on Friday.  (Thursday is the neurologist appointment in Atlanta).  We ordered her "marker" cake (Crayola), and she has requested lots of balloons.  And the biggest news of all is that Thursday she gives up her pacifier once and for all.  I have no idea how that is going to go.  We have been talking about this for about six months now because I wanted her to have plenty of warning--she LOVES her pacie.  And the plan is for her to leave it on the coffee table on Thursday night, and on Friday morning there will be a gift in place of the pacie.  Friday Mom, Ann, and "the cousins" will arrive, and Friday evening we will do Chick-fil-a, cake at home, and the tricycle and other gifts from family members.  I am hoping that she will get into the fact that she is a "big girl" now and giving up the pacie will feel natural to her.  Ha!!!  I suspect lots of tears.

Anyway...that's us this week.  I am EXHAUSTED, so I am logging off and headed up to an early bed.  John was up lots while in Scottsboro--he doesn't do well away from home--so I need to catch up on much lost sleep. 

Milestones

We spend most of Friday night in here, with no success.

And then, Saturday morning, finally success, and a reward.

John is reaching milestones of his own.  His milestone involves a spoon and a mashed avocado.  He loved it.

In the mean time, Ada is trying my patience at every turn.  Oh my word, the third year is promising to be a challenge.  I want to pull my hair out most of the time.  Our main problem is ATTITUDE.  Any advice?  I say a million times a day to Scott--I don't know what to do...We have timed out and pinched and talked and taken things away and practiced the right way to respond...and still, the attitude remains.  I am serious about the advice.  I would love some right about now.  I love her so much, but we spend most of our days at a stand off, and I don't think this is how it is supposed to go.  Last night right before bed, Scott, Ada, and I spent time tickling and cuddling and laughing, and it was such a treat to end the day with lots of laughter from Ada rather than whining and tears.  How can I make that happen throughout the day?  I do not know.  I am praying lots, though.

A Few Things

1.  We went to the cardiologist today, and as we suspected, everything is A-okay.  They did an EKG (correct terminology?), an ultrasound on John's heart, and the doctor listened to his heart.  They did find a tiny little hole in his heart, which is apparently very, very common.  The doctor said there is the tiniest little chance that is what is causing the breathing episodes, but he also said that most likely, John just gets very angry, and that is what causes the breathing episodes.  We might be facing some tough toddler years, but we will certainly take that over heart problems!!!  The hole should close on its own, but we go back in six months to make sure.  At that point, if the hole is not closed, we will do further testing, but the cardiologist has been practicing for 30 years, and he said he has never had to do further testing on a baby because the hole didn't close up, so we assume that everything is going to be just fine.

Little John was a trooper.  The ultrasound technician suggested that we grab a bottle or pacie to keep him content during the ultrasound, and I said, bad news, he won't take either.  Instead, I let him suck on my finger.  Gross?  Maybe, but it kept him happy for a while.  Then he started getting very upset and kicking those chunky monkey legs of his and thrashing his arms.  The technician said he is a mover and we are in trouble when he starts walking.  We actually might be happier when he is mobile because maybe he will be happier.  Then we went back to the room, and he was able to nurse until the doctor came in, and if he is nursing, he is a happy little camper.  He had to miss his morning nap for the appointment, so I let him nurse away in order to prevent the fussiness that was threatening to take over.

Anyway, we are glad that we went because now we know that he just has a temper.

2.  This is on its way to our house because someone is turning THREE in just a couple of weeks.

Let me confess that Ada specifically asked for a pink tricycle because, in her words, "pink is my favorite color."  (She says this all the time!!)  But I ordered red.  I wanted something that could be passed down to John, and I think a red tricycle is oh so classic, so I am hoping she will be so excited about the trike that the color won't really matter.  (Mom, I am having much sympathy for the predicament I put you in that Christmas when I asked for the bike, but really Ann needed the new bike.  I officially understand the fact that parents have to make the most rational decision when it comes to those things).  We have decided to keep things simple and not do a friend party this year.  I think we are going to do lunch at Chick-fil-a, give her the tricycle after her nap, and do cake after dinner.  We have looked at the cakes at Publix, and as of today, she picked a crayola cake, which makes sense.  She loves anything having to do with paint, drawing, crayons, etc.  I was a little sad because I could picture such a cute themed birthday party surrounding the crayola cake, but, oh well...not this year.

Of course, all family is welcome, but we assume it will just be the four of us, and I think Ada will love that it is her special day. 

And that is what is happening in our house tonight.