Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

It's amazing for me to sit here and reflect on the fact that 730 days ago (that would be 2 years for you non-math whizzes!) my precious little buddy was born. He decided to quietly and slowly make his way in to our world for several weeks, finally coming to the point where my doctor said I was dilated to an 8 and it was time for him to come. Best labor ever! The time with him since hasn't been quite so smooth as my darling finds at least one way every day, if not two or three or four, to keep me running around in a panic, or rolling my eyes at something. (I have not mentioned on here that we did find him on TOP of our 8 foot ladder the other day - in a matter of less than 10 seconds he was there. Just sitting. Smiling. Causing his Mommy a heart attack).


It's amazing for me to think that not very long ago I was so excited for him to finally learn to crawl and then he started walking so quickly thereafter. There was the baby food messes and excitement over starting solids. Then sweet babbles followed by even sweeter words (yea, Mama was first!). And now, each day, he says new words and longer sentences and it just makes me so proud and so thankful that my little fellow is so healthy, and happy, and full of life. I have been a pretty typical mom of the second child - he gets to try things and do things way earlier than we allowed Grant to do it - guess it's just adapting him to our lives more than our adapting our lives to a first child. Poor Grant still rarely gets juice.

I am quick to mention the "crazy" stories that my spunky kiddo creates for us, but I am not as open about truly how sweet he really is. Lately, Kyle has taken to gifting random kisses. Melts my heart. He also has the sweetest voice when he knows that saying "Mommy" just right will get him an extra squeeze or song before bedtime. It's the little moments of holding your little child in the middle of the night when they wake up and having them completely trust you and love you and want nothing other than to curl up on top of your chest and sleep that makes parenting so awesome. Just the other night, I was in his room when I wanted to be oh-so cozy in my bed. The glow from his nightlight was perfectly reflected in his white hair as it lay against my shoulder. At the moment, he looked up, gave his silly squinty-eyed smile and said "hi mommy." Now, that's a moment to remember.

I am having to realize that my "baby" isn't a baby anymore and that has been difficult! He doesn't fit on my chest anymore comfortably when he puts his head on my shoulder - his body is too long to tuck in by my tummy. I now have to spread his legs by my hips to be able to sit together like that. It's been so fun to watch how he can become so passionate about his Hot Wheels and his balls in the yard and his tractor stuff. He knows what he wants, when he wants it and what he likes. Including most foods. It's just mind-boggling when you really think about how much development takes place in a little body in just 2 short years.

It seems like just a few weeks ago I was nursing and we were enjoying life with a 2 year old and a 3 month old - and here we are with a 2 year old and a 3 year old.

The two years of his life have been years of significant change for our family. Fun but busy and stressful years. I shudder to think about how incomplete my life would be without him. Before having a second child, especially with having two children of the same sex, I truly did wonder how I could ever love another little being as much as I love Grant, because that is a ton! And to all my friends who have or will have these thoughts, I can tell you what - I didn't have to share my heart but yet I feel I grew an entire new heart on January 31, 2007. And it is complete. My sweet boys.

Happy 2nd birthday, sweet Kyle Douglass. I love you so very much. We're celebrating with an Elmo cake!