Why I love my son

I find that the best time to blog is when I have about five hundred other things I should be doing.  My justification today is that I didn't blog last week which broke my promise to myself to blog once a week.  Therefore, blogging must be towards the top of my list of things to do.  Or something like that...

I was going to write about the things that I'm thankful for and how much I love Thanksgiving and how irked I get that it is overlooked.  I reflected on a lot of memories of Thanksgiving and how much I have been blessed.  In those reflections I thought of one of the biggest blessings that I have received this year.  So here it is.

When I found out I was pregnant I cried.  I didn't want to have any more children.  I was frustrated because it seemed like deja vu all over again with not being thankful for the being growing inside me.  Over my pregnancy I dreamt of having a girl.  I did not want a boy.  Brad was even worried how I would take it if we had a boy.  After the crazy delivery I had to ask what I had.  When the midwife finally came over she said "He will be OK".  It took me a minute to register that she said he.   I will admit that I did mourn a little that I didn't get my girl and there are days when I am a little bummed about the fact and do get jealous when other people have girls.  But you know what even in that moment of hearing I had a boy, I knew it was going to be OK and that I would love him with all my heart (which must mean that I have several hearts because I love my other baby with all my heart too :P)

We struggled between two names for him.  I am so glad we chose Matthew.  It means "A gift from God".  There are no better words to describe my little guy. 

Even with the things that have been thrown at Matthew-broken clavicle, bruised and swollen head, circum. that took forever to heal, rashes, allergies, etc- he shows the strength he posesses.  He is determined. 

Matthew is a cuddler. I love that he will wiggle around til he finds the perfect spot in the curve of your neck for his head to fit into.  Now I love that he stretches his arms out and kind of holds me when I holding him.  I love rocking with him.  The feeling of him fitting in my arms is wonderful.  I can the feel the love flowing between us. 

Matthew is so sweet.  I don't really know how to describe it....

I love that my son is ornery.  Just like with Anna, you read in his eyes that he is going to do something silly or naughty. The glimmer always makes me laugh!  He loves to come over and give me a kiss on the cheek.  It isn't a short kiss, but he stays on there.  After a little bit he will start giggling then I will move and start attacking him with kisses.  When he is doing something to be funny, he will crack himself up.  He loves to chew on the spoon when eating.  He will do this then laugh.  Of course we laugh with him.  He likes to grab at my earrings.  I won't be paying attention and will swat his hand away.  His hand goes right back to my earrings.  I swat away.  What do you know, his hand is pulling on them again and by now his giggling at our little game. He freely gives smiles at home and they just make me melt.  I will clarify that he is often serious when we aren't at home.  Must be just like his mom :P

There is not a whole lot better in my day than watching my two little lovebugs with one another.  They adore each other.  After nursing, Anna is the person that Matthew looks for in the mornings.  If he doesn't see her, he will crawl around looking for her.  When she is doing school, he climbs up her chair and starts yelling at her until she talks to him.  When they are the backseat of the car together they make each other laugh.  No lie, Matthew says something that sounds like Anna and I know that he is talking about her.  Whatever she is doing, he wants to be there doing it with her.  I love the fact that she loves him just as much as he does her. They play amazingly well with one another.  Anna will share things with him that she wouldn't share with anyone else.  She is a good little mommy to him.  Anna will beg me to let her "babysit" him.  She is a wonderful big sister.  I just hope that Brad and I are able to continue help them to always have a good relationship.

Some other things that I love about my little man.  I love that he is active.  Matthew is smart.  He talks all the time.  I love that he can look at you and through his eyes he can say "I love you".  His eyes are a beautiful.  I laugh at his blonde hair.  He is so determined and focused.

Some current Matthew stories.

Anna, Matthew, and I were in Anna's room.  I let him get markers because he can't get the lids off.  This day, he went over and got a marker from Anna's desk.  When I turned to look at him he had somehow gotten the lid off and was coloring her desk.  I put the lid back on and heard the lid snap on.  I went back to playing with Anna.  Next thing I knew had had gotten the lid off again and had colored all over his mouth and hands.  :)

Matthew loves to push things around.  Anna has a stool in the kitchen.  He was pushing the stool in the kitchen when I left to go help Anna with something.  When I came back, he had pushed the stool over the drawers were we keep Anna's school books and have a basket for pens and the such.  He had climbed up on the stool and was standing digging through the basket.  Watch out world.

Matthew can not stand to have things on the trunk in front of our couch.  He makes it his mission the clear it off at all times.

I know that I have not in any way fully described the love for my child.  All I can say is that I am so thankful that God has blessed me with Matthew. I look foward to having our love grow for each in the years to come.  I am anxious to learn the lessons that he has to teach me.  I am excited to have a relationship with my son and see how we are able to bless one another.

Anna and the Christmas Cards

Right now B, A, and M are all at church.  I am enjoying my brief time alone!  I have started doing several projects (just to make sure nothing gets done :P)  I needed to put an animal away in Anna's room and saw some papers sticking out from under her cubbies.  I knew what they were...the Christmas cards she has been working on.

To back up...my darling daughter has a characteristic that she most certainly did not get from Brad nor I.  She likes to be prepared for things way in advance.  For instance, her friend had a birthday party coming up.  Five days ahead of the party she came out with a birthday card that she drew for her friend.  She tells me, "Mom, I decided to make this card now because I do not know if I will have time later and I want to make sure it is done."  Yeah, I'm lucky if I have a card ready on the day of the person's birthday.  Last night we headed to gymnastics and she asked if we could make her coaches a card like we have done previously.  I said of course and she replied that we better get started tomorrow.  She thrives when we sit down in the mornings and plan out what we need to get done.  She has begged me to do this (which is saying a lot since she is five).  I asked her why she liked doing that so much and she said it helped her to remember what all needed to get done.  I admit that I work a million times better when I have things planned out, just struggle with the planning part.  I think God gave her to me so that He could get me straightened out :P 

Back to the Christmas cards.  Randomly the other day Anna comes out of her room and announces that she made me and Brad our Christmas cards.  We laugh and tell her good job on getting those done.  Over the next few days she has made more. One thing we are not allowed to do is look at the cards.  She did allow us to see one.  The card she declares most important...the card she made for Jesus since it is His birthday.  Can I just say that I have a good kid?!  I'm so grateful that she can see beyond all the materialism and focus on the heart of the holiday.  I worry that all the fun of getting presents and decorations and the other gobblygook gets in the way of teaching her the love that we are supposed to have for Christmas.  Ok, now she isn't perfect and does expect presents and wants lots of them which she probably will get. 

I got off topic again...so focusing...I just couldn't help myself tonight.  I peeked at the cards.  It is horrible I know.  The one thing she asked me not to do I did.  I looked at the the cards and melted.  Tears came to my eyes.  Her pictures were wonderful and you could feel her love pouring off the pages.  They are the simpilist of pictures...nothing fancy, but have more worth than any present she could buy me.  Now I understand when you here moms say "oh, you don't need to get me anything, just make me a card".  Hugs and kisses Anna, all I want is a card :)

Operation Christmas Child

I love traditions.  For Mother's Day, my parents always visit and for lunch we go to a Japanese steakhouse.  On my mom and Brad's birthdays, we eat dessert first. On Halloween we watch movies and eat Chipolte. (hm, I'm noticing a tradion of eating...or else I'm just munchy and these are the only ones I could think of :P) One of my favorite traditions though is doing Operation Christmas Child. 

Anna and I started making a tradition of doing OCC when she was two.  We do the age group that she is.  The first year she enjoyed picking out things even though it was hard to not want to buy for herself.  Last year she told me she did not want to participate.  I must admit that I got angry that she didn't want to do this with me.  I felt as though I was failing and that I was raising a selfish child.  No matter how much I talked to her about giving to other people she refused to back down.  Brad told me just to take her with me and not to make her participate, but for me to have fun with it.  What do you know, once we started shopping she got on board.  Every once in a while I would have to casually remind her that we were not shopping for her.  This year my heart rejoiced that she was excited to do OCC.  When we brought our boxes home she already wanted to start planning what we were going to get.  She informed me that she was cutting out the stickers to put on the boxes.  She had a fantastic time picking out treasures to place in the two boxes. (one for her and one for matthew)  When we were in line to check out she turned to the lady in back of us and proudly told her that we were shopping for OCC.  She couldn't wait to pack the boxes when we got home.  Unfortunately she had to take a nap, but after a nap and snack she was ready to get on it.  We do have a few more things to get for the boys box but we are good on the girls box.

I am very passionate about giving to others.  Constantly I wish that I had more money that I knew what to do with so I could take care of everyone.  This is another trait I picked up from my Grandma and my parents. I pray that I am able to install in Anna and Matthew a generous spirit.  Anna already can be tender towards the needs of others.  Her prayers touch my heart as she asks for people without homes to find a place to stay, for the starving children to be fed, for the sick people we know to be healed.  I have to be careful in the stories I tell her.  She does make me laugh....this summer we had talked about the children in Africa who were dying from starvation. Today she told me that the OCC box that we were doing wasn't going to go to Africa because all the little girls were dead.  Oops...miscommunication there!   I think the thing that I love most about shopping for OCC is that I get to do this together with Anna and that we have a blast!  I look foward to years to come when Anna, Matthew and I are all able to find other ways to give to others.

2 Corinthians 9:7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.