my sweet three year old

Dear Kason,

We just put you in bed for the last time as a 2 year old.  Tomorrow you will wake up a 3 year old.  Every year it's harder and harder for me to face your birthday.  Of course I love celebrating you, and the joy that you bring to our lives, but your birthdays come more and more quickly each year and I wish time would slow down just a bit.  The year has been full of so many changes, and you, my dear, have taken them in stride.  This year you became a big brother.  This is a role that I always dreamed of you playing, but it didn't come without stress.  The moment you walked into the hospital room and held Haddie for the first time all of my stress and anxiety melted away.  You were made to be a big brother.  Your love and gentleness for your new sister almost overwhelmed me.  From the get-go you wanted to share your toys with her, love on her, and constantly kiss her.  I couldn't have asked God to make you a better big brother.  I am so proud of you.  Someday when Haddie is older, she will understand the important role you played before she was here.  You taught me what it means to be a momma.  You helped prepare my heart for her.  I am so thankful that you were the one that showed my heart what it means to love without boundaries.  Haddie will be so glad someday, too.

There isn't a day that goes by that you don't do something that makes me laugh so hard I cry.  You are so funny, and your laugh is contagious.  You are such a brave boy, and are constantly doing things to give me gray hair.  Doing flips off of stairs, riding your bike down huge hills, doing "360" jumps off the coffee table…let's just say we're lucky that no bones were broken this year. :)  I love that you are so brave, and you are always wanting to try new (crazy) things.  Everywhere we go you are making people smile, and that is a great gift to have!  I also love that you have started saying your own prayers this year.  You always ask to be the one that prays before dinner.  Some of your favorite people to pray for are: mommy, daddy, Haddie, your friends, Paul George, Boomer, and Purdue Pete.  I love your heart, and hearing you pray is just the sweetest sound.  Teaching you about Jesus is the most important thing to me, and teaching you to pray is one of the best tools I can give you.  Your such a happy, joyful boy and I love how your little personality has really formed over the past year.

I would be lying if I said the past year has been without its struggles.  You are SO strong willed and opinionated, that the 2's have proven to be "terrible" somedays.  You throw big tantrums, get mad at mommy and daddy, and argue a lot.  These are all things that we have worked so hard at improving. I think your daddy and I would agree that we have ended the "terrible" twos on a "terrific" note.  You are becoming such a big boy, and your attitude is getting much more mature.  You are so polite and caring.  You try your best to remember to say "PEASSSE" instead of whining.  When we are in public you say "thank you" completely unprompted and people always comment on how polite you are.  Again, I am so proud of you.  The 2's have been trying, and I know the 3's will be too, but I can see such an improvement in your behavior, so we will celebrate that!

3.  Tomorrow when you wake up you'll be 3.  3 years ago I became a mommy.  3 years ago our lives changed forever.  3 years ago our hearts doubled in size.  Happy 3rd birthday, Kason Asher.  Daddy and I love you more than you will ever know.

Love you forever,

Mommy

back at it.

Yes, we are here.  We're still all alive and well.  My poor neglected blog.

You know it's bad when you have to stop and think about what your password is to log into blogger.  Yikes.

I remember talking with friends that had more than one child and listening to them talk about how limited their personal time was.  They didn't have time to read, watch t.v., or blog.  I remember thinking that that was probably true, but had no idea until I had Haddie how little "me time" there is.  I am not saying this in a sad, whinny way because I love having two kids.  I love that they take up every ounce of my time.  But one of the things I miss the most is blogging.  I miss sitting down after a long day and typing out my thoughts.  I miss being able to go back and scroll through the past month's post and reminisce on the things we have done.  

But the truth is, there aren't enough hours in the day.  The only quiet time I get is the 2 hour nap time (and my kids haven't been napping at the same time lately..sad face) and after they go to bed.  Those hours are spent editing photos for my clients, and doing other business related things.  Oh, and cleaning my house.  And cooking dinner.  So blogging has taken a back seat, which I hate.  My goal for 2014 is to blog at least 1 time a week.  I need to do it for memories sake.  I need to blog the 50 photos I take a week of my kids.  They are growing and changing so fast and I NEED to do it.  I know I will want to go back through my blog when they are older and will be so sad if I stop blogging all together.

So, it's a new year.  Here's to more blogging.  Even if it's only photos because let's be honest, at the end of  the day I'm so mentally exhausted I can't even put my thoughts into words. :)

Winter so far has looked like this...

Happy 2014! :)