Milestone Monday

S is 17 months old today, wow time sure has flown by. He is really starting to show his temper and display "terrible two" behavior. He has started drinking from a straw, so he now refuses to drink from a regular sippy cup. He is now sitting and riding his Playskool Fire Truck instead of just pushing it from behind. It is unbelievable to me how logical he is. The other day he wanted something off the top of his bookshelf, so he pulled E's laundry basket from her room to his, placed the laundry basket on it's side in front of the bookshelf, climbed on top of it, and got what he wanted down. He is such a smart boy. He loves to read his books and play with trucks. He loves to climbs stairs and knows to get on his tummy when he goes down them. He has a very adult food palette. He will easily eat jambalaya, chicken enchiladas, chicken tortilla soup, BBQ pork, etc., but refuses to eat hot dogs or cheese sandwiches. He is talking more and more, and is starting to put words together to create sentences. He is learning his manners and, most of the time, will say "please". The hubby and I are constantly amazed by his eagerness and determination. I really hope his drive to learn and excel continue into his school years, and we are really looking forward to when we can put him into sports and channel all his energy.

E is 2 weeks shy of 4 months. She is just under 16 pounds and almost 25 inches long. She is very strong, holds her head up really well and has a lot of muscle control. She has started smiling, laughing and cooing. She is no longer sleeping the entire day, she's down to 3-4 naps, but she's sleeping 10-11 hours at night. She's eating great and we're looking forward to starting her on cereal in a few weeks. She's not yet rolling but she's close. She kicks her feet and scoots on her back. She's such a happy baby and we love watching her grow.

When I look at S, and then look at E, it's amazing to me the difference 13 months makes.

Mommy or Magician

First off, let me apologize for not posting in a while. My life has been incredibly mundane lately and I didn't want to make you suffer through some ridiculous post about it.

Anyway, I was driving to Bath & Body Works earlier today and was thinking about my blog and how it's been so long since I posted something. I was trying to think of something clever or creative to write and nothing was coming to me. Then, in typical E fashion, she started screaming. This girl seriously HATES the car. I don't know what it is, but every time we go anywhere she has a meltdown. I start praying to the lord above for a red light and bam, we hit one. I throw the car in park, tear my seat belt off, whip around in my seat, search for the pacifier, stick it in her mouth and, she's quiet. All in what seemed like 3.2 seconds.

This got me thinking about motherhood. Having babies has changed me greatly in many ways. I love more deeply, have more patience, see things from a different perspective and just feel like an overall better person. But, I never realized the other way it has changed me. I have also become a magician.

It's unbelievable to me how many things I can make appear or disappear. Almost like Houdini or Copperfield. I can make a pacifier appear from my jeans pocket or a bottle, sippy cup or snacks appear from my diaper bag in just seconds. What I enjoy more though, is what I can make disappear so quickly. The tears. All I need to do when either of my babies are crying, is pick them up and cuddle them close and the tears just disappear.

Now I realize they are both very little, and their woes are not yet serious, but to have the magic to cure them is truly the best feeling ever. And I hope, when they are both older, and the woes do become more serious, my mommy magic will still exist. Not in that creepy "Love You Forever" crawl in the bedroom window way, (OK, I know tons of people LOVE that book but it creeps me out that the mother would crawl in the window of her grown sons house, pick him up and rock him back and forth), but in a way where I can provide true healing and solid advice. I know E will shed some tears when a dumb boy pulls her hair on the playground, or worse, breaks her heart. Or maybe S will even shed some tears when he has his heart broken by a girl who didn't deserve him anyway. Regardless of the situation, I want my babies to know, no matter what, mommy will be there for them when they need her, with as much mommy magic as they need.