Ohh Charlie, Where Are You?

That is the question of each and every passing day! 

I cannot wait to meet this little guy. It is always so surreal...this time in a pregnancy. I feel so ready to meet this little man who was destined in God's plan to enter into this world and into our family...not only because he is crushing my pelvis and aching my back :-). But I also am sad that this special time between him and I is almost over.

Don't get me wrong....I know we've got LOTS of special time ahead. But, up until this moment, I have had him all to myself. It is only me who he tells when he is awake and playing...it is only me he tells when he is hungry...it is only me he tells when he is sleepy. It's just us.....what a special time! Each and every kick is a precious gift.

I read this quote recently and it is so true: "A new baby is like the beginning of all things-wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities." I find myself wondering everything...what will he look like, what will he sound like, what will his personality be, will he have hair, will he have brown eyes, will he be playful and confident like his big brother?  So many questions that I cannot wait to find the answers to.

So...My Dear Charlie,

Mommy, Daddy and Max can't wait to meet you. You are already an integral part of our family and you don't even know it yet. We talk about you every morning and Max kisses you every night before bed. We can't wait to play with you, love on you, learn about you, and hopefully watch you sleep a lot at night (no pressure). LOL. We love you so much and can't wait to see your handsome face.

Now, let's get this show on the road, son!

Love you always and forever,

Mommy

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, homes happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for."Author Unknown

CHARLIE DAVID NEAL....your home is waiting....

From Nursery to Big Boy Rooms!

I feel like I can finally blog about this without jinxing myself. Almost a week and a half ago, Jake and I made the decision to move Max into his big boy room. When I say big boy....it is totally a big boy room complete with a double bed that stands far from the ground and rails on the side!  He has done GREAT! We couldn't be more thrilled with his transition. From night one (June 2nd) he has fell asleep with little trouble, slept through the night, not had any major bedtime meltdowns, and stayed in his bed comfortably until 7- 8 a.m.. What a blessing! I pray that this continues.

It was important to us to move him before baby Charlie comes so he doesn't feel like he was kicked out of his room.

Max is getting to be such a big boy and he is going to be a great "big brother"! It is so hard to believe that Charlie's nursery (what used to be Max's) is now going to occupy a newborn in a few short days. And it is even harder to believe that Max is now sleeping in a bed that is big enough for any adult to sleep in.

Seriously, where does time go? From nursery to a big boy room...it's all happening way too fast. I am so proud of you, Max!

"The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping child."

Max's Favorite Sayings.....

I've noticed that Max has a lot of phrases that he uses, over and over and over again. They are just too darn cute.

So what is he saying?

1. Baa cerful. I'll ge hettt. (Be careful, I'll get hurt)
2. Puppy (or insert the name of whomever he is looking for)...where haaaaarrrrr yewwww? The cutest part is that he kind of runs out of breath on the "you" so he says it so softly.
3. Daddy go wurk?
4. Daddy is seeping (sleeping).
5. Look mommy look look a big cuck (a big truck). And the "c" in truck is so enunciated....it sounds like he is choking.
6. Mommy in za soooweeerrrrr (shower).
7. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh NNNNOooooooo (but the "n" in no has a complete tongue roll)!
8. I go poooooo (pool).
9. Mommy, tiss it a boo boo (meaning kiss my boo boo).
10. Dinna? (dinner)
11. Nak? (snack)
12. keykey? (turkey)
13. Gapes? (grapes)
14. Moooook? (milk)
15. Yayyyyy Matt (aka Max - yep he thinks his name is Matt).
16. Mommy a go nite nite (meaning put me to bed, mommy).
17. Go cool and see Naaa (meaning go to daycare and see Miss Rene).
18. A cool bussssssss (School bus).
19. Any dog that he sees is a "puppy".
20. toootulll (turtle).
21. "Shhnowmin" - is what he calls his first teacher who's name is "Mrs. Lewis" (we can't quite figure this one out, LOL).
22. Cool car. When he gets in any car, he always says this.
23. When crossing the street, he says "See cars? Noooooooo cars, GO!" and he runs across the street (holding my hand, of course).
24. Every morning when he wakes up, I open the door and say "morning buddy" and he says "befat" (meaning breakfast). Well, hello to you too!

It is endless....this child is too precious and he loves to chat!

Max's Second Birthday Party!

Fun, Friends and Food were the name of the game on Max's second birthday! 

We invited Max's friends over for an evening of water toys, bouncing, playing, bubbles, pizza, cake and more! I have to say how impressed I was that there were NO (I mean zero - unless I missed them) meltdowns from any of the kids. Pretty much a miracle....seeing as how there were almost 15 kids under the age of 5, most under the age of 3, there. 

The day was perfect...Max got to do everything he loved. Eat, bounce, play with water, blow bubbles, hang with friends and family and just have fun!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAX!

Bouncing fun!

This child had no fear!

Sweet Elijah!

Go Matthew Go!

Mommy....I go "back"!

Paisley showing Max how it's done

Cutie Reagan!

Why not get in the pool with your dress on, Evelyn!

Family and Friends!

Yay Lilly!

Max loved people singing 'Happy Birthday' to him

Blowing out the candles!

Frick and Frack....oops, I mean, Max and Daddy!

Max and Mommy

Birthday kisses!

I lub bu nana.....

"Bubbbbllllleeeesssss"

Outside Fun!

The weather has been so beautiful lately...so outside is where we spend most of our time these days! Great weather, sunshine, playgrounds, soccer fun, family time....it just makes for a the perfect day. Max had some serious fun and giggles playing with Jake - learning how to tackle and how to kick the soccer ball around. I love watching them together....

Strategizing...

Max is TWO years old!

TWO YEARS OLD!!!! 

What a joy the last two years have been. Max is growing each and every day and it has been so fun to watch him become the little tot that he is today.

Max's stats:

• Weight: 28.6 lbs (50th percentile)
• Height: 34.5 inches (60th percentile)
• Head: 75th percentile
• Sleeping through the night - 8 p.m. - 7 a.m.
• Naps two hours (usually) - noon - 2 p.m.
• Eats.......A LOT!
• Favorite foods: corn, fruit bars, yogurt, applesauce, corn, gummy bears, grapes, corn, beans, carrots, turkey, pizza, lollipops, corn....did I mention corn?
• Favorite drinks: milk and water
• Talks......A LOT!
• Favorite toys: trucks, cars, balls, bubbles, anything he can push
• Favorite movies: cars and kung fu panda
• Favorite word: "NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNooooooooooooo!"
• Best buddies: Drew Drew, Josh, Miller, Saif, Barrett, Elijah, Bree, Sienna, Evelyn, Paisley, Teagan
• Medical events this year: ear tubes (and doing great!)
• Allergies: amoxicillin
• Max can: count to 12, recognize colors, use a spoon/fork, feed himself, name most body parts (even him "bum"), name his friends, answer questions, string words together in short sentences, name different trucks, and more!

We love you, Max and can't wait to see what the next two years hold!

Max's Green Thumb!

While I hate the fact that Max spends his day with someone other than me, I am completely grateful that he is spending it in such a good place! His daycare is amazing. I love the fact that he knows EVERYONE by name and that when we pull in he says "I home". It is so comforting to know that he is spending his time in a place that he enjoys and is being loved on.

They are great about exposing him to different things and teaching him things well beyond what I could do (or even think of doing) at home. This past week, they have been focusing on teaching the kids the importance of respecting the earth and all that God has given us to enjoy...especially since it was just Earth Day! With that being said, they let each kid plant a little green leafy plant and water them throughout the week - taking them home on Friday.

I'm so proud to say that my little Max man is nothing like him mommy...because he has kept a plant alive for longer than a week now! Anyone who knows me understands that this is not my strong suit as we have nothing but fake plants in our house.


Max's little potted plant from school

 This exercise from school now explains why he wants to go around and dump his sippy cup into all my fake plants!  I was beginning to worry ;-).

The Poopy Diaries....

Warning: content below is graphic. But mommy decided to blog this to share the joy of two-year old drama.

 

6:47 a.m. Max wakes up. He is lightly crying, but stops so I let him sit in his room for a bit while I wake up and get myself up...I enter his room around 7:08 a.m. As I open the door I am literally smacked in the face with the smell of poop and a child that says "Hi Mommy....I poo poo. I poo poo here, Mommy". Meanwhile, he lifts his hands up with chunks of poop in it - smiling like it is Christmas! 

 

He then proceeds to take his hands and (yes, I'm going to say it).....paint his entire crib with poo!!!!!!!!  I am yelling no max, no...stop....that's icky. And, he is smiling and having a great time. I take a deep breath and am trying to decide what to do to minimize the damage. So, I go to pick him up and he is literally covered....it's in his hair, completely soaked through his pajamas, chunks of corn and only God knows what else is all over his sheets, the wall, the crib.....it's everywhere. AND now, it is on me since I have picked him up.

 

Jake walks upstairs and he is like "what is going on" because now max is crying and I'm quazi gagging as I am trying to clean up Max. After I clean up the chunks off Max and put him in a new diaper, I give him to Jake and he clearly needs a bath. So I turn around and begin cleaning the loose stool that is all over the room because I don't want Bear eating it or something.....assuming that Jake has taken Max to our room to bathe him. Suddenly, I hear Max's sweet voice "Go Po Go"....and I knew exactly what that meant. Jake has put my poopy, stinky child in OUR BED and they were watching Kung Fu Panda....ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I was like....Jake, he needs a bath and now there is poo residue all over our bed. So I put Max in the tub and he looked at me and said "Whaaaa happen mommy?"  Yea, my thoughts exactly buddy!

 

Needless to say, I spent an hour and a half cleaning between every bar on his crib, sanitizing his entire room, changing sheets, changing and bathing him....showering myself (again), washing our sheets, took our comforter to the dry cleaners....sooooooooooooooooooooooo nasty! 

 

It was honestly comical.....

 

The moral of the story is:

1. Husbands don't understand that poop on your child clearly means a bath is in order.

2. Kung Fu Panda solves all problems.

3. Poo is nasty.

 

All in all, my day has been good even though it started out as it did. When I dropped Max off at school he said "I lub bu mommy"....(his version of I love you) and honestly, how could my day be bad after that?

 

The End.

Easter Bunny Blues

We had such a great Easter weekend....how could you not when you think about the true meaning of the holiday?

With that being said, it was busy...full of Easter egg hunts (3 to be exact), school party, family, church and fun. More pictures and details will be coming in the next blog. But, in the meantime, one thing we learned this year...Max does NOT like the Easter bunny.

Happiness is....

{Happiness is...}

Hearing Max shout "Hi Mommy" from the backseat of the car.

Feeling Max kiss the back of my leg as I stand and get ready in the morning.

Looking over at my husband at dinner and hear him say "I'm just very happy right now."

Hearing a healthy heartbeat for baby Neal #2.

Praying at dinner and hearing Max shout "AMEN" every night after prayers.

Morning family cuddle time.

Listening to Max and Jake sing together, and watching Max trying mimic Jake's words.

Hide and seek...Max says "where hhhhaaarrrr you?"

Our married couple life group and the relationships that continue to grow.

My amazing ladies bible study.

Being married to a man who gives of his time so freely to lead himself and others to the Lord.

Family dance parties.

Visits with family and friends that we don't see everyday. 

Date nights.

Sunday mornings at Watermarke Church.

Impromptu neighborhood gatherings with lots of kiddos running around.

I could go on and on and on. I am definitely guilty of wanting more and thinking I need more at times. But when I truly think about happiness and what that means in my life, it is never about money or better clothes or a bigger car or nicer furniture. It is about PEOPLE and LOVE. One of my resolutions is to live with appreciation for what I have - and to consider everything in my life (whether is appears to be good or bad) a blessing...because it is the path that the Lord has put me on to grow closer to Him. 

Peace. Gratitude. Influence.

For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."

Psalm 122:8

.

Baby Neal #2...




Oh my goodness!  3 boys to one girl in our household soon.....I am so outnumbered!  We are thrilled to say that Max will soon be a big brother to a little baby boy!  How amazing that our little boys will be so close in age. 

As we left the doctor, it dawned on me that I need nothing (I mean, do we really NEED anything when we have babies really?)...but literally, I need nothing to have this baby.  I could have this baby tomorrow and be all set!  So, now, I'm just ready!  Let's get this show on the road.....come on baby boy!

We feel so blessed to be expanding our family and cannot wait to welcome this gift from God into our lives.  I love you already sweet boy....

Love,

Mommy

Well Visit Office ONLY!

Dear Pediatricians Around the World,

Why is it that everytime I leave your office with my healthy son for his routine well visit, he gets sick like no other for the next three weeks? 

Case. in. Point.
18 month well visit (december 5, 2011)....healthy kiddo.

• Weekend following: Urgent care for virus (1.5 hour wait).
• Week following: Doctor for virus and double ear infection
• Weekend visit to ugent care (3 hour wait) due to unsitely rash that appeared.  VIRUS, they say.
• Week following that: Doctor visit for unimaginable rash taking over entire body and swollen limbs (turns out it's an allergic reaction). 
• Same day: trip to hospital for tests.
• Week following that: Doctor visit for check up from rash.  Back on meds for new virus and double ear infections.
• TWO weeks follow that: Back at doctor for ear infection that is still there AND pink eye. 

Perhaps we could move the well visit office to a separate office space (and not just a "separate waiting room" that has no door so it's really just one big room).  I mean I've paid enough to fully fund that new office space by now.

And, done.

Love,

Melissa

2012: Things to Look Forward to!

A new year, a new set of things to look forward to!  Every year when the clock strikes midnight.....it is always so exciting because it means there is so much opportunity just waiting for you!  I'm so excited to see what God has in store for our family in 2012.  Some of those things include:

#1.  The birth of our second child!  Due on June 25th, we anxiously await to see if this blessing is a boy or girl!  Two kiddos.....wow!  As a part of this journey, I look forward to see Max as a big brother!

#2.  Max's SECOND birthday.  He didn't really get what was going on for his first, so I'm excited to see his reaction for year 2. 

#3.  Swimming at the pool this summer.  Max will be able to run around and swim a little more independantly....I am hoping to get him some swim lessons too! 

#4. Church.  We LOVE our church....and it has provided us with the opportunity to meet so many amazing people.  I am so anxious to see what God has in store for Watermarke Church in 2012!

#5. Our couples small group. Jake and I have been blessed with an amazing community group through our church.  In getting to know these amazing couples, I have grown to love them all!  I also realized the joy and the pain that each family faces.  God has so many opportunities to shine through these people this year.  Prayers are beginning to be answered....so exciting!

#6. Jake and I will be celebrating our FIFTH wedding anniversary!  5 years and going strong.....so blessed to be with this man. 

So, as you can see....lots to look forward to.  But it's not just some of the big things listed....it is also just the everyday that I look forward to like Max discovering new things, trips to the park, visits from grandparents, etc. 

WE. ARE. BLESSED.