Rocking My Baby, 'Cause Babies Don't Keep

Tonight I got to rock Cate to sleep.  Not nurse her to sleep like I've done a million (painful) times.  I got to rock with her snuggled in to me, just breathing.  It was precious!

She had insisted on having her daddy do bedtime; I happily obliged.  You see, Cate and I have never had a sweet, precious nursing relationship.  It has, quite literally, been a battle from day one.  However, she is also very attached to nursing.  At 18 months, she still wants milk before bed every night.  I used to love that I could soothe her to sleep.  Even though it has always been uncomfortable with Cate, I love that I have been able to nurse both of my babies.  But...I. Am. Done.  I am done with the pinching, biting, yanking, painful thing that is nursing Cate.  

So when she asked for daddy at bedtime, I took off to Cooper's room.  I got him in bed and then headed out to the living room.  Tanner got Cate in bed after lots of angry objection.  It seemed like she was settling in for a moment and then the fussing began.  She just could wind down.  

So I went into her room and picked her up.  She immediately started asking for milk.  I'll give you two guesses what her response was.  I told her we were not having milk tonight and she just melted down.  After a minute of trying to console her, she pointed to her chair and said, "Rock?"  I happily agreed to rock, but warned her that there would be no milk.  She seemed to be okay with that so we sat.  

We sat and snuggled without one of us being chomped on.  I felt her body start to go limp as she drifted off to sleep.  I heard her breathing slow and become that heavy huffing of rest.  And although the to-do list kept trying to creep in, I just rocked.  I rocked because she let me.  I rocked because she won't let me often.  I rocked because she won't be little forever.  I rocked...

Kid Funnies

I'm blogging tonight for the simple fact that my kids are wild, crazy, sweet, and hilarious.

Cate learned two new words this weekend: no and yes. Her "no" is always in the sweetest voice - high pitched without being too squeaky or piercing. It comes when asked if she wants almost any food in the house. She's going through a really weird food phase. This comes after her first antibiotic for her first ear infection, plus croup and teething. She also spent several hours in the ER last weekend after she fell out of a chair and we were afraid she had broken her arm. Thankfully she still in one piece. She got to watch tons of Elmo on YouTube while we were there so she now calls my phone "Mo". All that to say, I get it that she's not too keen on food right now and that's cool. She's not going to starve! 

While most parents hate hearing "no" from their toddler, it's Cate's "yes" that scares me. It is firm and forceful. When she says "yes" she means it. No ifs, and, or buts about it. The best example we got this weekend came when she was drawing with a pen. After multiple baths she's still got traces of pen marks on her legs from 3 days ago. Is anybody else thinking of a particular episode of Friends? When I noticed her attempting to write on her legs again I told her that we only draw on paper, not our legs. She looked at me, put the pen to her skin and said, "YES!" Excuse me?!?  If she survives childhood, this one's going to rule the world. 

Cooper is still wild and wonderful. Mostly wild. He went to the grocery store with me yesterday. We had found everything on our list except honey. I kept talking to him about how I didn't know where to find honey. He interjected and said, "You mean like the person?" I was a little taken aback. When asked what he meant he said, "You know. Like the dad. Cuz the mom calls the dad honey."

It took everything I had not to explode with laughter. The funniest part is that I don't think I ever call his dad honey. We're more "babe" kind of people. The way his little mind works is very intriguing. I hope he never loses his wild-eyed curiosity. But he could lose the attitude anytime. 😁

Day One...

A few weeks ago as I was putting the final plans together for Cate's first birthday party, I took a moment to check my email.  Setting in my inbox like a ticking time bomb was Cooper's school supply list.  I had a good cry - after all my baby girl was turning one and my baby boy is officially heading to school. I think a few tears were warranted.  Every since that email, things have gotten real around here and I've been a bit of a mess.  We have spent so much time in thought and prayer about where our children would go to school and feel 100% comfortable with our decision.  But somehow it doesn't make it any easier.  He is still my little boy....growing up.  We have jumped on to that slippery slope to high school graduation, college, adulthood.  

We went Tuesday afternoon to meet his teacher and let Cooper get a little more familiar with his classroom.  Off course Mommy brought the camera.

Meeting his teacher.  At least she knows he's crazy!

He wanted me to take pictures of him with the sign outside his class.  I thought he was going to sit there and smile.  Not so much.  Instead he decided to do all of the emotions from Inside Out.

Anger

Joy

Sadness

Disgust

Fear

Ready or not, the big day had arrived.  Coop woke up Wednesday morning and met me in the kitchen. The first thing he said: I better get my school clothes on and fix my hair.  Haha!  I never knew he was so concerned with his appearance!  I also didn't realized he was so excited.  He has been pretty stoic about the whole thing.  But apparently the wheels have been turning.  

Have you ever seen a sweeter face?

Silly face!

One with Mommy

One with Daddy

Coop wanted one with the whole family.

Showing off his backpack.

Genius!

Found his hook.

And he's off..............