Happy Birthday, Nathan

Nathan,

Today you turned three.  Sadly, it wasn't a happy day.  Well, it was happy.. just not a healthy day.  Yesterday, after a wonderful few days in Alabama (being spoiled rotten) you came down with a stomach virus of some sort.  You threw up all the way home.  Once we got home you threw up a time or two more and passed out for the night.  Minus a few wake ups to get some Gatorade you slept for almost 12 hours.  You woke up feeling only slightly better.  You managed to eat a few bites of breakfast, blow out your candles and open a couple of presents.  You didn't feel good at all though.  You laid around and when we went out to play you sat in my lap.  You finally gave in and ate a few goldfish crackers for lunch and went and took a nap.  But not just any nap.. a FOUR hour long nap.  You woke up again not feeling any better.  You asked for McDonald's for supper but only ate one small bite of chicken.  After we got home you laid around again until finally throwing up a good bit.  It's funny though, once you did that you immediately started acting better and even ate more than you had for the past two days.  You still aren't 100% yet.  That will probably take a few days, but you'll get there.  I am hoping that you will be able to really enjoy your party that we are having in a week for you.  Maybe that will make up for your sickly birthday.

Even though today was a different birthday than I wanted for you, I am still very thankful to have this day to celebrate with you.  To have you in our lives for three years now is an amazing thing.  You are the perfect baby to our family and you fully complete us. Thank you for just being you.  For being stubborn, playful, loving, energetic and just simply wonderful.  Your gappy smile and low pitched voice brighten my days.  Thank you for being my Nator Tator.  I love you and I hope you have a fun filled, amazing 3rd year.

Love,

Momma

Your Gramise

Jon Kent, Zoey and Nathan,

Today marks one year that your Gramsie, my momma went to heaven,  One year of each of your lives that she never got to see.  All the accomplishments and milestones that you have each reached in the past year she never got the pleasure of watching.  However, she got to see so much of your beginnings.  She loved each of you so very much.  More than I think I even knew.  You were her life.  She talked about you, bragged about you, spoiled you.  I grieve more for what you are missing by not having her in your lives.  How she would have added so much to each of your days.  If that is one thing I want you to do for me it's this.. Don't forget her.  Even if you only remember her by pictures or stories that you have been told.. hold on to them.  Cherish them and let your Gramsie live on through each of you.  I love you my sweet babies.. and so did she.

Love,

Momma

Snaggle

Jon Kent,

This morning you lost your third tooth.  Which is pretty amazing since you are just 6 years old and many of your peers have yet to lose their first.  Nonetheless, you are now a snaggled tooth little boy.  A cute one if I do say so myself.  You lost your first top tooth today.  Your front tooth.  It had been loose for awhile, but you wouldn't let anyone pull it.  So this morning while brushing your teeth I brushed it and "pop" out it came.  I was shocked and thrilled for you.  And you were pretty excited yourself.  "I get to put it under my pillow for the tooth fairy", you said.  You couldn't wait to go to school and tell your teachers and show your friends.  And the irony of it all is that you are learning about teeth in school right now.  You came home and called your granny and pawpaw and they were equally excited.  I sent a picture to all the family letting them know you had lost your tooth.

I am so thrilled for you.  I know it makes you happy to have the spot light for a bit.  Sometimes that is hard when you are the oldest of three.  But today you were it and I am so proud to be your momma.  Always am.  So enjoy the money from the tooth fairy.  Story has it that she gave you $20.  Something about not having any dollar bills and wanting to give you a little extra for your DS that you are wanting.  Good tooth fairy she must be.

I love you bubba, always and always.

Love,

Momma

100th Day of School

Jon Kent and Zoey,

Today was your 100th day of school.  Sadly though, Jon Kent you didn't get to go.  You had strep throat, which you seem to be getting fairly often.  It's gotten to the point where it doesn't really seem to faze you too much.  You are already acting 100% better, but seeing how it's pretty contagious, you had to miss the fun filled day.  However, your teacher did promise to save you some of the fun.

Zoey, you got to dress up as though you were 100 years old.  You giggled and smiled the whole time I was getting you ready.  You were so proud.  You loved every minute of it.  I have to say, I had a blast dressing you up and putting the powder in your hair.  It was just a really fun time.

Happy 100th day of school!!!


Love,

Momma

2010

Jon Kent, Zoey and Nathan,

Thank you for another year to be your momma.  Thank you for seeing past my flaws and many short comings and just loving me.  Thank you for loving each other.  Thank you for being kids and not growing up too quickly (although you are still growing up way too fast for my liking).  Thank you for healing my heart and letting me know that life still goes on and there are still plenty of reasons to keep living.

I hope that 2010 was a good year for each of you.  That at some point in your life you are able to look back at something we did in 2010 and smile.  That you are able to hold on to a memory that we've made and be able to look back on it with fondness.

In 2011 I hope we have many more memories together.  That it's a year for health and happiness and many good times.  I hope each of you grow, learn and love more than you have in the year past.

I love you.. each and everyone of you.

Happy New Year babies!

Love,

Momma

At least it wasn't Santa's lap

Nathan,

Oh my dear, dear Nathan. You my son are one of a kind. And I don't say that clichely.. (yeah, your momma just made that word up). You are just your very own person. There is no one even remotely like you.. well.. besides your daddy when he was your age. But let's not split hairs here.

Tonight was a prime example.

It probably started while we were in line to see Santa. It took forever to get to see him because it was also "bring your pet night". Which was cool. It gave you and your siblings something to look at. You wanted me to "hold chew". While holding you, you kept grabbing "yourself" and I asked what you were doing. "Just holdin' my 'googi' (that's what we call your little penis.. as do you and your siblings and the last few generations on your Gramsie's side of the family.. digressing...). We finally get up to the front and your picture was taken. You smiled wonderfully. We get the pictures and go to play at the indoor playground inside the mall. You were running around having a great time. Your daddy called you over to tie your shoe. So you climbed in his lap. While he was tying your shoe you grabbed yourself again and said you had to go potty....

And not two seconds later you say.....

Wait for it... wait for it..

"Oh well!" (in a long drawn out southern drawl)

Your daddy gets this confused yet shocked look on his face.. turns to me and says...

*side note here: I am laughing uncontrollably while typing this.*

"Did he just pee on me???.... Yes.. he just did."

And you did.

I held it together all through the mall. Kept my mean mommy face on and told you that you really knew better than to wet your pants. I kept it together while getting you and your brother and sister buckled into your seats.

But when I looked at your daddy as we were driving off to head home (no change of clothes were found) I couldn't hold it together anymore.

I laughed and laughed.

You daddy found no humor in the situation. Even questioning why I was laughing.

I will probably laugh about that for a good long while. The priceless expressions on your face and your daddy's will keep me smiling for quite some time.

Thank you for the laughs!

Love,

Momma

Happy Birthday, Zoey

Zoey,

Today you are 5. Five. Still seems like you should be that almost bald headed baby that I took home from the hospital. You were perfect. My whole pregnancy was such a healing process for me. You took away so much pain and hurt that I had put on myself. You will never be able to understand how much having you healed my heart. You just will never know. But that's OK.

I love you my sweet baby girl. There aren't enough words to tell you how much my heart grew just by having you in my life. You teach me everyday to roll with the punches and love no matter what. It's amazing that I am learning that lesson from a five year old. You are a good teacher.

I hope your fifth birthday was all you hoped for it to be and more. I love you, Zoeybug. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Love,

Momma