Happy 2nd Birthday!

You know how sometimes you think you know about something...until you're later on down the road and you realize that at that earlier time....you really didn't know much at all. That's how I feel about love.

In college, I started dating Dustin and I finally knew what love was. I adored him. I respected him. I thought he could hang the moon. (And this isn't just past tense...I still do)

As we got married and celebrated our first few anniversaries, I realized how little I actually knew about him before, but how much more my love had grown as a result of the time and experiences we had shared.

And then two years ago, our world was changed forever when Eli and Landon entered this world. I loved them instantly. I loved them unconditionally. And my whole purpose in life all of a sudden became taking care of these two tiny bodies. I've never cried so much as those first few weeks of their lives, but I've never felt so much joy either. And it was then that I felt like I really understood love.

But here I am two years later and I love those boys leaps and bounds more than I did that first day. And I'm having more fun with them now than I ever have. It is such a joy and blessing to be their momma. I love them because they are part of me, but I love them even more because they are also a part of Dustin (hopefully a much bigger part).

I guess that's the thing about love...it's always growing and changing. Maybe being a mother heightens your senses and makes you feel all emotions a little deeper than before. Or maybe I'm just a little overly emotional :) Whatever the case... I have never been happier than this exact moment. My heart is so full and my life is so richly blessed. There is no greater earthly blessing than our families and I am especially thankful for mine today as I celebrate Eli and Landon's 2nd birthday.

Eli and Landon have really been changing and growing a lot lately. Eli is still a little spazz and Landon is still my tender-hearted little guy, but here are a few more details about what they are up to these days.

Eli has a new-found love of football. You have to understand that Dustin and I are not huge sports fanatics. We rarely watch sports on t.v. and it's just not a love that we have fostered in our kids. I would love them to be involved in whatever activities they choose, but we haven't pushed it. So when Eli started bringing me the t.v. controller and saying "butt-ball" (football)...it surprised me. If I turn it on, he yells things like "oh, man" and "get it" and he points to the ball wherever it is on the field. It's all a little bizarre to me. How do kids form preferences like that completely on their own? Landon usually joins in the fun, but he would rather watch animal planet or cartoons.

Eli and Landon sleep very well in their toddler beds at night, but don't do so hot during naptime. I'm having to lay down on the floor in their room until they fall asleep if I want them to take a nap...which I do! Most days, I end up falling asleep even before they do, so this hasn't been good for productivity around here.

It seems like every day, they say new words. Everyone always told me that right around two years old, their speech would really take off and that has certainly proved to be true. They are pretty good about getting their point across...even if it takes a little deciphering.

They love all things automobiles: tractors, dump trucks, cars, motorcycles, fire trucks, buses...if it has wheels and goes, they get really excited about it. They got a lot of dump trucks and tractors for their birthday and they have spent hours outside, sitting together, playing in the dirt with them.

We are venturing into the world of potty training. I honestly don't think they are ready to really go at it full force, but they know how to go tee-tee on the potty and we encourage it during diaper changes or before their bath at night. I'm not that excited about potty training...even if it will seem like a pay raise when we stop buying all those diapers.

We have started getting out and going to more activities. I haven't really tried many organized activities until this fall and now that we are going, I realize how un-ready they would have been back in the spring, so I'm glad I waited. But we now go to story time twice a week, they play with the other small kids from church on Wednesday mornings while I attend Ladies' Bible class, and I've been trying to get them together with other kids for play dates a little more. I've been very pleasantly surprised at their behaviour during story time. They listen and even comment on the pictures in the book, they participate in some of the songs and games, and they even did an organized craft last week....gasp! It's really good for all of us to get out and about. I especially love Thursdays because story time is held at a cute, little coffee shop in town. I feel like since they are putting on this free activity for my kids, the least I can do is show them a little support and buy something, right?

We no longer love our Bible class. I think it may have just been a little too much change...new classroom, new friends, new teachers. Whatever the case, Eli and Landon just scream and cry for us. It is really heart-breaking and a little frustrating since we used to do so well. Wednesday nights are even worse because they are so tired. I'm teaching on Wednesday nights right next door to their classroom. I must say that they are quite disrupting. Dustin has had to stay in there the past two Wednesday nights. I really hope we make this adjustment soon so we can all go on with our lives :)

I have so much more I could write about, but we'll leave it at that for now. I really thought that I was a baby person, but now I know that I'm much more of a toddler person. I just love this age!

So Happy 2nd Birthday, Eli and Landon! May your little lives be as blessed as you have made mine.
Love, Momma