A (little) Man of Many Words

Jesse and I were exchanging Drew stories the other night and I realized it was time to blog a few more, before they are forgotten. I put this picture in because it gives a visual of the most recent Drew funny. It went something like this: I was putting in a movie for background noise while we're doing some packing. Suddenly I feel his little body snuggle up close to me. "Mommy," he says, "I'm fweezing!" I offer to put something warmer on him (which he proceeds to pick out). Each article of clothing results in, "Oh Mommy! That's so much better! I so comfortable now; I so warm." Adorable, isn't it?

Equally adorable (and yet inappropriate to laugh at to his face) was a recent discussion on consequences. Drew was experiencing a "teaching moment" after having mouthed off to me. Jesse was explaining to him what consequences are. At first I was unsure if he was understanding when he suddenly retorted, "The consequence is that Kelly the Crane is going to knock this house down!" (Obviously, like his parents, he has a difficult time being told what to do.) I had to excuse myself because as much as I wanted to laugh at the intense face and serious eyes coming from the little monkey, I knew I shouldn't.

I guess one could say that he's becoming quite good with the come backs. I went to "remind" him that it was naptime a couple of days ago and once again he didn't like the direction the conversation was taking. All of the sudden he stood up and pointed at me and said, "Well I think that's quite enough TV time for you. Turn it off and get quiet!"

Along that same line, it was about 10:00 on Saturday night and Drew was still playing in his room. Jesse went in and told him that it was very late and that he would be too tired to go to church in the morning. To which Drew responded, "You're going to be too tired" (with an amount of attitude that one so small should never posses).

Just in case the amount of smart-aleckness is a cause for concern, I thought I would throw in a couple of moments that showcase mere cuteness (without the sarcasm and attitude).

This morning we were on the couch talking about dogs. He announced that he wanted a big dog. "I want a big dog," he said "and I want him to sit on the couch and then I will get him a great big bone because he will love me and I will love him." I asked him what he wanted to name the dog, to which he responded, "I don't know....ummm, how about someting like Clifford?!?!" Ummm, I love big dogs but I wasn't planning on one the size of the house.

After busting in on Jesse getting out of the shower (he's so exciting that we're going to have a second one soon!), Drew shook his head and informed him, "Dad, I can't be like you...I can't just be naked." I keep telling Jesse to lock the door...

Early today Drew was eating a frozen Go-gurt when he spotted the Shrek characters on the side. "Mom!" he yelled, "This girl has sword and that could be very dangerous!"

Hope you guys enjoy these as much as I did. I only get concerned with his verbal acrobatics when I realize that if he's like this at 2.5, what will he sound like in a couple of years...much less a teenager!

A Dream Realized

I've posted this picture on facebook and talked about it some there but it occurred to me that I wanted to put it in the blog as well...if nothing else, for the sake of continuity. The 29th of this month will mark our 6th anniversary and for six years, we have patiently moved from apartment to apartment always hoping for more but trying to be satisfied with what we had. Then, we moved up to Montana in January and while I secretly dreamed of a yard for Drew to play in and a second bathroom (potty training with 1 bathroom is no fun), I was thoroughly pleased with the most recent reincarnation of apartment living. This place is huge for an apartment and right in the middle of our small town, where everything is a short walk away.

A few weeks ago though, I had some friends at Bible Study ask me how I was liking our apartment. I responded that I loved it and then (as sort of a side note) mentioned that it would be nice to have a yard some day. My friend Lynn quickly responded that another friend of ours owned the two houses next door to her and was fixing them to rent this summer. I smiled and thanked her for the information, all the while thinking that there was no way that we would be able to actually rent a house. I put off talking to Amy (the friend who owned the houses) for weeks. When we bumped into her at a fundraiser though, Jesse brought up the houses. Things happened fast (for a small town anyway) after that and last week we made an appointment to go and look at one of the houses.

We were prepared to turn her down from the beginning. We were prepared to see not enough house for the money. We were prepared to come back to our apartment, thankful for being able to call it home. We weren't prepared to be wrong on all accounts and to fall head over heals in love with this little green bungalow. Perfect in almost every way (aside from some much needed landscaping and yard work, which actually makes it even more perfect), it has all the charm of an older home with just enough modern update. Add into that a second bathroom (praise Jesus!!!), a front AND back yard (yet another praise Jesus!!!) and the possibility of getting a furry friend in the future...what more could a little family ask for?

So, after packing up my entire apartment in TX in a week, driving for days across the country and declaring that this job better work because I wasn't packing and moving again for YEARS, I find myself packing yet again. Seriously though, this apartment has been a huge blessing and was exactly what we needed when moving up here. I am so thankful to have had it. However, I cannot wait for June 1st when we can start moving into our little family home. Oh, and did I mention that it is on a tree lined street and is about 500 yards from the park and community pool? Yep, for us, its pretty much perfection!

A Perfect Moment

So, there's this song that was popular a few years back. Actually, it was most popular around the time Jesse and I got married and we danced to it at our wedding. Its by Steven Curtis Chapman...here are the lyrics, for those of you who aren't familiar with it...and then I'll get back to my point.

I'll take care of you
Don't be sad, don't be blue
I'll never break your heart in two
I'll take care of you
I'll kiss your tears away
I'll end your lonely days
All that I'm really tryin' to say
Is I'll take care of you

I want you to know that I love you so
I'm proud to tell the world you're mine
I said it before, I'll say it once more
You'll be in my heart 'til the end of time

I'll take care of you
Don't be sad, don't be blue
Just count on me your whole life through
'Cause I'll take care of you


For some reason, I knew even when Jesse and I picked it for our wedding that someday, I would end up singing it to our children. So it seemed inevitable that when Drew would be restless during my pregnancy I would find myself putting my hands on my stomach and singing these words to him. Before he was even born, I would rock in the glider in his nursery and sing it softly. After he was born, I would often hum it or sing to him late at night as I was feeding him. Even up until yesterday, he would pull me over to the glider, now banished from his big boy room and sitting by a living room window, climb up in my lap and snuggle, asking me to sing to him.

Yesterday, that changed though. I watch every day as the signs of my once chunky, little, baby fade away. Feeling that loss, I pulled him into my lap while I was rocking and began to sing those sweet words again. Instead of snuggling though, I got a gentle push as he pulled away, "Stop singing Mom...I need to get down and go read," this miniature man said to me. I looked at his long legs and serious face and wondered if that meant that he didn't want to rock just now, or if he'd outgrown this ritual along with all the other infantile things he's so eager to cast aside.

Today, I still haven't been able to get it out of my mind. As I was eating dinner though, Drew climbed up next to me. I smiled and then went to take a bite when I heard his little voice start to sing, "I'll take cawre of you, don't be sad...Mommy? Sing the wrest to me, please." Of course I did and a little pause on my part between each phrase, awarded me with his sweet voice singing along, a couple of words behind. At the end, he looked up at me and smiled, "That's a gwreat song Mom!" he said. Moments later he was racing around the house, playing some hybrid of dinosaurs and monster trucks, no sign of the sweet baby in sight. That's ok though, that moment was perfect. I just have to remind myself, the sweet baby has grown up but he left behind a precious, if precocious, little man.