I have recently been thinking a lot about how quickly time is passing with my boys. I just can't believe how independent they are both becoming. Liam is no longer taking a paci...this is huge! We have had pacifiers floating around our house in some capacity for about the past 4 years. It is insane to me that we are done with that time in both the boys' lives.
I decided it about time to take the paci from Liam, and to be honest, I was really dreading it. Kale let the paci go with no problems, so I figured it was going to be very difficult with Liam. I actually borrowed a book from the library called, "Pacis aren't forever" and I had been reading this book to him for a few weeks. He HATED the book. He kept hiding it around the house so that I wouldn't read it. The morning I was planning to take the pacis, I took every one I could find and put them in the top drawer of his dresser (Kale is an enabler and I knew if Kale found them or could reach them he would give the paci to Liam.) Anyway-Liam managed to find a paci somewhere in my room under the bed. When I saw him walking around with it in his mouth, I made him throw it in the trash can. That afternoon at nap, he asked for the paci, but I just ignored him. He never cried and he never asked for the paci again...we are lucky he gave it up that easy. It got me to thinking about how close we are to potty training and moving him to a big bed...where did my baby go? Just last night, he woke up at about 11:15 screaming. This was about the time I was getting ready to head to bed. I went into his room and he was all worked up. I picked him up and he immediately put his head on my shoulder. I sat down in the chair and rocked him for a good 15 minutes....just because I could. Because in a short amount of time, just a few months, there will not be a rocker in his room anymore. And his crib will be replaced with a big bed.
And Kale...let me just say, he is actually turning into such a sweet spirit! He definitely has his moments (several times a day some days) where he is still strong-willed and difficult, but wow, he is so sweet too. And he loves his momma! The other day we were up in the playroom playing and I was sitting on the floor texting or playing on FB, which I do all too often sometimes. He said to me, "Momma, will you come sit by me." So, of course, I did. When I sat on the couch by him, he reached over and grabbed my hand and just held it. There are no words....sweetness. I know it is just a matter of time and it will not be "cool" to hold momma's hand anymore. This year he is in pre-k 3 days a week, plus we have speech, MOPs, and various other obligations, so I feel like we are not really home at all...it got me to thinking that next year, he will be in school 5 days a week. Wow! Where did the time with my sweet boy go?
These are some things I want to always remember about my boys. I think I will never forget, but I probably will:
Kale
always wants to hold Liam's hand and "help" him do things (Liam often doesn't like the help...)
is excellent at helping clean up around the house
loves to sit close to momma--frequently shows affection, lots of hugs, kisses, hand holding
loves to read books
gets up entirely TOO early (and always has--current rising is between 5-5:30; bedtime doesn't seem to matter)
is finally beginning to eat--pb & j is a favorite--consistently asks for a "big jelly."
calls my American family fit shirt my "nuggets" shirt (it has an arch that he apparently thinks looks like McDonald's)
is so, so tender with bear bear
Liam
always screams "wuv you" multiple times as I am leaving his room
has the worse fits--oh, I don't think I will EVER forget his fits; nothing and no one can calm him sometimes
also loves books
is becoming an increasingly picky eater; primarily eats mac and cheese and hot dogs at 22 months
calls his monkey his "baby"
mimics his brother constantly, even the way Kale interacts with other adults and children
has TERRIBLE separation anxiety--even with people he knows well (such as the sitter we have had for the past year and a half)
All of this just reminds me that the days seem long (so long sometimes), but the years truly do fly by. I honestly feel like I will blink and both of my little guys are going to be in school and these precious years that I got to spend with them at home will be over. The days are long...but the years are so, so short.
