Matthew's Birthday

Here are Matthew's birthday pictures. We were so blessed with a day of sunshine between weeks of rain.

Don't let that first picture fool you- if you notice, he was quite disgusted by his birthday cake, and hated the way the icing felt on his fingers. Mind you, I know that the dislike of sugar is not to last. After all, he does have me as his mother and I have never met anything sweet that I didn't like! :)

P.S. ABQ crew- Sorry that these took me so long to post!

One year ago today

It was one year ago today that our "little" man was born, nearly two weeks overdue and 9 1/2 pounds (think there was a correlation there?).

It was one year ago today that we were driving to the hospital for the c-section I had tried to avoid for 10 months by trying for a VBAC. One of the few times in my life that I actually feared a "known" over an "unknown".

It was one year ago today that we added one child to the family, and yet somehow more than double the work load (does anyone else feel that way?).

It was one year ago today that my sweet boy, who loves to cuddle, who has always wanted to hold my hand while he nurses, that will rest his head on any one's shoulder became my son.

This year has gone by faster than any year before. How many times have I said I feel like I was just pregnant? I feel like that surreal drive home from the hospital with both kids in the backseat was just yesterday.

What a difference a year makes. I now have a super fast crawler, who somehow knows instinctively that anything with wheels must make a vroom vroom sound. He still loves to be held, still wants to hold my hand while he nurses (which, sadly, we are starting to end) but is also much more independent than Grace ever was. I didn't need a baby gate with Grace because she followed me around like a puppy; but Matthew will wander around, entertaining himself. He will out-eat Grace any day, and that is no exaggeration. We are constantly getting up from the table to get him more food. I have no idea where he is hiding it, because he is no longer that super chubby baby.

I dread the next year because I know how much faster it too will go. Matthew will turn from a baby into a toddler. From crawling to walking to running (oh, Heaven help us!). He will start talking, further reminding us how much he has learned even though he seemed to be too young to do so.

I know birthdays are supposed to be happy, but for this mother, they are sad because they are blatant reminders that my children are growing up, getting older, somewhat wiser :) and will be out on their own before I can even blink!

Easter

"The Uncles" came for a visit over Easter weekend. Only Crazy Mommy tells a 3 year old when someone is coming before they are actually here. A point that was proved yet again when Peter's afternoon flight was late and he didn't get to our house until after bedtime (Erik took Peter and Stefan out for a little male bonding time after they both got in).

So on Saturday morning when she woke up, I went into her room and said "Grace, I have a surprise for you! Your Uncles are here for a visit!" Her answer was, "REALLY?!? I love my Uncles! They do silly things!"

Silly must run in the family. Check out my little man's hair. And Grace's reaction to discovering there was candy inside those eggs she was finding.

We tried telling her there were surprises inside those eggs. But she was more intent on finding them... that is until we showed little-miss-never-gets-candy what exactly I was talking about. :)

Next year she will have a little competition for all that stash! (I have no idea what we are talking about- I'm quite sure it was nothing as serious as it looks.)