30 Days of Thanks: Day 12

 Brother Love.

Brother love. I'm just a boy mom, I don't have any daughters. Just two boys. They no doubt have loved each other from the beginning. However, the playing with each other and being interested for longer than 30 seconds takes awhile. A year. I would say that the comfort and ability to play and have fun and converse take about a year. It did in our house. Now it is the sweetest thing ever to hear Declan singing crazy songs in his car seat just to make Calem laugh hysterically. Declan is the patrolman for everything that Calem does. "Don't touch that Calem that is electricity," "Calem it is not kind to bite," "Calem it is time to eat our dinner," "Calem don't scream buddy , use your words..." Hmmm...at least he doesn't repeat my finest mothering moments...

Calem thinks Declan is just awesome. He wants to be where he is at ALL times. He calls Declan "Deh-Deh" and starts to ask for him within seconds of getting up from naps or sleeping.  Super sweet. And now after Calem's one year birthday I can say PHEW, I am glad I had them so close together. 

All the love in the World,

The Mommy Tree

30 Days of Thanks: Day 11

Messes. Those that are planned and those that are unplanned...You all know that Jonathan and I both have a serious sense of adventure. You also know that neither one of us mind being dirty or making messes. However, neither one of us really enjoys the clean up part! Our friend Sandra came into town and when Declan was about 8 months old she did a similar activity with him and he got into it. Calem was more interested in feeling it, smushing it, rubbing it in his hair and even tasting it. Such a great way to let him explore and learn through sensory play. although to limit the amount of mess that could be created, this masterpiece was completed after Declan went down for his nap!

And of course we had to finish with a photo of Calem and his sweet daddy. Seriously so cute and so sweet. Have you done this yet with your kids? If you haven't then you should. If for nothing else it makes for great photos! Perhaps wait until the warmer weather returns as spraying your child off in the cold is frowned upon... good thing we love bubble baths in this house!
All the love in the world,
The Mommy Tree

30 Days of Thanks: Day 10

BATHTIME!!! I am pretty sure the last two years there is a post just like this one...Only now there are two boys in the bathtub!!! 

With the sun setting so incredibly early it takes away our time from playing outside so we have to get creative. On of our favorite activities is to take baths. Sometimes there are bubbles, or colored water, or if we are extra lucky and well-behaved that day a bath bomb! My personal favorite is filling the bathtub up with TONS of bubbles, but I have to get in to make sure Calem doesn't go under. 

On bubble nights it means the bathroom is soaked, there are bubbles everywhere, it means extra laundry and a bathroom scrub. But so worth it! 

All the love in the world, 

The Mommy Tree

30 Days of Thanks: Day 9

Sleep. As any parent knows it really doesn't matter if your child passes the newborn sleep deprivation phase. Because the truth is there are other phases of sleep: The I'm not sleepy stage, the my legs/hands/tummy/teeth hurt stage (which really means I just want to snuggle in your bed), the I would rather sleep in your bed thanks stage...and countless others I am sure. I'm sleep deprived my brain doesn't work as quick as I would like. The sleep deprivation part of parenting is something I have been told never really ends. Because as parents don't you always worry?! Always. Like even when your babies are grown up with babies... 

I do. I will. However, one day our boys won't ask for stories, or more good night prayers. They won't want to climb in our beds and snuggle all night long. So I am savoring those moments. Even at 3:00am when Declan is in our bed wiggling everywhere and Calem wakes up because he knows he must be missing something, even then I am going to savor those memories.

Happily rejoicing in more than 3 solid hours of sleep and being thankful for every moment,

All the love in the world,

The Mommy Tree

30 Days of Thanks - Day 8

Thankful for Baby Pumpkins!  Calem was exceptionally not interested in being put inside a carved pumpkin.  However, that didn't stop us from having a good time for his 11 month pictures.  The truth is - not all photo shoots are pretty.  But there is something to be said for just getting the pictures.  Just because things didn't go as planned, doesn't mean they didn't turn out well :)

--Big Daddy Tree

30 Days of Thanks: Day 7

Thankful for naps!  When our boys nap and especially when we get to nap too!  I just happened to be preparing my camera for a photo shoot when I heard Declan waking up from his nap.  I got in position, took aim and captured those precious moments where he had just stumbled from his bed to his door and sleepily out into the living room.  So here's the full sequence.  Extra sugar and all.

--Big Daddy Tree

30 Days of Thanks: Day 6

Those moments. I'm keeping this post super short because sleep has been...err...interrupted. Calem is a loud sleeper, Declan comes in our room in the middle of the night, getting earlier and earlier into the evening. Last night it was midnight. He slept in there all night. The king bed we just bought wasn't for just us, it was a whole family purchase. Because here is the truth, ain't no mommy or daddy who is THAT sleep deprived is going to walk their child back to their room. Nope. Just climb on in and cuddle Declan.
Ok this is not short. Sorry! Tonight I was laying in Declan's bed with him and we were supposed to be saying good night prayers, but he doesn't like a cold pillow (the only person I know that doesn't!) so I was warming it up for him. That and all I wanted to do was lay down. He wanted to read me his Tangled book so he was reading and telling me all parts of the story. Then he stops and says to me "Mommy I never never left you. Never ever." So sweet. I am pretty sure he meant leave but it was the sweetest thing I heard all day. So thankful that tonight I had the chance to lay down, snuggle and spend some time with this incredible boy.

All the love in the world,
Tara