love.

I was sitting rocking Oliver tonight contemplating how much I love my babies.  I was singing old hymns.  Those are bed time songs, no?  Well, they are to me.  And You are my Sunshine.  In my memory my grandfather is singing it to me and so I sing it as my first song of the night to every child.  I love that Griffin gets it wrong and sings, "you make me happier."  I love that.  Sometimes I sing it that way just because I don't want him to change it.  I like to laugh about and write all of the things that make me giggle, annoyed, frustrated in my mommy world.  I couldn't love them more.  I hope I say that enough.  I don't think you can say that enough, though.

Tonight I was reminded of how much I'm loved.  Griffin told me he loves me more than I love him.  He loves me to infinity.  Katchillions come before infinities and he loves me more than that.  He said that.

I like to tell my boys how much I love them and why.  I make sure to start with that I love them because they are kind.  It usually is in some order of "I love you because you are kind.  And funny.  and smart.  And thoughtful.  and handsome."  Meyer told me, "I wuv you.  Is kind."  I can't.  It's too much.  It is more than I could hope for.  He also told me that "Mama pretty."  Hello, favorite child.  Other than the other 2.

Oliver lights up when he sees me.  He snuggles up in my neck.  He is precious and sweet and lovely and adorable and I'm sure he will be very kind.  He has 2 great examples.

I love them.  More than they could ever know.  To the moon and back.  From their head to their tippy tippy toes and everywhere in between.  More than there are stars in the sky.

And I hope they never change.

Oliver is 8 months old. He's almost one. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE??

Where oh where are my other posts about this amazing baby?  Mostly, I appear to suck at updating.  Three kids man.  Time suck.  THis isn't to say that I don't have approximately ONE MILLION pictures of each child.  I do.  They just seem to not make it to the internets.

You turned 8 months on mother's day.  You roll with the punches.  You are happy.  you SIT.  Not reliably, but you do.  You started at 7 months so we can claim that.  You smile.  you laugh.  YOU LOVE MOM.  A lot.  I write this because you may not admire me as much one day.  If I walk by you and don't pick you up.  You cry.  You refuse a bottle.  You refuse a cup.  You hate pureed food.  You clearly know that you are too big for that.  This weekend you chowed down on guacamole and refried beans.  That's your Texas showing.

I can't find our 6-9 month clothes so you are shoved in some 3-6 monthers and some bigger.  You are too big for some and too small for others.  You are 6 months gestational age.  You are probably more advanced than a 6 month old.  Maybe? Surprisingly, I have now had 3 babies and I can't remember the important milestones.   I keep looking at Griffin and our friends that are a few months older than him that are ALL going to kindergarten in August and think of how much happens in that first few years.  How much changes.  How a baby who is 4 months old is so different from a newborn, but when they are 4 and 5 there are not any differences.

He is such a dream.  He is more than I could have ever imagined he could be.  We spent so long being so worried that it seemed like he would never arrive or would never leave the NICU.  Look at you.  THRIVING.  You listened to my prayers.  You are a miracle.

You don't love sitting.  You love standing.  You are handsy.  You grab.  You love puffs and mum mums.  You love your brothers.  When we walk down the stairs and Meyer REFUSES to let me help him, you laugh and laugh.  It takes like 15 minutes.  Not sure how you think it's that funny.

You weigh about 17 lbs.  I carry you and hold you all of the time.  You could not be more adored.  By everyone.

I love you.  Can't live without you.  I need you.  I miss you when you sleep.

Meyer Boo is TWO

He may tell you he is two or he may tell you he is 4.  Whatever mood strikes, I suppose.  He also cannot show you two on his fingers, but shows some sort of gang sigh, I'm sure.

He is in LOVE with his bobby--his paci.  We have limited bobby to his bed or car.  Then, when he turned two, just to the bed.  I'm weak though.  He is so darn cute with it.  He actually napped at a friends house today and so I packed it and he found it and it was like someone relapsing.  He was so stinking happy.

Speaking of happy.  This guy is generally HAPPY.  Like when he woke up this morning and I went in and he threw his arms up in the air and said, "MOMMY!  I pootsthed."  Because he has a lisp and can't say poop.  And pootsthed is cute.  He also loves "bock bocks."  which are his flip flops.  Constant statements, "Mey Mey's bock bocks.  Mommy's bock bocks.  TWO BOCK BOCKS."  He has started saying Griffin instead of Bubba sometimes.  He has started saying everything and anything all of the time.  Non stop.  He loves mommy.  You are so so snuggly.  You love to sit in someone's lap.  You refer to a lot of things by their sound.  ooh ooh is Monkey.  You love ooh ooh (curious george.)  You notice things.  Way more things than we give you credit for.  Your laugh is hilarious.  You have a million expressions.  Seeing you be sad is terribly sad.  Your face melts.  You know some letters.  Your favorites are O, M, R, S, and Y.  Why?  I have no idea.  You started noticing them all over.  I look back at your newborn pictures and feel like we had to rush through your babyhood because another baby came.  You are still such a baby.  You LOVE singing and dancing.  You like to get a guitar and say I sing the "wee why dong."  (super why song) and close your eyes and groove.  You are also known to sing "let it doe." (let it go).  You also want to do everything your brother does.  You get upset when you can't.  You want to run.  I want to kiss your cheeks all of the time.  Which is fine by you.

I hope you are always so happy.  I hope you always enjoy a good snuggle.  I hope that you continue to want your mommy, fight hard for yourself, love your brothers unconditionally, and always enjoy a good snack.