Last Call

I had big plans for the summer for Brax and I. We were going to go to do all sorts of things. But with G.G getting sick and everything else my plans, like usual, fell to the wayside. Two of the things I had wanted to do was go to Carowinds and to the zoo. I had some tickets to Carowinds so several weekends ago we went for the day.
This past weekend Chris came into town and we took a trip to the zoo. Braxton walked almost the entire time and from the time we entered starting asking about the crocodiles. Wanna guess where they were in the zoo? Our last stop as we were leaving the other end.
I really think they were his favorite part. I kind of liked them myself!

Slow Down A Bit

Lately I've been feeling "that way" everybody with kids says they do. It's going so fast. I feel like I've blinked and Brax has just grown (don't laugh I know he's 3) into a little boy. I had a few things I wanted him to accomplish this summer.
Poop in the potty= Done
Sleep in his big boy bed= Done
Undress by himself completely= Done
I guess what I wasn't expecting was the way I'd feel when those things were "done".
Yesterday was another milestone that we had been waiting for and it went off without a hitch. He has now moved on from the nursery at church and goes to big kids church. Nursery is a straight 2 hours in one room and big kids church is an actual Sunday School class and then we'll pick him up and take him into the sanctuary with us where he'll stay for 15 minutes or so until the children's message. He'll then go down for children's church where they read a story and do a craft while the adults stay for the sermon. We had prepared ourselves to have to go down stairs with him the first day. I walked up to the front with him for the children's message and told him that when it was over he would go with another mommy and daddy but HIS mommy and daddy would be down to get him as soon as he finished his craft and listening to his Bible story. When the time actually came I told him to go with the others and we'd be down in a little bit. HE WENT WITH NO PROBLEM!! I have been waiting for the day when he would feel at ease at church so it was a relief that he went.
My parents always told me that you raise your children with the goal and intention to set them free. It's a testimony to the kind of parent you are. I know my job is not through, not by a long shot thank goodness, but my heart does a little dance every time we complete another milestone. I may have tears in my eyes and it may be hard to watch but I know it has to happen. I have a good partner helping me. We're having fun. And we have an amazing little boy. For these things I know we're lucky.
Big Boy Church= Done
Last night as I was putting him to bed, in his big boy bed, we were talking about his day and he started asking where his picture was from church because he wanted me to put it on the refrigerator. He then proceeded to tell me about David and Goliath. I was amazed at what he was telling me. Where did he hear that? Children's church....and it was his first day!

Another Reminder

Once again I'm reminded that life is too short. Cindy, a friend from college with 3 young children, died last week from a brain tumor. It's got me down and I went home today and plundered through old pictures looking for pictures of her and of all of my great friends from way back.
Life is busy. We know that without a doubt. But what is it that makes it so? A couple of weeks ago just this summer a few of us got together, with our children, and visited and it was fantastic. It's something that I wish we could manage to do more of with more of the group.
The pictures above were taken on a spring break trip with a few of my buddies and then at college when we went to ECU to help move some friends in. Cindy is in the top picture, far left.
My hope is that I continue to reconnect with friends. Life is busy. Life is too short. But friends make the journey, however long we're given, all worth it!

Too Much To Take

I'm not one to follow the parenting books precisely. I generally read up on all the "advice" just so I'll know what to expect and then seek help from family and friends if I have questions. One of the things that I had wanted to do this summer was transition Braxton from his crib to his big boy bed. He had never attempted to climb out and other than the first year (ha ha) of his life loved his bed. We could put him down and he'd go to sleep on his own. Even this summer when we'd be away he'd say, "I miss my baby bed". The boy loved his bed.
However, he did turn 3 this summer and he is getting really tall and besides all of that it needed to be done before I went back to work. With the way summer has worked out it didn't get done when I had planned and I had actually told Brandon at the beach that I was going to buy the bed rails this week and start it this weekend. Yesterday, out of nowhere, Braxton proclaimed he was going to sleep in his big boy bed last night! So we went out bought the rails and while I was at a meeting at church the boys built "the ship" (as Braxton called the bed). He was so excited when I came home. I pulled out a car/truck nightlight that I had bought a while back and showed him what it was and what it did and everything was all good.......until bed time. He became a little apprehensive and told me he didn't like that room etc. etc. I had to lay down with him. He told me to close my eyes.(It took me back to my own childhood) After about 5 minutes, he could see that the nightlight DID work, I kissed him good night and left the room.
As I walked out I stopped by his old room and just stood there. Dark, quiet, and now empty. My mind went back to 3 years earlier, when it was empty the first time and we were anxiously waiting for him to arrive,and I couldn't believe that the years had gone so quickly and he was was sleeping in a BIG bed. This summer has obviously been full of changes. Sometimes we're not always ready for them. And they aren't always good. Whatever the change they bring just that, change.
I guess it's a way for our hearts to make room for new memories.