7:13am On A Wednesday Morning:

It started out just like every morning starts out. The alarm wakes us up, your Dad gets in the shower, I start the tea kettle to boil water for the coffee press and make my way through the hall to your room. Usually you're talking to yourself resiting all of the animal sounds you know. Moo for cow, Bzzzzz for bee, Sssssss for snake, Howwwwwl for wolf with your lips perched out exaggerated as you pronounce the "wwwwwl" part. It's cute. It makes me smile. It starts my morning out right listening to you chitter chatter until I scoop you out of your crib. 

This morning though, you were still asleep. I smiled and adored you. Then I quickly ran to the office for my camera. 

As I was changing my settings and getting all to artsy for my own good, you started to wake. This was the photo I captured 

(Dirty socks, hand by your cheek, bed head and all....) 

My heart melts.

And then you perked right up as I laughed at your, "Really mom? It's not even 8am and you've already got that camera in my face? ughhhh. How annoying are you?" Expression painted all over

 your sweet tired face. 

 You rubbed your eyes and pointed to the lion on your rocking chair and said, "Ion." 

So I grabbed him for you and you gave him a tight squeeze. I'm dying inside. You're too cute.

 I want to squish your face off. 

 Then you looked up at me like, "Um, we're having a MOMENT here.... GeeZE! Mom!" 

 Then you really started to look pissed and I stopped laughing. OK, I get it. You're a big boy.
You don't want your mother all up in your business with her camera all day long. I understand. 

I've had so many moments recently where he takes my breath away. Like, when we're in the shower and I've had the worst day ever I'm so stressed I'm having trouble breathing because he's been teething and won't let me put him down all day.... and I'm just watching the hours pass until I can go run and think for a few minutes! BUT when I draw a circle with the shower crayons and he points to it and tells me what I've drawn..... Those little moments make me feel like I used to feel at work when I got a raise or a pat on the back. I feel like I've done a good job as a mom. When he identifies that a circle is a circle. 

*I don't feel all that wonderful though when I have a screaming toddler under my feet and I have to tell Gabe, (the banker on the phone) to please hold so I can put my little devil child in time-out for screaming, crying and chanting "Mooooommmy! Mommmmmyyyyyy," while I'm trying to talk on the phone. 

The happened the other day and I thought I was big stuff when I put him in his crib kicking and screaming, walked back tot he office to continue my civilized phone conversation and realized my toddler was suddenly quiet as a sweet, peaceful little lamb. I thought to myself, "That's right. You sit there and think about what you did-screaming like a little lunatic in front of Gabe while Mommy wanted to punch her face off! You sit there in that cold dark room (It wasn't really dark.....that was for dramatic effect.) And you think about how crazy you made mommy, Mr!" 

I finish my conversation and walk back into his room. He's sitting in his crib quiet as can be WITH HIS BINKY IN HIS MOUTH. Little butt nugget! THAT'S WHY HE WAS QUIET! How stupid of me to put him in time-out in his crib WHERE THE BINKY STAYS ONLY FOR NAP AND BEDTIME! That wasn't TIME-OUT! That was pure Ecstasy. He was livin' it up. UGH. 

My Mom sure has a good laugh at me when I told her this story. She was probably thinking, "Ha! Ha! You idiot! Ha-ha-ha Conrad told you!" (She was also the one who took his side and defended him when I took his other obsessive toy away. The dinosaur that was pretty much a weapon......) 

It was sold in a yard sale thankyouverymuch. 

ANYWAY.

This age is so much fun. I dread the days of potty training when he's peeing all over my rugs and making my house smell like yuckies. I love him though in his totally-too-small-i-could-only-button-one-button-Guido-duck-jammies. His jammy top was way too small I could only button the top button. The pant legs are high waters... Too cute.