family

I love this boy.  He is beautiful and precious.  He is spunky and rather independent.  He is nearing 17 mos. of age.

He wears me out.

But look at him here....

Appearing all sweet and innocent, when just an hour before he was spitting his lunch out, throwing up milk, and screaming loudly in the middle of the food court at the mall.

These are our days right now.  My friend has coined the term, "the tired years."  I am in the throes of those.  Interesting that I skipped the months leading up to three months ago, when I was handed this little bundle of energy.  I think those "missed" months prepare you a bit for "toddlerdom."  

But, this is our story.  We're living it out together.  He gets to scream in the food court, and I get to figure out how to communicate to him that it's not appropriate.  He gets to run all over the place, and I get to chase.  He gets to spit out his food and I get to clean it up.  He takes off his shoes, I get to put them back on. 

He gets to learn, and so do I.

He gives really precious high-5s, I get to receive them.  He gives wet-mouthed kisses, I get to enjoy a slobbery cheek.  He enjoys "pat-a-cake," I get to tickle him mercilessly at the end.  His eyes get bright and wide when he recognizes us, we get to hear his excited shriek at our homecoming.  He gets sleepy, we get to enjoy snuggle and talking time before bed.

It all evens out doesn't it?  The good with the bad.  The challenging with the easy-breezy.  The complicated with the simple.  The disgusting with the pleasant. 

Life is all of the above.  I'm just so thankful that we're together.  Everyone deserves this.  A family, who'll love you for all of it.