two years of Pudge

I'm foregoing the guffaws this week to instead reminisce about this day two years ago when I screamed my head off, pranced around naked in the company of adults who were not my husband, and pushed a bowling ball through my private parts. Yes, that phrase isn't just metaphorical; seeing as Pudge topped the scales at ten pounds, he was slightly heavier than the size ball I would use if I was a bowler. It was a memorable day in that I was due eight days earlier on my own birthday, and while I wasn't keen on the idea of sharing a birthday with my child (call me selfish, but I want a day that is just mine, because I'm a big baby like that), I also didn't think that had to mean I was pregnant for an extra EIGHT days. By the time he came out, he was gigantic and looked like those 2-month old babies that they cast to play newborns in TV and film. He was also red as a beet, had crunched up eyes, and had peeling skin on just about every inch of his body. Seriously, I peeled that kid for weeks, talk about being 'overdone.'

While I wasn't prepared to be a mom to THREE kids, I reveled in that falling in love feeling that happens each and every time that I hold my new baby for the first time. If you could look past the flaky skin (it was really a mess, I'm not kidding), he was really such a beautiful little baby.

And now, two years later, he's our little stand-up comic. (Favorite joke: "Knock knock, Who's there, Mr. Potato-Head!" all said in one fast breath.) His 'cheese face' can slay me each and every time I pull the camera out. At two, he's a little Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde- one minute he can be found randomly beating on my leg for no apparent reason, and the next he can jump up to comfort his big sister while she cries for the 47th time that morning (also for no apparent reason). He's really talking these days, with one of his standard responses to any question asked of him being, "I don't know, either." (It used to just be "I don't know," which I would answer with, "I don't know, either" and now he's just decided to cut right to the end of the conversation.) At various times today he asked me about his birthday, with my favorite one being, "Peoples sing happy birday?" He truly has a sweet heart, a gigantic funny bone, but also a mischievous streak a mile wide. I'm hoping that will continue to be the recipe for one happy little guy.


Happy 2nd birthday, Pudge. You are one amazing little kid, and I'm really thankful that you've made your way into our family!


Embodying the image of a proud mommy,



**How am I doing on my gratitude challenge?? Come check up on me here since I'll be adding new entries each day!**