unbelievable

yesterday was gabe's third birthday. i am sure i do not have to express how unbelievable it is that my sweet little boy is already a three-year-old. but really, it is quite unbelievable.

we are astounded at what an incredibly bright, compassionate, creative child he is and are so blessed that he is ours to love.

will follow up with some facts about three-year-old gabe's personality and development as soon as we have his well check-up next week. for now, just know that he is amazing and we love him more than there are words to say.

anniversary

recently, our church celebrated its fifth anniversary, and, as we do every year, we celebrated together with a big party! we all met up at the pier, there was jamaican food, entertainment, sand volleyball, and at the end of the night, a whole pack of exhausted kids! it really was such a special time of celebrating the incredible blessing that our church has been to us. and of course, i have only the most random collection of pictures to show for it. but these days, i take what i can get!

ezra

at fifteen months, ezra:

:: weighs 25 pounds (75th percentile) and is 32.5 inches tall (90th percentile). additionally, his head circumference is in the 90-95th percentile.

:: loves to throw his hands up and exclaim "ta da!"

:: insists on giving everyone kisses before bed. steve, me, gabe... no one escapes the open-mouth, tongue-out smooch of a sleepy ezra.

:: finally started walking about a month ago. but not in a tentative way like other babies. no, sweet ezra collected skills and knowledge until he was ready to do it right. one day, he just let go of a chair and walked across the room, and he has been walking like a pro ever since.

:: is a dancer and a singer just like his brother. when gabe sings, ezra is happy to join in. and in the mornings, we sometimes lay in bed and listen to him sing over the monitor. it is so incredibly sweet.

:: is obsessed with his belly button. and mine.

:: plays with gabe in his room. i must say that this is one of my favorite things on earth. i love that they are becoming such good friends!

:: moves into gabe's room at night after he falls asleep. about a month ago, we got a junior loft bed for the boys to share. ezra's mattress is on the floor and gabe has a bunk above is about 4 feet up. it is perfect for them and gabe loves waking up with ezra in his room! we have not quite mastered falling asleep in the bunk bed yet, but there is still time before the baby needs the crib, so we are in no hurry.

:: is still taking two naps a day. a great one in the morning and and shorter one in the afternoon.

:: has seven teeth and loves to chew on toothbrushes!

:: had surgery on thursday to clear his still-blocked tear duct. he did beautifully and was in and out in just fifteen minutes. i told steve that as far as ezra was concerned, he went to a neat building with a fish tank, made a few friends, took a little nap and hung out with his mimi for a bit. i even took the boys to storytime at the library afterwards because they were so restless. i should note that he was the cutest kid on earth in his hospital gown!

to memory

as a mother, there are certain moments that i wish to commit to absolutely permanent memory. one day, when our boys have been long gone from our home, i hope i remember this.

the way he so sweetly emerges from his room each afternoon, still sleepy-eyed and stumbling, messy hair and raspy voice, requesting for mommy to please "cuddle me."

and as he slowly returns to his lively, energetic self, we talk. about how big he is getting. about how life will change when he is a big brother twice over. about what he was like when he was a baby. about anything and everything that can be contained in the heart and mind of an almost-three-year-old boy.

and i know that this is a fleeting moment. one day soon, there will be more pressing things for this oh-so-quickly growing son of mine to do than to lay with his mama and get a back rub and have his hair played with and talk about whatever comes to mind.

and so i sit with him. for as long as he will allow. i soak it in and hope that one day, a long time from now, i will remember him just like this. heavenly.

one way to use up the last of the finger paint...

is to let your one-year-old eat it.

on the other hand, at least he wasn't afraid of it. gabe insisted on having a napkin nearby to use if he got any of the finger paint on his hands. i think he may be missing the point altogether.