Happy Birthday to Me

 

This has been a year of incredible growth.  

Last winter brought some of the darkest days we've had since starting our family.  Now the summer sun is shining (and the humidity stifling) and I feel so thankful that we've come as far as we have.  After seemingly endless late night conversations, reading of parenting books, consults with friends, and a little bit of family therapy, Jeremy and I are finally (kinda, sorta) figuring out how to parent Ethan.  We are also actually taking the time to enjoy each other despite a hectic schedule and the constant demands of kids.  Ethan and I are slowly reconnecting.  Most of 2012 I spent alternating between being too busy with Sam to spend much time with Ethan and freaking out at Ethan because of his destructive behavior.  Now my 5-year-old buddy and I sleep together every night and most days I don't yell and he doesn't hit.  This is progress!

I'm also figuring out my residency applications and feeling thankful that I finally have a chance to reflect on what I want in my career and how to make it happen.  

Our dear friend Marcy and her awesome kids down the street are total gems, making this neighborhood into a real community for us. 

Nana and Pappy finally got the chance to sleep over with both kids and everyone survived.  

Wow.  I am one lucky person.

  

Here's to 32!

For the love of toilet paper

Sam loves toilet paper.  At first I thought it was just the normal baby/toddler fascination with unfurling a roll of TP.  Who wouldn't love that?  But this is WAY more than a normal appreciation.  He is obsessed with toilet paper.

 

Sam would seize with joy in this bathroom!

Proof:

Jeremy and I independently discovered the same soothing technique: when Sam is freaking out (first thing in the morning, before naps, when Ethan whacks him), we rip off a little piece of TP for him.  He wraps it in his chubby baby fingers, stops crying and lets out a sigh of relief.  Literally.

Other toiler paper antics:

Sam wraps himself in a little leading edge of TP, does a few quick turns and runs as quickly as his very short and uncoordinated legs will carry him, pulling the TP behind him like an endless cape as he flees his pursuers, usually into forbidden Lego territory (Ethan's room), cackling gleefully. 

Once he gets a good handful of TP he will spend hours clutching it.  Unsure what those little white clumps are on your floor?  Just fistfulls of TP that Sam finally let go.  We could track him by this trail of crumbled wads. 

Tonight Sam was out of sorts, thanks to a terrible night's sleep last night, minimal nap today, and a few fresh vaccines at the doctor's office.  He finally settled down to sleep after an extended bedtime routine, comforted by his father's love and a handful of toilet paper.  He is still holding it tight while he sleeps.