Another Birthday

Hi boys. Well naturally I am late in posting this. I actually began working on it on time but then the summer flew by and we were busy enjoying the sun and spending time in the pool. With fall approaching I took time this week to going thru my files and I found the draft of my yearly birthday letter to you. Better late then never is what I always say. In keeping with the purpose of this letter I would like to share my top favorite things and daily things about being your mother. The things I didn’t know I would love and the moments that I often wish would freeze in time. There have been a lot of things that have surprised me about motherhood. Clearly, the lack of sleep is at the top of the list and the days when you just put your hands in the air and say “I did not sign up for this!” But secretly all us moms know that yes we did sign up for it, we just didn’t know it at the time. When you become a parent you sign up for all of it. The good, the bad, the ugly, the laughs, and the fierce love that comes along with motherhood. So below are the things that bring complete delight to my life these days 1. Dylan you ate broccoli for the first time. I know it sounds simple but for any mom who has been thru the picky eating habits of a two year old will tell you it was no easy feat. And I was so happy and you were so happy which just rocked. Granted it has been weeks since you had that piece of broccoli but that moment has lasted in my mind for a while. 2. Dylan you tell me I am the best girl every night while we snuggle and read books. I mean can you talk about “making it all worth it.” 3. You both have been known to go 2 days without a bath. But, in my defense it was summer and you were in the pool almost everyday. 4. Hudson you love stories and I need to make them up, a regular book is not good enough for you. Sometimes I am not so good with the 'imaginative' part of my brain so I am often up until midnight surfing the web trying to find stories to tell you. 5. I am always getting you guys to bed way too late, but my best intention is always there. I always say 8pm bed time but once the bed time routine starts it is more like 9pm before you are asleep. 6. I like to pretend that I can’t hear you when you ask me a question over and over and when you suddenly pull on me to really get my attention and I exaggerate a fall to the ground and tickle you like crazy. We laugh till our bellies hurt every time. 7. Every now and again I ask you to pick one toy or stuffed animal that we can donate to little boys or girls that don’t have the same things that we do. I think it is important for you to learn generosity and giving at a young age. 8. I love how you totally believe that I have magically powers. You are always amazed that I have eyes in the back of my head and know exactly how the picture fell off the table….and who did it. 9. I love how happy you both get when I tell you “yes you can have marshmallows for breakfast.” Sometimes it is good to get the unexpected answer in life. 10. I try to teach you guys that you can’t have everything in the store. You can pick one thing that you simple must have and that is all. The other day I told Dylan that he could only get one pillow pet not three (of the exact same puppy) because we didn’t have enough money. Hudson you responded by saying that we could go home and you would get more dollars out of your wallet so Dylan could get them all. Simple one of the best moments. I loved your thoughtfulness. 11. Hudson you and I play the I love you more game every night. I always say I love you to the moon and back and you always tell me you love me to the north pole and back. Or some other far off place like New Jersey. 12. Hudson you are still my chunk- a-monk and Dylan you are my bugaboo. So there are some of the things that make motherhood so wonderful and unexpected. I often find that as much as I am trying to teach you things you both often teach me more. You are my life and when I think about the best parts of me I always think of you first. I love you! ...to the moon and back