Being Present

Don't let my social media feeds fool you. I like probably a decent amount of parents, struggle with being present. Life is crazy. Life is busy. There is family, work, and day to day life. The other day I made a joke that I talk on the phone with Logan's providers more than I do my family. That is sad, but so true. I have limited time. When I am not running around from appointment to appointment ; I am at work. 

It is hard. The part of this all that seems to be forgotten is that I am not only mom to Logan...I also have Mason. I don't want Mason to grow up in his brother's shadow. I want him to be himself and be known for who he is. 

The picture above was taken by Mason this past week. At least once a day he asks for us to build that puzzle. He has built it about 10 different ways. I don't think he cares as much for the puzzle as he does for the one on one him and I get to spend. 

This boy is my sanity. I promised him to do more fun things with him. To dedicate more of my time to him. He deserves it. He is a trooper. He sometimes settles for us simply cuddling while he watches Nerflix. He is wonderful.

The point of my words is that as parents we tend to worry about spending loads of money on our children. Making sure they have the hippest clothes, and the best shoes. Spending money on useless toys that they get bored of in 2.5 seconds when that's not what matters to them at all. If I think back to growing up I do not think of how I didn't have $200 shoes or how I wore clothes from Walmart. I think to how much time was spent as a family. How often did we have family dinners or watch movies. Was I able to openly speak to my parents?

Kids won't remember how much you spent on them. Kids will remember how much you spent with them. Let's be present in our children's lives. Let's give them a good example to follow. 

"Children are great imitators. Give them something good to imitate."

Celebrating My Children (Week 12)

Hellooooo everyone! This is my final week of this weekly series. I've decided to give the series a rest (for now). I want to pick it back up sometime, but I'm just not sure when to do so. In the meantime, there's tons of things that will be happening around here this year. I'll leave it at that because that's a matter for another post. 

This week I want to celebrate what these boys are together. There are not enough words to describe how wonderful Mason is with his brother. These days it's quite hard for Logan to interact with his brother. Some days they play together and others Logan is so withdrawn that it's almost as if Mason isn't even here. However, Mason has never given up. He always tries to engage his brother. What makes me the most proud is that I don't have to ask Mason to do these things. He just takes it upon himself to not leave him out of things. 

Earlier this week while Logan was having OT at home, I chose to do some coloring with Mason. Out of nowhere he tells me, "mommy let's make Valentine cards." I had no idea he knew what Valentine was. He chose to make card for daddy, his cousin Jacob, and himself. Lol! He even attempted to write Jacob's name and his own. Is my 3 year old the only one in learning how to write? Or am I having a hard time admitting that he is growing up?

Logan had a really big week this week. I say big because even the smallest of things he does are a big deal to us. HE ATE APPLESAUCE! He whined and cringed, but he swallowed the applesauce. His speech therapist who also does feeding for him has been working with him trying to get him to eat it for nearly two months now. He ate an entire snack cup of it. We are so proud of him. He didn't eat it again when I offered it at lunch and he screamed when I offered it at lunch yesterday. However, I'm taking it as he just didn't want any at that moment and will keep offering it. We're doing baby steps. 

What kind of awesome things did your little ones do this week?

Celebrating My Children (Week 5)

Another week of this weekly celebration. I could get used to this, and I am actually enjoying doing it. This may just become permanant. As hard as the days may be, writing about the things that make my children wonderful helps put things into perspective. I am reminded to dig through all that I could complain about and instead smile about the great things. 

This week I want to celebrate them together. Usually, I write about them individually, but this week I want to write about how wonderful their bond is and in the ways it has made me smile this week.  My boys are best friends. I've written about that before. It is such a heart warming thing to witness. 

They are so close. Possibly because they're 18 months apart. For as long as I can remember Mason has embraced the big brother roll. Always always watching out for his brother. When Logan becomes overwhelmed there is Mason trying to make it all better. It's so cute. Recently, I have been spending a lot of time at home while dad is at work. Not sure how or where Mason has picked up the, "you be the mommy and I be the daddy and Logy our baby" when dad isn't home. He has no problem stepping up to help. He will help to take meals to the table when needed, he will throw diapers away for me, and has even put his brother to sleep. 

I am so grateful for them and the bond they share. I know they will always have each other no matter what. Just like my siblings and I have each other. We're not close in age and don't talk everyday, but when we do it's like we never stopped. 

Do your children have siblings or even cousins they are close to? 

Brothers, Best Friends.

In the past week I have reflected so much on my life. I've been trying so hard to come up with something to blog about, and always came up blank. I wanted to update on my son Logan because I know a lot of you are wanting me to keep ya'll posted. Honestly, I am not ready to talk that through yet. I am battering a lot of inner demons in regards to his situation. Instead I am going to celebrate the give that is having my two boys.

Those boys as much as they disagree and fight over toys, love each other quadruple that. They are best friends. The best of brothers. Their love is so genuine and innocent. They disagree one minute and the next they are hugging. Watching them grow together is a delight. 

My oldest son Mason has a very protective bond with his brother. If his brother is having a hard time he tries soothing him. He will bring him all the toys from the toy box of that means his brother won't be sad anymore. He's the one that makes sure Logan has things before him. "I share brother mommy" he tells me sometimes when he has something. "Logan come too mommy" whenever we go somewhere. "I push Logy stroller mommy, I got him" is what he tells me when I take them both somewhere. He's a wonderful big brother!

My youngest son Logan has a more "look up to him" bond with his brother. He follows his brother around to see what he is up to. He thinks everything his brother does is the best thing EVER! He doesn't speak, and lately he prefers not to be bothered. However, on those days that he does want to interact with his brother it is so awesome to see how he just melts for him.

They have such a strong bond. From very early in y pregnancy I used to let Mason lay with my belly and tell him that was the baby. When they met for the first time he fell head of heels for "baby". They have always been inseparable. They sleep on the same bed because otherwise they would end up together anyway. Sometimes I walk in to check on them and they are huddled together. 

My wish for them is that they are always this way. I wish for them to always have this bond no matter where life takes them. I hope they always look out for one another, and can comfort each other in their times of need. I wish for them to at least go to each other if they don't feel comfortable with us. 

I get asked a lot if I want a girl. The answer is yes. I would have liked a daughter someday, but not to replace my sons. I wouldn't trade them for the world. Their bond has taught more in the 2 years I've been mothering both than any other person or thing could have taught me.