News

On Monday, Shari, Liam's sitter, let me know that in January she will no longer be able to tend him. I was surprised that I didn't panic at her words. I was merely saddened because Liam would lose her as a mother and her children as siblings. They have been his family for two years and it broke my heart for him to lose them. Granted he'd see them on Sundays and Megan would still tend him for date nights, but still, I was just so sad.

I immediately had two families in mind that live in our neighborhood. Two wonderful families that both have children and they would have great influence on Liam.

I left messages Monday night and heard back from Laura on Tuesday evening. I told her the situation and the money that could be made. She said that she was tempted to say yes right then and there... but she knew it would be wise to pray about it and talk to her husband about it. She has a two-year-old son and a 7 month old daughter.

Laura called me back not 15 minutes later and said she'd like to give it a try on Saturday... she wants me to drop him off at noon and pick him up at 5 like I would on a week day. She was so sweet as she relayed that I should go on a date with my hubby or a take a nice long nap while she tended him. I was comforted that this path might work out for all of us.

This morning, first thing, my second resource called me back. Michelle has two boys that are ages three and five. Liam loves playing with them and Michelle says Liam is a piece-of-cake-child to tend. So I told her the situation and that Laura was going to give it a try on Saturday. Michelle was just as interested in doing it as Laura. She said to keep her posted on what Laura decides.

What a blessing! The two families I had in mind are both interested. I can't imagine worrying about this situation the whole month of December. I can't get over the fact that we were taken care of in less than a week's time. I am so delighted.

Heavenly Father really watches out for us... Especially Liam. We are very grateful.

2 years, 1 month!

Dear Son,

I am a day late in writing your monthly letter. I apologize. I got caught up in a wonderfully long weekend spent with you and your Dad. It was a beautiful four days together as a family. I will always be grateful for this, your third Thanksgiving holiday. You have been such a good boy and we appreciate your tenderness more than you might know right now.

This past month I’ve been trying to be a better mother to you. I have been reading some parenting books and have found some interesting methodology on how children think. I am finding myself being more even tempered with you. I’ve tried a few tips given in the books to help calm you and discipline you in a loving, respectful way. It’s been neat to see your reactions.

I am grateful for resources that can help me be a better teacher and mother to you. You are a bright soul and I love you so much for trying so intensely to please us. You work so hard to bring smiles and shared excitement over your new discoveries. Your electric personality just grows by the day. It’s a marvel to watch you learn and grow. Heavenly Father is blessing you, me and your Dad as we teach each other to be better people. We feel very blessed to have you in our daily lives and it seems you feel the same way about us.

I read an Ensign article tonight by President Gordan B. Hinckley. He speaks of our little ones and how precious “your kind” are. He recalled a memory of taking his grandchildren to the circus and how he watched their reactions instead of the three-ring entertainment. It reminded me of all the times we have taken you to see animals at the farm or zoo or pointed out the window to the cows and horses as we drive along or even just taking you to feed the ducks. We do most any activity because of the joy we see from your eyes as you enjoy yourself and discover the world around you. That hearty laugh of yours... You are our joy. You are our “constant renewal of life and purpose” and we love you for it.

Brigham Young said, “ A child loves the smiles of it’s mother, but hates her frowns.” Less than a week ago when you and Daddy were playing with the radio on the bed and I was folding laundry… Daddy was scanning through the stations and when there was a pause without music, I would frown and pretend to cry. You’d say, “DAH-EE” and the next station would come in and I would bob my head and dance along with the music, as you were. Then it would go off again and I’d cry again. Your reaction was priceless as you’d reprimand Daddy to put that music back on. You were so sweet to make sure I was happy. I love you so much, son!

A wise and wonderful mother named Cornelia once answered her friend when asked if it were true that she had no jewels and if she were poor...

"No, I am not poor,'' answered Cornelia, and as she spoke she drew her two boys to her side; "for here are my jewels. They are worth more than all your gems.''

This rings true for me as your mother, Liam. You are my prized gem. You are the brightest spot in our home and anywhere you go. It’s an honor to take care of someone as priceless and beautiful as you. I hope I can be a person you look up to and want to be your friend and adviser as you grow into a man. I will always be there for you and try my best, with the Lord's help, to be who you need me to be.

All my love,

Mom

Wyatt

Liam loves his cousin, Wyatt. November 9th, his big furry friend came over to play. Liam was able to tell him to sit and get down. We were all floored that Wyatt obeyed. Uncle Drew has trained him well. He just turned a year old and he seems as big as a horse! You can tell how tame he is with Liam in these photos.

Unseasonably Warm

Yesterday I took Liam in the back yard to play in our sea of leaves. It was so warm! He had a great time swimming in those leaves, wading in them and of course splashing me with them!

In other news: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY! We love you!

Two Mental Pictures

A Ninja Among Us

So yesterday Liam got out of his crib. Three times.

The first time, I was in the kitchen right beneath his bedroom, only minutes after laying him down for his nap. The boom was so loud, my heart jumped into my throat! I SCRAMMED up the stairs and only paused for a second to put a sane face on before I opened his bedroom door. I found him standing by his crib with that oh-no-she-found-me-out look on his face. I just knelt down and opened my arms and he hugged me. Then he whispered "hurt" just to make sure he got some sympathy, even though it was perfectly clear that he was just fine.

I put him back in his crib and went downstairs to call Ian at work (to inform him of the experience). My heart would not stop racing. I can still hear that blood curdling boom. I calmed down after about 20 minutes.

Fast forward 10 minutes.

I am sitting on the couch in the living room and I start to hear a consistent sound. Like something grazing the walls upstairs. I slowly go up the stairs to investigate. I open the door and Liam is behind it flinging the door stopper. How in the heck did he get out of his crib so silently this time? He is obviously no dummy. But he was surprised to see me again so soon. I guess it didn't register that flinging that door stopper would draw my attention.

So I decide to put him back in his crib, but stay in the room with him. I lay on the twin bed facing the wall so he thinks I am asleep. I hear commotion of blankets and what-not being thrown from the crib. Then I hear some tiny grunting. I turn to look. He is balancing his belly on the top horizontal rail, ready to make his leap. I say, "LI-UM!" He so gracefully flips himself back into his crib and lays on his pillow.

He never went to sleep. I guess little ninjas who aren't tired learn to escape the napping place.

Cookies in the Tub

So this morning Liam is in the bath. The water is being drained and he is picking up his toys. I go to get his towel.

I come back into the bathroom and Liam is squatting near the drain. Beneath him is a log.

I say, "Liam, did you go poo poo in the tub?" Then I hurry to get him on the pot to finish up if that wasn't all of it.

He sees what's in the tub (and apparently has never seen poo before) and says, "Cookie! Cookie!"

I was (and still am) laughing!

A Bug Fascination

Liam has had a bug fascination the past month. We've had a bit of a stink bug problem around one window of the house. It's never happened before... just like we've never had ants. It's a random thing, but Liam has enjoyed pointing out the few bugs that make it into the house. Including black lint in the carpet.

"EWWW buG!" -- He emphasizes the G in the word and it's very unique how it sounds when he says it. Makes me smile.

So this week, Liam found a murdered spider by the back door. The cats usually leave us grasshopper carcasses, you know, a gift, like that snake experience we had. Liam went and studied that dead spider and kept saying, "EWWW buG!"

Very funny how close he gets but never actually touches it.

Thursday Ian rented A Bug's Life for Liam because he's shown such a large interest in the beasts. This Daddy has good instincts. Liam has been requesting the "buG" movie ever since.

Here he is absorbing the magnificence of a bug's life. Oh to be a bug...

Conversations with Grandma

I was delighted when Liam picked up the phone off the table and said, "Graw?"

We called Grandma Dixie. She answered right away and I put her on speaker so Liam could hold the phone and I could listen and translate.

He started out the conversation by telling her about his banana that he was snacking on. She was absolutely tickled that he wanted to just chat on the phone.

He got down from his chair at the table and started pacing and roaming like his Mama does when she is on the phone. Cracked. Me. Up.

Grandma was giggling as she listened so intently to everything Liam told her. She was soaking up every moment longer she had him on the phone. This was in fact Liam's first real telephone conversation, you see (and we thought it would be brief). He'll say hi or bye once in awhile but is never interested in holding the phone or keeping his grandparents on the line.

I took some video of their conversation. It was so precious how he'd dart from subject to subject. With the pacing and roaming, a toddler can find a lot that catches his eye to talk about. The words toys, cars, blocks, balls and happy were used a lot. He even corrected Grandma once when she was talking about something other than his truck... he said, "No, no, Graw... truck!"

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Repeat, repeat, repeater

Oh my goodness! Can we say official two year old talker?

Of course everything Liam does is adorable, but the constant repeating of obvious information is a little over the top some times. Especially when he's in trouble and he starts telling me something ever-so-interesting not related to his current state being in a time out, etc.

In sacrament meeting on Sunday he kept running away (and driving me batty). At one point he tripped and lightly fell and... that was my cue to swoop, dive and catch him before he went any further.

As we were walking back to our seats, he kept saying, "Mama, fall... Mama, fall..." and on and on and on. I'd whisper in his ear, "Yes, I know you fell, but if you didn't run away from Mama, you wouldn't fall. You need to listen to Mama. You need to stay here and play with your puzzle or eat your snacks."... "Mama, fall... [pause] Mama, fall."... "I am sorry you fell, but I think you are okay. Let's play with this puzzle."

And this is only one example. As we all know, toddlers absolutely have to tell us obvious information over and over for some reason. It's funny and cute most of the time, but once in awhile I have to find something to distract him away from his fixation so he'll stop. Then a couple minutes later he'll tell me two more times. :)

Ian can tell you that "Dah-ee" is Liam's favorite repeat word whenever he is around. Ian is so gracious to say, "Yes, son" each and EVERY time.

Every day Liam does multiple things that are noteworthy, but today I had to report this funny one.

Liam with his hands in the pockets observing the ducks.

Magic

Yesterday I made a yummy chicken and stuffing dinner in the crock pot. I got home from work and steamed some corn on the cob to go with it. An alright dinner in my opinion.

Liam chowed down on the corn and when he finished his first ear, he started asking for mine. I told him he had to eat his chicken first.

You wanna know what he did? He took his corn cob and sat it on top of his helping of chicken and stuffing to hide it! ...THEN he said, "All gone!"

So I gave him my ear of corn. Because, you know, I was just so amused and a cute monkey deserves a reward for being funny... if only this one time at the dinner table.

(Later on when Daddy got off work and ate his dinner, Liam decided that chicken and stuffing was delicious! Oh, that kid...)

Halloween Fun

Liam had to draw a bit before we left for trunk or treat.

Once we got to the church, we put Liam in his bear costume. He even let me draw a black nose and freckles on his face! He was excited to join the party and even knew how to say "trick or treat" and of course he said "thank you" every time he got candy! He even shared his candy with other kids.

We got home and let him dig into his candy. Whoppers, M & M's and pretzels were his favorite treats!

Later, he got out of the bath and into his shark towel. Dad gave him some celery to snack on and we thought it was pretty funny to see a shark eating his veggies!

You can see all the photos HERE.