craaaaaa-zy !

Lately, (meaning for the last year basically) Brett has definitely been in the "terrible-two's" stage.  (I swear it started when he was born, but at least he wasn't mobile then !)  He has always been so high-strung and can never sit still like other toddlers I see on TV or in person.  Want to go to a restaurant with him ?  Sure, just remember to ask to sit in the corner where no one else is around so he can't hit them with food.   Take him to the grocery store ?  Why not ?  Just remember to keep him in the middle of the aisle and block other carts from going by just so he can't touch anything on the shelves.  Need to change his diaper ?  Good luck !  He absolutely hates it now (more than usual) and throws a fit when you ask him if he's pooped.  He will take off running and you'll soon find yourself doing laps around the living room because he's too dang fast for his own good.  Tell him "don't touch !" and he'll listen.  For about two seconds while he repeats it like a parrot and then proceeds to touch/grab/throw whatever it is you didn't want him messing with.  Ask him to please eat his food and he will.  Just plan on seeing it back on his plate within a minute if he's in one of his picky moods.  Make it nice and clear that vaseline is not to be rubbed over his entire body, including his hair, and he'll get the picture.  Until the next day when he decides it'll be fun to grease himself up all over again.  Tell him "not right now" when he wants another apple (which he just chews up and spits out sometimes) and he'll bang his head against the wall or table.  Remind him that the dog food isn't for him to play with and he'll give you one of his biggest grins right before he dumps the huge, full bowl all over the carpet.  Sometimes, all of those things and more, happen in one day !  Oh the life of a stay-at-home mommy. :]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!

Okay, that was my scream for the day !  ;]  Bud and I both find that we are absolutely exhausted by the end of the day and sometimes just by 1:00 at nap time.  Who wants to do actual housework or exercise when you've been cleaning up unnecessary spills, laundry thrown around the room and giving sometimes multiple baths a day to a wild and crazy 2 1/2 year old ?!  I have never been a person "full of energy" like a lot of people find they are.  Working out first thing in the morning gives me a head ache, coffee is gross to me, we quit drinking soda and even after eight hours of sleep, I still don't feel like rising and shining.  Does this matter ?  Nope.  I still have to function anytime after 7:30am (I know, I know.... it's not that early... especially when he goes to bed at 8:30pm...) but I don't go to sleep until around 10 or 11pm because I want meeeeeeee time to do whatever I couldn't while my little monster was awake.  Shower ?  Read ?  Sit at the computer and waste 2-3 hours facebook stalking people ?  Catch up on our dvr recordings ?  Post a blog or two ?  Pay bills ?  I just don't know how I would manage if I had a full or part time job to go with it !!!!  Working moms are my heroes.  Would I change anything about my life ?  No.  Maybe just picking different numbers on that last lottery ticket.

The things that make it all worth it definitely out weigh the I-wanna-rip-my-hair-out-because-you-drive-me-crazy-and-love-every-minute-of-it moments.  When I look at him, it still amazes me that we created him and he was that little life in my big, huge belly that had hiccups just about every day and gave me heartburn so bad I had to "sleep" (more like dosing off for an hour here and there) sitting up in bed.  The way he squeezes my neck before bed and we say "I love you !" and I feel that he really means it.  When I leave the house for a few hours or a whole day and come home to him saying "mommmmmma !!" with a big smile on his face while he reaches for me to pick him up.  When I have an "owie" and he gives me a kiss and says "all beyyer" without being asked.  If he falls down and hurts himself, he usually wants mommy's hugs and kisses.  He knows most of the words to "Goodnight Moon" and says them for me when we read it.  The way he looks so content when he's got his thumb in his mouth and blankey cuddled into his neck.  When he holds my phone up above his head and says "cheeeeese" like I do when I take a picture.  The way he says "you're welcome" when he brings me something he should not have had in the first place.  When daddy's not home and he looks out the window saying "dadaaaa.... where are you ?"  The way he laughs hysterically when he's opened the back door and booked it outside and we run at full speed to try to catch him before he or we step in dog poop.  When he falls asleep in the car and his head is back with his mouth wide open just like all the women on my side of the family do.  The way he starts shaking his butt when he hears a random song or commercial.

The list could go on and on but let's be honest.... no one else really wants to hear all the reasons why you love your kid !  That and the fact that he's up from his nap and daddy and him are eating all the kettle corn they can right now before I get down there.  :]

A video I took just now of my Bubba saying "I love you !"

This is how I found him when I went into his room to get him up from his nap.  He used the bottom drawer to boost himself up to the top of the dresser.  Also, he said "uprise !!!" and threw his hands in the air.

Gosh, could we look more alike ???

Bedtime squeeze :]

And I thought this sign was very, very appropriate for how Brett has been making me feel lately.