Jay Bird,
To say that the last month has been rough would be quite the understatement dear boy. I am not sure what is the appropriate adjective to describe our days lately however you continue to exhaust me day in and day out. To be fair you have had a rough month and a half with a terrible case of hand, foot and mouth disease which caused almost all of your nails and toenails to fall off a full month after you got it (gross I know), a week and a half stretch (half of which we were out of town for) of fevers, cold and coughs and then to top it off two gigantic jellyfish stings during our last beach trip. I was told that the half (1.5, 2.5, 3.5…) ages are usually the hardest and BOY do I believe that! Within the last week you have:
-jumped off of the ottoman onto my head, your jumping skills are improving and YAY for that but my head really?
-pushed Charlie (for no reason) over on the kitchen tile causing him to really hit his head
-refused to eat just about anything that I have put in front of you
-screamed your fool head off before and during swim lessons- did I mention we have to drag you out of any other pool we take you to
-ate chalk
-drew on the floor with chalk
-(accidentally) locked me out of the house (thank goodness the inside kitchen door was open and the garage door was up)
-let yourself out of the house and into the backyard while I was getting Charlie out of his highchair after lunch (he was screaming because he was being cleaned off so I didn’t hear you and spent a good few minutes frantically searching the house for you)
-said “no” to just about everything I have asked you to do…

AND that was just in three days… However, on the flip side you announce every morning when I get you out of bed “Good Morning Mommy, I waked up!”, you immediately want to play with your cars however, lately you have asked if “Mommy and Charlie will play wiff you”, you make your brother laugh like no one else can and check on him when he is hurt (even if the hurt is your doing), you colored some pictures to send to Grandpa in the hospital and when you were finished proclaimed “he’s gonna luv them Mommy, yes he is!”, you randomly give me kisses on the check and put your arm around my neck and you said “I love you Mommy” this morning for the first time on your own and without reason.

You exhaust me, wear heavily on my patience but continue to amazing and melt me all in the same breath. This ride is definitely a roller coaster and some days I feel like I am screaming all the way… but it is definitely a ride worth taking.

I love you Jay Bird and while I am anxious to leave this phase in the past I am not at all anxious for you to get older. So while even though we have our bad days, know that I will always love you no matter what. I love you Sweet Boy…

Love You,
Mommy