Yep, today's my birthday. I turn 24 today. Happy B-day to me! :)
IJ, on this day two years ago, all 11 lbs. 2 oz. of you entered this world. I can't believe it's already been two years. I still call you my little boy (well, you were never really little...), but you're getting to be a big boy just like your brother. You use the potty, you sleep in a bunk bed that you share with C, you can pretend you are a dog or a frog and jump on all fours shouting "Ibbit! Ibbit!". You can color pictures and draw circles. You can build towers out of mega blocks or be monster IJ, stomping your feet and using your "demonic voice". Your words are easily understandable, and you know so many of them, although you still insist that your name is "Me." But that's okay. I love how you pronounce your brother's name. And recently I've even seen you count five fingers, one by one. Sometimes I wish I could freeze you with your cute little dimply smile at this age forever...when you're not being a little snot, that is. :) Happy Birthday IJ.
newborn IJ in the hospital
Today five years ago 2,996 people died.
I know I'm a little late on this, since in an hour it will be September 12, but this is the first free moment I've had to sit down and write. I've been planning all day so that the boys would be in bed early since C has another day of preschool tomorrow (he told me earlier today that he didn't want to go; he wanted to stay home. We'll see what he thinks tomorrow.)
Five years ago today I was a freshman in college, and R was off at basic training. I was off from school that day, and was working my cashier job. I first heard that a plane had hit the World Trade Center tower from a customer who I was ringing up. I heard bits and pieces of information throughout the day; we didn't have a tv at the store, just a radio, but it was in the back and I had to stay near the registers. The full impact of what had happened didn't hit me until I got home later in the day.
My dad had the tv on a news station when I got home, and that was the first I saw of the planes hitting and the towers falling. It was horrific. I began to get scared; when R had entered the National Guard, I didn't worry too much about it, but now I wondered if he would be shipped off to war. The world had changed in a day, and everything felt upside down.
Luckily R finished off basic and got to come home. We moved in together...and the rest is history. But R did serve our country in Iraq for a year; he returned home this past January. I worried about him everyday, me at home with our two small children, but he was there for a reason: freedom isn't free. We have to fight for it. Our country has to fight against those who killed the 2,996 people that day.
We must never forget those people.
Happy Grandparent's Day to all you grandparents out there. Truthfully I didn't even remember it was Grandparent's Day until I looked at the calander today and it was listed. They don't seem to make as big a deal out of it as Mother's Day and Father's Day. So, since I didn't remember about it until today, the kids made nana and papa some nice handmade cards (and handmade gifts are always the best ones of course ;) .
Here's C's card. See the three little people on the front of the card? (Click the picture to enlarge it) He drew himself with nana and papa. Except this is the first time that I have ever seen him draw anything like that. Usually he just draws a bunch of scribbles. These people had heads and legs and arms that I could see. I'm pretty excited. I've been waiting for him to draw recognizeable things for soooooo long! On the inside of the card I helped him to spell out the words "Happy Grandparent's Day". It was his idea to write it on the inside; he actually started with the "H" and the "A" on his own before he asked me to help him. He's getting pretty good at the letters. C also wrote his name on the inside of his card.
