Tuesday, March 26, 2013

31 Week Bumpdate


How far along? 31 weeks, 4 days. At today's midwife appointment, I was informed that I will now have the every-2-week appointments. I was also told that I should pre-register at the hospital because, she had to remind me, I'm almost at the end of this thing. Slow down, time! I don't move that fast anymore.

How big is baby? He's big enough to actually hurt me when he gets forceful in there. I don't ever remember Cohen hurting me. But with this kid, I swear I've got some internal bruising. According to my What to Expect App, he's about 3.9 pounds and 19 inches long-- about the size of a head of lettuce. Crazy. Cohen was 19 inches long when he was born.

Movement: He's a mover and a shaker, that's for sure. We don't get many kicks anymore, but I think that's just because he's run out of room. Lots of nudges and shifting and rolling from one side of the other. When Cohen and I snuggle, the poor boy gets beat up by this baby. Already doesn't want to share Mommy?

Sleep: I'm starting to just accept that sleep is not going to happen for me again for a loooong while. Well, good sleep, that is. Between Cohen waking up for one thing or another (WHY WON'T MY KID SLEEP ANYMORE?!), nightly restroom breaks, restless legs, an aching back, and a baby who never can seem to get comfortable, nighttime leaves me pretty frustrated.

Best moment this week: Baby's room is painted! Crib and dresser are all set up! Carpets have been cleaned! Bedding is in the process of being made! Awesome report from the midwife today! Yay.

Miss Anything? I'm getting to that point in pregnancy where my body just plain hurts all the time. So yeah, I miss not feeling like that.

Food cravings: I like all food, all the time. And lots of it, please. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I think this pregnancy just gives me a continuous churning feeling in my stomach. Nothing I can't power through, though.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: None. And as far as I'm concerned, they can stay away for a while.

Belly Button in or out? Half in, half out. It never poked out with Cohen, but I'm not so sure that will be the case with this one. Sometimes when he moves, he pokes my belly button all the way out. 

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band is way too tight, so it's off. Engagement ring is holding out though.

Mood: Tired, anxious, excited, a little sad that Cohen won't get all this one-on-one attention all day long that he's used to.

Looking forward to: Getting the nursery finished. Seeing Cohen holding his baby brother.



I wear a lot of stripes.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Menu Planning Monday, v.10

Here we are: the last week of March. The first full week of Spring. And it's freezing outside.

Um, where is the sunshine?!

The last week of the month also means I'm having to be a bit more tightfisted in the grocery store. I've got about $50 to spend this week on dinners and the other stuff we need to get through the week. It's going to be tight, and I'm not going to lie: I am kicking myself a bit for buying that giant $30 box of diapers at Sam's last week. But then again, knowing I don't have to worry about diapers for over a month does feel pretty good, too.

One thing I'm not kicking myself over is buying those packs of ground turkey on sale last week -- they are sure to come in handy this week!

Here's what we're eating this week:


Monday
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Dinner Rolls

Tuesday
Wednesday
Meatloaf Sandwiches on Homemade French Bread
Roasted Potatoes

Thursday
Zucchini and Squash
Dinner Rolls

Friday
Sleepover at Nana and Papa's house

Saturday
Kitchen's closed

Sunday
Easter Dinner

Friday, March 22, 2013

The Power of Words

Yesterday, I was feeling pretty good about myself. I'll break it down for you:

1. I am 31 weeks pregnant and feeling huge and pretty miserable. Not complaining, just putting it out there. But you know what? I managed to get myself off the couch, completely dressed, and ready to run errands by 10 AM. Even when I wasn't this pregnant, that was an accomplishment, but in my circumstances, it deserved a celebration or at least some streamers.

2. My son, when I explained to him that the day was special because we got to show our friends with Downs Syndrome that we love them by wearing blue and yellow, picked out a blue and yellow shirt to wear. I was shocked he got the concept and was so incredibly proud of thoughtfulness. Ok, so yeah, the shirt he chose was short-sleeved and it was 40 degrees outside, but if you ask me, this expression of love trumped a few extra inches of fabric. Plus, hello? It's called a jacket.

3. But Cohen hates jackets. *Hates* them. I don't know what it is about a coat, but my kid won't have anything to do with them. So when I made him wear his jacket yesterday? Complete toddler meltdown. He didn't care that it was cold outside or that his arms could possibly freeze and fall off his body; he wanted his coat off. I managed to calm him down by explaining to him why he had to wear his coat and acknowledging that I knew he was sad because he was wearing it and promising that as soon as we got in the store he could take it off. He replied with a whimpered, "Otay, Mommy" and pretty much let the issue go. And once we got in the store? That jacket was off, buddy. But I felt good about they way we both handled the situation.

4. We stopped by Sam's club for lunch and to pick up some diapers. Cohen has recently declared he is a big boy and doesn't want to have anything to do with babyish things like strollers and highchairs and shopping carts. And I'm OK with that because apparently it's time. So we've worked really hard on teaching him that he has to hold my hand or else he rides in the cart and he has to sit like a big boy or else he gets a high chair. Some days are hit-and-miss, but yesterday? Cohen was awesome. He sat at the table and ate his hot dog next to me like a perfect big boy. I was so proud.

5. And when we walked through the store to get his diapers? Same thing -- awesome child. Walking to the check out line, my hands were full with the giant box of diapers, so I told Cohen to follow me and not walk away. And he did. My 2 year old followed me through the store without running away or acting out.

See? You'd be feeling pretty great about yourself, too. You may even find yourself prancing a bit to the store exit. You'd probably have a giant grin plastered on your face, and you'd probably be singing "This is the best day eveeeeeer!" in your head.

It's only natural.

So when an older lady approaches you, looks you and your child up and down, and gives a slight sneer and says, "Don't you think he's cold?" your heart, if it is anything like mine, would probably drop. And all that feel -good that was coursing through your veins would freeze up. And you'd once again find yourself second guessing your parenting abilities and wondering if you really are screwing up your child like the constant mom guilt so often reminds you.

All because some woman who is so far beyond parenting a toddler and has no clue how well you are parenting or has any business at all providing commentary or advice or criticism or judgement decided to stick her nose where it didn't belong.

All I could do was lower my eyes and hold up his jacket that I was just about to put on him.

My friend (her name is Amy. She thinks it's weird that I never mention her name on the blog), later on, said I should have retorted with, "Don't you think you're nosey?" My pride and anger, as I was walking through the parking lot, wanted to go back to her and say, "Thanks for your judgement and criticism of my parenting. I was feeling pretty awesome that I managed to get my 7 month pregnant butt dressed and out today AND that my 2 year old is doing an awesome job of sticking by my side through this whole store even without me having to hold his hand. But you're right, I am a crap mom b/c I'm not forcing my kid to wear his coat indoors."

Funny how you always think of things to say after the fact. Funny, or you know, frustrating.

But people like that are everywhere. Why do we have the need to criticize others? When we share our opinions with others (especially when they are unsolicited), what do we gain? What good are we really doing? Why can't we just keep our mouths shut? 

See, that woman is the villian of my story, but I have been the guilty one before. I have, many times, opened my mouth and nosed my way into another's business. I have shared my opinion not out of love, but out of judgement and feelings of superiority and criticism. And you know what? I've gained nothing from it. Making someone feel less than me didn't make me a better or smarter person. It didn't make others respect me more or flock to be my friend. It didn't show Jesus to anyone.

And isn't that my job, my purpose in life: to show Jesus to the world? But how can the world possibly see Christ (or event want to see Him, for that matter) if those who claim His name are condescending, critical, harsh, judging, and seem to show everything but love and acceptance and understanding?



Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:78)



When Jesus met the woman at the well, He had all the authority in the world look down His nose at her, to berate her, call her all sorts of names and tell her what a failure and disappointment she was. He could have, but He didn't. He spoke to her in love, knowing that was the only way to point her to God. 

That's how I (and you, and that woman at Sam's) are to treat others: in love, gently, building them up. 



Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:6)


Did the Sam's Club lady mean to make me feel the way she did? Maybe, maybe not. It's not my job to decide that. But it is my job to learn from the incident, inspect my life for ways that I butt in and make others feel inferior or criticized, and change that about myself.  Change the way I treat others.



Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)






And by the way, today is another cold day, and my child is once again in a short-sleeved shirt. So boo-yah, Sam's Club lady, boo-yah.



Wednesday, March 20, 2013

30 Week Bumpdate



How far along? 30 weeks, 5 days. I'm getting pretty close to the end of this pregnancy, and I'm still not emotionally ready for that. I'm hoping that will come. But physically? I'm getting tired. My belly is giant and heavy, and I'm finding it harder and harder to stand and walk and do normal things. Wah.

How big is baby? According to my What To Expect app, he's 18 inches long and weighs 3.2 pounds -- about the size of a head of lettuce. All I know is he's big enough to be running out of room in there, and his new movements are proving that.

Movement: Not many kicks anymore, really. They have been replaced with what I believe to be elbows and shoulders wiggling and stretching. He is head-down, and he likes to stick his little bottom out for me to rub. If he sticks his bottom out and I rub it, he'll usually stick it out even more when I stop. But if I poke at him? That little backside will move side to side, trying to get away. I'm having some fun with him :)

Sleep: Sleep is starting to become a sore point for me. It's hard to get comfortable and stay comfortable. I wake up every few hours trying to change positions, but if I move, so does the little dude, and it takes awhile for him to settle down for me to go back to sleep. I wake up at least once a night to go to the bathroom, too. So needless to say, I wake up exhausted in the mornings.

Best moment this week: Lots of really great things are happening! Perhaps the best news this week came in the form of a letter from my midwife -- I do not have gestational diabetes (I had pretty much convinced myself I had it due to the weird symptoms I've been experiencing), but I am anemic. Back at my first appointment, my midwife said I might become anemic because those awesome prenatal gummies that didn't make me sick? They didn't make me sick because they don't have any iron in them. Duh. So I'm on a new prenatal and am focusing on an iron-rich diet (way better than a diabetic-friendly diet, if you ask me). 
We also ordered the baby's crib and dresser last week. The dresser is safe at home and full of baby clothes and looks beautiful, and we are expecting the crib to arrive soon. Travis painted the baby's room over the weekend, and I just ordered the fabric for his bedding. It's all coming together.

Miss Anything? I had to stop singing in my church choir due to what I now know are symptoms of anemia --feeling dizzy and passing out. I miss being in the choir and am looking forward to joining them again once the baby gets here.

Food cravings: I like all food, and lots of it, please. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I think this pregnancy just gives me a continuous churning feeling in my stomach. Nothing I can't power through, though.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: None. And as far as I'm concerned, they can stay away for a while.

Belly Button in or out? Half in, half out. It never poked out with Cohen, but I'm not so sure that will be the case with this one. Sometimes when he moves, he pokes my belly button all the way out. 

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band is way too tight, so it's off. Engagement ring is holding out though.

Mood: Tired, anxious, excited, a little sad that Cohen won't get all this one-on-one attention all day long that he's used to.

Looking forward to: Feeling a little better now that I am getting more iron. 


Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Nap Time Struggles


In the past week, I've really come to appreciate the old saying, "You don't know what you've got til it's gone." I'm talking about nap time here, and I really miss it.

2 weeks ago, I took the bottle away from Cohen. We actually just threw them all away. It was time; it was actually past time, but Cohen has never had a lovie or a pacifier or any sort of comfort item. Except his bottle. So I let him keep it for longer than I was comfortable with. But when he began to wake up every 2 hours asking for water in his bottle (and subsequently peeing outside his diaper every night), I knew enough was enough. So we got rid of the bottles cold turkey. And while we were at it, we said no more milk or water in the bed.

And now his whole bedtime world has changed, and we're paying the consequences.

Even though we give him the same amount of milk (and added in a quiet time with cuddles) before nap time, this poor kid is all out of sorts. He can be half-asleep on my lap with his empty sippy cup, but the minute I put him in his crib, he is wide awake again. Singing, jumping, dancing. Anything but sleeping.

And I let him sit in there for the entire 2-3 hours that he should be napping, praying he'll pass out from exhaustion and feeling like I should be doing something to get him to sleep. I am pretty sure this nap time refusal is a direct result of him losing his source of comfort in the crib. The milk made him lay down and be still in order to drink it, and before he could do anything about it, he was asleep. I'm hoping he will figure out a new way to calm himself down and put himself to sleep. I'm praying it's soon.

Because if it's not? I may well go crazy.

Well, yesterday afternoon, as I was driving home, he fell asleep in his car seat. And I swear I was so excited to see my kid sleeping that I parked the car and sat there until he woke up an hour later. And when he woke up? He was my angel child once again, not the limit-testing, whining, over-tired toddler who had come to visit for the past week.

I love naptime. Cohen needs naptime, even if he doesn't know it. And I'm not giving it up without a fight.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Menu Planning Monday, v. 9

Every once in a while, the stars align and the heavens shine down upon you. Birds chirp and flowers bloom wherever you take a step. You may even catch a glimpse of a unicorn. And you just know life is perfect.

I kid about the unicorn.

But I'm not kidding about this week. Without any planning or extra work on my part, I've managed to score an Entire. Week. Of. No. Cooking. An entire week! How blessed.

Saturday night, we met with my family at Maggiano's to celebrate my stepdad's birthday, and we took advantage of a deal: for $40, Travis and I ordered an appetizer, 2 pasta entrees, and a dessert. And as a bonus, we received 2 more large pasta entrees to bring home for another night. If you've even been to Maggiano's, you know the portions are huge, so one plate can feed 2 people. Sounds like 2 dinners to me.

And as if that wasn't enough, after church yesterday, we attended a Sunday School lunch and brought home some leftover potato salad, but not before we stopped by Travis's parents' house and picked up some already cooked tenderloin and potato soup.

I mean, people were just throwing food at us.

So here's my weekly menu, no cooking required:


Monday
Leftover Maggiano's Lasagna
Crusty, buttery French bread

Tuesday
Leftover tenderlion
Leftover potato salad
Leftover black-eye peas (from the freezer)
heck, I may bake a cornbread

Wednesday
Leftover Maggiano's Baked Ziti
French bread

Thursday
Leftover potato soup
Giant deli sandwiches

Friday
Date Night

Saturday
Kitchen's closed

Sunday
Leftovers after church

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The Best Moms I Know

I will readily admit it: I am quite possibly one of the laziest people you will ever meet. I am notorious for letting tasks wait until their deadlines before I jump into action. It drives my super responsible and on-top-of-everything husband crazy. 

I have tried many times to change this aspect of myself. Well, I say tried, but if I'm honest, the attempts are half-hearted and short-lived. Because this laid back and slow approach to life? It's what I'm comfortable with. It's what's worked for me.

Parenting has proven to be no different for me. I'm still a pretty lazy mom.

Parenting, though, is one of those things that doesn't lend itself well to this approach. At least, not usually in the Mom World. You know what I'm talking about: competition among moms runs rampant. If you sit on a park bench long enough, you will inevitably overhear mothers discussing who's child reached which milestone early and, perhaps most disheartening, which moms in their circle have children who aren't as "advanced" as theirs. 

When Cohen was a newborn, I experienced this, and I'm shamed to admit that I participated in it as well. Whose child slept through the night longer? Whose child is cuter or wears more stylish clothing? Whose child is sitting/rolling over/standing/talking first? It's exhausting and steals the joy out of being a mom.

Because, seriously, who cares? My kid has rolled, sat, and walked "early". Does it make him any better than any other kid? No it doesn't. Does it mean I'm a better mom? No, it doesn't. It just means my kid rolled, sat, and walked early, and I've been exhausted his whole life. 

When Cohen was about 6 months old, God blessed me with an amazing support group of mom friends. These women are unlike any women I've ever know before: they don't judge or compare or try to compete. They just accept me and my son for who we are -- their friends. I am so incredibly thankful for these relationships, and I pray every day that I provide them with the same support and acceptance that they've given me.

Because being a mom is hard, y'all. I'm learning as we go, and I pretty much feel like a failure on a daily basis. I don't need anyone else in my life to help me with that. And thankfully, I don't.

So when Cohen's first and then second birthday passed, and he was still clutching his bottle as he slept? I knew it was something I needed to address sooner rather than later, but I wasn't ready and he wasn't ready, so I didn't push it. And my mom friends didn't judge.

And even though all of Cohen's friends are well into potty training? I wasn't ready and he wasn't ready, so I didn't push it. And my mom friends didn't judge.

And there is immense freedom in that.

My parenting philosophy has become a sort of wait until he's ready mantra. All of Cohen's friends are out of their cribs and in toddler beds right now. And Cohen? He's snoring away in his crib. And the beautiful thing is that I am not a bit self conscious about that. Because we're not ready for the bed yet, and we might not be for a while, and it helps that the people I have surrounded myself with understand and support that.

So when Cohen and I do reach these milestones, it's so sweet to share them with my support group. In the last week, Cohen has given up the bottle (and all liquids in his crib) cold turkey. And he's done wonderfully with it, and my mom friends have cheered all along the way. And tonight after his bath, I let Cohen run around without his clothes on for a few minutes, and without any guidance at all, the boy sat down on his potty and peed. And my mom friends cheered. 

No judgments. No criticism. Just other women who've been there too and know that sometimes you just need a cheerleader.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Menu Planning Monday, v.8

We survived the "Where's Daddy?" week! (answer: he was in Chicago)

Man, I am so glad to have that week behind us, for a couple of reasons: 1. life is easier when I don't have to live it as a single parent and 2. the week of Cohen-favorite foods? Totally junky. I feel a little kitchen-lazy right now.

So you won't mind if I dip my toes back into the whole dinner thing, will you? This week's plan screams comfort food. I'm in the mood for some good hot sandwiches, and if it were up to me, that's all we'd eat all week. We'd have a happy momma, but I know two guys who wouldn't be so thrilled. 

So I'll compromise. And be smart with my money while I'm at it.

Leftovers, my friend. Leftovers are where it's at. I'll make a big crock pot full of bbq chicken to use for two meals, and I also plan to buy one of those bags of bakery buns (you know, the crazy expensive but completely delicious buns that come 6-8 to the bag and are practically impossible for a family of 2.5 to eat before they begin to mold? Yup, those). I love those buns, and we'll be eating them a lot this week.  


Monday
Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Roasted Potatoes

Tuesday
Salad
Breadsticks

Wednesday
Sweet Potato Fries

Thursday
BBQ Chicken Pizza (using the leftover shredded bbq chicken)
Salads

Friday
Date Night

Saturday
Kitchen's closed

Sunday
Leftovers after church

Friday, March 8, 2013

Reflections from a week without him

I alluded to it a little, but I didn't come right out and say it: my husband has been in Chicago for business since Sunday. I didn't want to shout to all the Internet that Hey! I'm all by myself with a toddler this week! Robbers and murderers come over! but it's been difficult not talking about it because there have been quite a few precious Cohen stories regarding daddy's trip.

Like how he says, "Daddy is in Cago. He ride in a airplane! It so so cool!"

Or how his first experience with snow just happened to be through a video chat with his daddy. And the fact that it was real snow and not just dinky Georgia snow? Awesome.

Anyway, this was the longest amount of time that Travis and I have been apart since before we got married 7 years ago. And it was tough. You don't realize how much you really like a person until they're not around.


Here's what I learned this week :

1. I find myself working extra hard to make the days more fun for Cohen. I don't want him to be sad that daddy's not here.

2. It really shocked me when I went to brush my teeth the first time and saw that his toothbrush was missing.

3. Every creak of the house sounds like an axe murderer is breaking in. The dogs are on permanent guard duty, and I keep reminding myself how to load a gun.

4. With daddy not around, things are much more relaxed, and our schedule is more like a suggestion rather than a rule. Apparently, he's the glue in this family.

5. When I have the bed to myself, I sleep on his side and use his pillow.

6. With the absence of Daddy, Cohen has become quite the snuggle bug. He requests to eat breakfast in the big bed each morning, and we snuggle under the covers for at least an hour. He asks for lots of snuggles throughout the day, too.

7. Midweek, I thought I was going to go mad with how energetic Cohen was. I either got used to it, or he mellowed out.

8. Travis and I have talked on the phone more in the past week than we have since we were dating.

9. We seem to miss each other most just before we go to bed. Most nights, around 11, one of us would text "you still awake?" which would lead to one last phone call of the day.

10. The ability to video chat has been a blessing. It's done my heart well to hear Cohen giggle with glee at the sight of his daddy.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

28 Week Bumpdate


How far along? 28 weeks, 5 days. I am very aware right now that I have very little time to prepare for this little guy, but I still am not doing much to get ready. I think that will probably change in the next few weeks, though. Fingers crossed.  

How big is baby? Giant. Well, at least he feels like a giant. According to my What to Expect app, he's about the size of a small cabbage -- 17 inches and 2.9 pounds.

Movement: Lots and lots. He's pretty active when Cohen is right up at my belly (Cohen likes to give the baby kisses and yell at him), and he's even more active when I'm laying down and everything is peaceful and quiet. I had my glucose tolerance test yesterday, and he went wild over all that sugar.

Sleep: Good sleep -- I am currently sleeping in bed by myself, and it makes a huge difference. Restless legs are still an issue.

Best moment this week: I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and an extra ultrasound to check on baby's kidneys (at the 20 ultrasound, there was a bit of an abnormality with them). Everything is normal, and my midwife is no longer concerned. That's a huge relief. Plus, I got this picture of my perfect little guy.



Miss Anything? Not really -- looking forward to May!

Food cravings: Anything with sugar in it. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I think this pregnancy just gives me a continuous churning feeling in my stomach. Nothing I can't power through, though.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: The beginnings of nesting and lots of Braxton Hicks.

Belly Button in or out? In. Getting shallower and shallower.

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band is way too tight, so it's off. Engagement ring is holding out though.

Mood: Exhausted.

Looking forward to: We're going shopping for baby's new furniture on Saturday. I've finalized decisions for the nursery -- now I just have to buy the stuff and get working!




Monday, March 4, 2013

Menu Planning Monday, v.7


Happy March! Is it Spring yet? I miss the nice, warm weather. Cohen misses the park. We both miss not being cooped up in the house and forced to stare at each other all day long.

I digress.

This week is a little off for us -- we're not sharing a single weeknight meal with Daddy. So that means I'm not cooking much, and what I do cook is centered around Cohen and what he loves to eat. Cohen's a happy dude.

Monday
French bread pizzas and cheesy breadsticks
Popcorn
Little donut holes from Krispy Kreme
we will be eating this meal on the sofa bed and by the soft light of a Disney movie. Cohen is quite excited about our little picnic
Tuesday
Messy roast beef sandwiches
potato chips
apple sauce
cookie decorating night

Wednesday
Mommy/Cohen date night
 
Thursday
Turkeys in a Quilt (a variation of pigs in a blanket but with turkey dogs and whole wheat bread dough)
Mac and cheese with broccoli
we will be eating this meal under a blanket fort until Cohen starts to get his mac and cheese all over the place.
 
Friday
Kitchen's closed!
Mommy/Daddy date night -- Cohen will be with his grandparents
 
Saturday
Kitchen's closed

Sunday
Youth potluck night at church. I'll be making a veggie pizza.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

The Most Heartwarming Story. Ever.

I don't think it's any surprise to anyone that I think my kid is the most adorable and coolest kid on the planet. If you ask me, I don't think you can get much better than him.

I think that's what makes this story so awesome.

Lately, I've been having major hot flashes and waves of feeling very light-headed. It happened this morning during Sunday School, and instead of suffering through an hour pretending I was fine, I decided to leave class and sit by the exit door of the church-- where it was much cooler.

It just so happens that I was sitting very close to Cohen's toddler Sunday School class, and I could overhear what was going on in that class. So I eavesdropped. Don't try to tell me you're not curious about what a 2 year old Sunday School class sounds like. I know I'm not the only one.

And what I heard come from that room? Made me so proud to be a part of my church and have my son in that class. His teachers were telling the children a Bible story. In between interjections of, "Cohen, come sit down." And "Ok, Cohen, come join us," (why was my kid the only one running around? lol) they shared the story of the lame man whose friends lowered him through the ceiling so he could be healed by Jesus.

Fast forward a few hours. We were all in the car, and I decided to quiz Cohen on some things I have never talked with him about, but I knew he was hearing in church.

Cohen, what is the Bible?
It's God's word, Mommy!!!

Cohen, who is Jesus?
Jesus is God's Son. He was a baby. He pooped. Everybody poops!

Where does Jesus live?
He lives right here, Mommy ! (Pointed to his heart).

Did you hear a story about a sick man today, Cohen?
Ummmmmm... Yea! He was sad. Jabber jabber jabber friends jabber jabber Jesus. He's happy now!

And that, my friends, is what came out of my 2 year old's mouth. I am so humbled and blessed tonight.

Thanks to all the preschool teachers who take their jobs seriously. I know it probably seems like those kids are just running around, and you're wasting your time trying to teach them. But today? It stuck. And I couldn't be more happy.