Toddlerboy.

Babyboy. Toddlerboy. No,I'm going to leave it at Babyboy. That will do just fine. Yes, he has entered toddlerhood, but he will always and forever be my babyboy. Today is Babyboy's second birthday. Two years O-L-D, two years B-I-G, and two years that felt way too S-H-O-R-T. While I mourn how quickly the time has gone, I celebrate the tremendous gift he is.

One of my all-time, most-precious moments was when Oldest and Middleson met Babyboy for the first time. I left the house early on March 31 with a rounded belly. A few hours later Babyboy had arrived and the boys were astonished that the belly bump turned into a bundle of baby boy. As the nurse cleaned up our fresh baby, Middleson growled with his meanest face, "Don't hurt my new baby!" Since that day the big boys are still Babyboy's biggest fans, protectors, and friends! Even after two years there is a moment of excitement as soon as Babyboy's voice is heard each morning and the big boys race upstairs to greet him. He is doted on like the day he came home from the hospital. I can still hear the sweet homemade lullaby's Big brothers sang when Babyboy cried. Oldest would sit for hours (well, half-hours anyway) with Babyboy laying on him. Now he carries him on his back and chases him around the house. Middleson invites him to play cars and often marvels that "he is a real boy now". The camera sits ready to capture every moment -- Oldest and Middleson are the "first time" parents that deem every moment picture worthy.

How sappy of me to blog and cry and reminisce. I just didn't think babyhood would slip through my fingers so quickly the third time around. I savored the pregnancy, his delivery, and his infancy. I treasured all the firsts that have now become lasts. Still the time flew, the seasons changed, and suddenly I have a two year old.

This year will be full of milestones I know. I've walked Two-Year-Old Road two times before -- an ever expanding vocabulary, potty-training, and greater independence. Goodbye to sippy cups, the highchair, the crib, and that head of wispy fine blonde baby hair!

Happy Birthday precious Babyboy! Mommy loves you.

P.S. Oldest and Middleson just arrived to "comfort" me. "Mommy, you don't become a child until your six years old. So don't worry, he is still a baby." Sounds good. He can still hold "Babyboy" status for a few more years.

Addition and Subtraction

Middleson is in the middle of a story problem unit in math. He has to decide if he should solve a particular problem through addition or subtraction.

For some unknown reason, his lesson reminded me of my morning at MOPS (Mothers of Pre-schoolers) yesterday. It was a valuable time of laughing, talking, praying, cake-decorating, bread making, recipe collecting, and more. I left with more than (> greater than) I arrived -- a mini bottle of lotion, dozens of recipes, a new journal, and a refreshed outlook on my week.

As I reflected on the meeting and all that I took away (- subtract) I realized I had the opportunity to tweak my addition skills (+ plus) too. A friend approached me for advice -- always an honor. Another friend told me I had been an encouragement to her which in turn encouraged me right back (hmmm maybe that deserves an = sign). I held a little baby whose mommy needed one more set of hands (multiplication X). I have been in that predicament more times than I care to count (1,2,3,..).

Yes, I left feeling full, but I was also able to give something away!
Life is about adding and subtracting. Balance. Giving and receiving.

As a mom, I am always doing math -- my words, actions, and looks can add or subtract from the very spirit of my children. I am reminded constantly that I am either training them up or tearing them down. The Bible instructs me to "train them UP". Even when I am disciplining the three boys, it should always build them UP! How easy it is to do the reverse. I need to calculate my responses accurately.

My never-ending goal-setting personality is up for a challenge. I am on the lookout for opportunities to add value to the lives' of the people I am around. I encouraged Oldest and Middleson to join in too!

In God's math class, there are no less-than <'s. We are all equal = in Christ with a + positive value that we cannot begin to fathom.

Real life story problems. Just like Middleson, I need to ask, "Should I add or subtract?" Math class is life long isn't it?