Coleman's 2nd Birthday (Take 1)

This year our baby boy turned 2!!!! I seriously can not get over this. Maybe it's the hormones of pregnancy, but this hit me pretty hard. Now keep in mind, I am not a person who locks themselves in their room as they get a year older. As a matter of fact I think every year gets better and I get excited for what God has to bring me in the new year. However, my sweet little guy getting older, well that gets to me.

Now, I realize I have no reason for this thinking at all. Every day he gets cuter and sweeter. He has his moments when he is desperate to exert his independence and in those times can be what most would consider sassy, but even in those times I see him becoming his own little person and I am excited to see what God has planned for him. So why do I shed tears? I am not sure. My own selfish reasons I am sure. He's one day closer to going to school, not holding my hand to cross the street, not wanting me to rock him to sleep and having (hopefully a wonderful) lady become the main woman of his life. Yep, selfish I know :)

I have decided, instead of crying, to pray diligently for his next year daily. I pray that he finds excitement in the new things that God has to share with him. I pray that he finds the beauty that our Lord has created in this world and he keeps that joy in his heart. I pray that he can hold off another year without seeing the cruelties of the world. I pray that his Daddy and I will work everyday to guide him with compassion and as God would want us to. But above all else I pray that he grows to love even deeper, and begins to want to know more about his God.

Here are some pics and videos of his actual birthday at our house where we celebrated with all of his favorites, mac n cheese, hot dogs and chocolate milk.

Disclaimer: As you watch the video and see him very excited for cake and cookies, please understand that my dear son has had maybe two bites of cake in his life and has had (literally) two cookies. So why he he gets so excited I am not sure. Probably because he has been so deprived of sugar :)

Christmas

Here are some final Christmas videos!

Christmas

Helping Momma decorate the windows :)

Peg toy from Mimi

A fun new book all about pancakes!

Playing with beads.

Our family PJ pic :)

Christmas pancakes

Time to go to church and the Bower Christmas Eve party!

Decorating cookies. Cole really enjoyed the pink frosting ;)

St. Nick (with some help from Nonna) brought Cole a great cooking set. A chef's hat apron and small rolling pin were just part of the pack, he loved helping us on baking day!

Looking at some of his favorite ornaments. He keeps saying "cool" as he stares at the pretties.

Merry Christmas!

Cole was so much fun this year. He still is not big on ripping open presents, but he was very excited when we helped him open to have us "open please" so that he could play. We had such a great time the next few days just spending time together playing with his new toys. His cars were a hit this year. He also loves his tunnel, bead set and new bath toy. He was very spoiled by everyone, but I have to tell you, he just kept saying "thank oo" "thank oo," I am praying that we can keep him from being greedy and in this grateful stage, it is so sweet!

We were blessed beyond measure spending time with family and each other. Our greatest gift was having Daddy home this whole week (more like 11 days), I wouldn't give this time up for anything. Adam just relishes in this time spent with us and really takes advantage of the extra time he has with Cole. He plays like crazy and uses this time for lots of teachable moments. I have enjoyed watching him. He really is the greatest "Dayee" in the world.

Helping to decorate the tree.

Decorating cookies at the Modine Christmas Party.

Santa was OK, from a distance that was ;)

Randoms

Snow Fun!!!!

Cole loves to read

Momma's full with baby, Coleman is full with rolls

Happy Thanksgiving 2010!

Yummy!

Talking with Grammy, Pappy and Uncle Cheeks on Skype (oh and Monkey!)

Some Random Fun!

Hi Guys,

It has been a while since I have posted. Here are some random videos of Cole just being adorable. I can't get over how much he is growing up. We, of course, think everything he does is adorable, but this new voice of his is just the cutest thing ever. We seriously can't get enough of it! He is saying so many new words everyday. He will repeat nearly everything so we are very careful about what we say. He has become a parrot, often saying "Lina Shhhhhh" or my personal favorite "Adam NO!" (yeah that was a wake up call :)

Enjoy!

Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Here is some fun video from pumpkin carving and our adorable Arabian monkey :) Remember you may want to turn off the music player at the bottom so that you can hear Cole!

Undefinable

IF by Jane Monheit

If a picture paints a thousands words
Then why can't I paint you?
The words would never show
The you I've come to know

If a face could launch a thousands ships
Then where am I to go?
There's no one here but you
You're all that's left me too

And when - my love - for life - is running dry
You come - and pour - yourself - on me

If a man could be two places at one time
I'd be with you
Tomorrow and today
Beside you all the way

If the world should stop revolving
Slowly spinning down to die
I'd spend the end with you
And when the world was through

Then one - by one - the stars - would all go out
And you - and I - would simply fly away

Every time hear/sing this song I go someplace else. Not of this world. To a place where I forever walk hand in hand with my husband on a cold Chicago night under soft street lights hidden by snow. To a place where I rock my little ones to sleep and feel their warm breath of life on my cheek. To the place where I live for eternity with my creator in such an intimate partnership that I can not begin to describe.

When I listen to this song I feel the presence of my God in these earthly loved ones to a depth that is undefinable. To the place where God dwells in them. With all of our imperfections, in heaven where all will be perfect, this is the only part of each other that we will witness. The part of us that is as God had intended, without fault, created in His image.

Sleep easy little ones, the time will come. Until then rejoice in the hope and promise of our eternal future.