Happy BIrthday AJ and down the stretch they come!

What a party we celebrated your 2nd birthday with a Kentucky Derby themed party with over 50 people all dressed in their fancy hats and here to celebrate you. The gifts were so generous but the company even better. You had the best time and at 8:00 your night was over, in your little jockey shirt. You blew everyone kisses for night night and we continued to celebrate you, with you dreaming about your special day. Happy Birthday was the best part of the party. We practiced so many times and you love the song so much that it was s smash hit when everyone started to sing. It was an 80' sunny and windy day but when it was time to blow out your candle there was no wind! WE gave you a few blows before you got it out. IT WAS SO AWESOME! I am smiling typing about it. Sarah made a smash cake and although you did not smash it you did get a finger in both cakes and gave it a lick so that was a big step. Sarah made sure to sneak you a spoon and that made all the difference; you loved your special cake. During the party had some play time with Alec, and all the big kids. Charli and Danica did a great job getting you involved when they could and keeping you safe outside and playing. You loved eating the mac and cheese and honey ham too! When I woke you from your nap the party had already started so you really did not know what you were in for. You squeezed your legs tight around me and when you saw Grandma- you said "sassy." What a special day for everyone! Guess what the horse that won the race actually ended up disqualified- just some trivia for you later in life. If you can believe it, I started writing that above paragraph on 5.10.21 and here we are 8.16.2021. When I say time is flying it really is. Your first 2 years of life has been some of the most monumental of times, with the Black lives matter movement, the most highly promoted Presidential race and the need to vote, to a global pandemic. When I realize I haven't written a month summary it is because we are just too busy living life. AJ, you have been home with us every day since March of 2020. I can't even believe we got to have this time with you. Daddy never returned to the school 2020-2021 school year, he spent his time with you. Time he will never regret, time that is so precious that it may have been the greatest gift. Last night we were out boating with Terry and Neil and again time precious time. I can't even think of what makes me happier than you and your sisters faces in my face all day and night. I love you all so much it is crazy to think that of all the kids in the world I was blessed with the best, how did I get so lucky! I thank the stars every night. This summer we have watched you make monumental steps! We have watched you come in to your own. From a baby to a little big boy, although when I ask you if you are a Big boy or a baby, you tell me " Baby." Yes, you will always be my baby. You are so happy. Happy, happy, happy. Funny, smiling, running fast, falling down and saying "die" which we continue to tell you "boom." You spiderweb like spiderman, you pick out your own clothes. You are starting to speak in 3-5 word phrases. You are an amazing communicator. You can count to 10, keep a beat, sing songs. Memorize songs. You have a memory like no other. You are honestly so smart, the world has no idea what greatness you are going to bring to it. I love how you call you sisters, sissies but now you are starting to call them by name. "Chali" and "Danca" and of course "Rboots!" OUr house is just the perfect storm of on the go, all the time. You took a science class with me this summer and were so well behaved. We also did tot rock and I watched you throw up a balloon and catch it, repedidly. Is that supposed to happen??? We had so much fun, singing, parachute, running, playing instruments- roll it roll it roll it ROCK! I can't believe that is my last tot rock class. "Clock on the wall says its time to go..." It's the truth, time is everything and we are making the most of it with all of you. You have really taken an interest in trucks and cars and you line all of them up very neatly. You do the same with all the animals in your crib. You tuck them in and then sleep in the other corner, it is very sweet. You named your 2 dogs in the crub, 1 & 2 and you honestly do not screw their names up- I just love it. Nap time and bed time is still amazing for you. Even if you wimper to not go up, you fall asleep within minutes. You soothe yourself by saying all the names of people you know and then saying good. "Daddy good, Mommy good, Eric good." It is the sweetest. In the morning you do the same or sing songs or just talk. You LOVE to talk. At restaurants you have the best manners, "thank you buddy" to all the servers. You are something else, in the best way. You light up every room you walk in to. Now coming to you from Palatine, IL weighing in at 29.2 lbs. AJ the Destroyer! You continue to come on our scale and wait for your introduction and the say , Mowr ( More). We hear Mowr a lot during the day! You love to eat, drink milk, have your blue cup, wear your crocs. I can't really say there is anything you don't like--or except for high chairs at wrestling and not using the big people drinking glasses. Those are really are only struggles if that is even a struggle. The fact that you can sit and engage for long periods of time is incredible. Let me get in to all the events you did this summer. School ended and we went to Naperville to swim at Grandmas and you jump off the diving board! We went on lots of stroller walk/run/jogs and we would see bubbles and sing songs. You really like Twinke Twinkle and when I play with your piggies. Then we went to Milwaukee where you were the ring bearer for Courtney's wedding. That didn't go as planned but sometimes that makes the best story. You ran out from the back you found a flower on the floor ( your sister were the flower girls) so then you yelled out Sissys-- and tried to find them running every where and laughing. Then you found them when they walked down the aisle and you followed them laughing until we caught you and Daddy took you outside so the ceremony could continue. Make sure you watch the video it is the cutest ever. Not to mention your long blonde hair-- sorry buddy I am not ready for a big boy cut yet, so I just keep cutting your bangs out of your eyes. You are just too cute, forgive me. You stocky legs, everyone keeps telling me you will be a hockey player. LOL. Those cuts and bruises though, they are all boy. You are just my handsome little boy that likes when the girls put a pony in your hair. Can't say Eric and Daddy like it but it it too cute. I think we will go for a mohawk next! After Milwaukee and the public market we went to the outlet mall in WI and you got some new Nike shoes for your upcoming school year at Miss Beth's with new friends. I will get to that later. Then back home and back out the same week to Lexington KY for the 4th of July and a Zamarin party. We went to a horsefarm and you rode a pony! How fun was that, we also stayed an extra night to swim in the pool and just spend family time before our 6 hour ride back home. Then we had some time to swim, play, go out to eat. Let me tell you, as I mentoned you are an amazing eater. From edamame, to sushi, to tres leche you are living it up! Let's see Christopher and Kayla got married and you and I sat in the child room in the church, after they were pronounced Husband and wife every one started to cheer and so did you. I think I shared some tears in that room, again because my heart was so full it wanted to explode. We continued the summer with more trips to the pool, boat rides, visits from friends, and of course some of you favorite babysitters like Sarah. To start the school year you have been with Aunt Tam, Aunt Ter, Uncle Neil, Sassy, and soon Miss Beth. Be strong Mommy, be strong AJ. It will only be a few hours a day and you will get to play with abunch of boys. Yes, boys! New friends, new experiences, trucks. I will miss you every millisecond we are away from each other. I can't even believe the time has come for you to spread you little wings and fly a little. Insert tears from Mommy and Daddy. We can do this! I have to remember that after every work week is a weekend! And after every work day is family time and fun. In the mean time there are hugs and kisses from a far. I love you and I am going to be so proud of you on your "First Day." I will be so proud of Mommy and Daddy on the their last "first day." We can do this together. In our family there is always something going on, something to do, someone to play with, someone at the door, a dog barking, a room that needs to be cleaned, up, a place we need to go, a car ride, a stroller, a ziggle. We got it all and from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed we fill up all those moments with happiness. Even when their are thigns to do like mow the lawn, you get out your bubble mower and do the same. You smile, you run, you swin on swings, you look for frogs. You hang with the bog kids, you cuddle like a baby, but the best part is that with your face or your words you are always expressive and this summer you said the words any parent longs to hear. "I love you Mommy." I love you more AJ and I always will. My baby boy my little poopy butt. Life would never be the same without you! From big kicks and splash splash in the bath tub to diaper chnages and soon to be going on the potty to swim lessons where you cried for 30 minutes the first day. We are doing it! We are living it up. I can see it in your eyes that we are doing it right. Thank you for that AJ, thank God for you. I will try my best to keep the excitement coming and you can count on that the love will always be number one. WE love you! Can't wait to update some more soon!