To My Boy, On His 3rd Birthday

Dear Lincoln,

Somehow you aren't a baby anymore. You've grown ALOT in the past year, even though everyone always comments how tiny you are. This is the year you and your sister started actually playing together. You started out doing everything she said to do but now you make it clear you don't have to do what she says. You tell people that she is your best friend and I love it.

You LOVED the pool this summer. No fear - just like your sister. We went at least four times a week!

Your vocabulary has quadrupled since your last birthday, and you're constantly saying things that make us all laugh. You like to ask Daddy in the mornings if he's going to work, and when he says yes you slap your hand to your forehead very dramatically and say, "A-DIN?!" (again) I think he might be your favorite person.

You aren't potty trained yet, check back next year... :) You only poop in private. Your go to spot is the clubhouse under the stairs. If anyone comes in, including the dog, you yell, "I need privacy!!!" and it makes me laugh every time.

You are super into Toy Story right now which makes me so happy. I love those movies and love watching you love them, too. Paw Patrol, Blaze, and then Incredibles are some other current favorites. You like to pretend to be Dash and run all over the house.

When you're really happy, you say, "I love you" a lot. I often hear you from downstairs say, "Hey, Em? I love you." And I just about cry every time.

You gave me quite the scare this year when you choked and I had to call 911 for the first time. I'd like to say I handle chaos well, but in that moment I was screaming and crying hysterically. I was grilling some chicken and you wanted a bite. I think it was too hot so you didn't chew, just swallowed. Luckily you coughed it up while I was still on the phone with the dispatcher. The firetruck and ambulance came anyways, sirens and all. You were very excited and now anytime you get slightly injured you say we need to call the firefighters.

You haven't dropped your nap yet, which I'm totally fine with. There's been a few times where you skipped nap a few days in a row and I thought for sure that was it, but nope! You still snooze for at least 2 hours every afternoon. Sometimes more!


A funny story from this year is one night after church at Chick-fil-A. You were eating an ice cream cone and it was melting and dripping all over so I grabbed it and took a big bite... you sighed SO LOUD and rolled your eyes and your dad and I just about lost it. All four of us laughed so hard I'll never forget it.

You've got some fire in you for sure, Linc. You're newest thing is to yell "NO THANKS" super angrily when I ask you to do something you don't want to do. While I like how you use manners, your attitude definitely could use some work, haha!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Linky Doodle. (You and Emery think that is your real name.) Your dad and I pray you walk with the Lord for your whole life.

I love you so big, boy.
Love, Mama

Happy 4th Birthday, Emery!

My little Em,

Four years old sounds very old and I’m not sure how you’re not a toddler anymore. I am very excited to tell you that a month into being three you were officially potty trained! It was such a weight off my shoulders to be honest; I really thought you might start kindergarten in diapers.

You continue to amaze us... and make us laugh! All summer, yet again, you lived in the water. Absolutely no fear. For the 4th of July, Daddy, Papa, and Bub literally threw you back and forth all afternoon. (They were all sore the next day.) We laughed so hard at you going into the water with a smile and coming up with a smile too.

This year you've really gotten into "playing pretend." You take on full characters and let me tell you, you do not break character for anything. One morning, I walked into your room and you said, “Hi! My name is Alicia.” And I kid you not, you only answered by that name for TWO FULL DAYS. At MOPs you corrected your teachers when they called you Emery, and even instead that your lunchbox wasn't yours because it said Emery and not Alicia. We definitely all got a great laugh about it! Almost every morning your first words are telling us who you are that day. (Santa, Catboy, Owlette, Gecko, Rapunzel, Elastic-girl, Amaya, and many, many more!)

One of my favorite things about you is that you never meet a stranger. You talk to everyone. (And tell them what name you're going by that specific day...) You love talking to people and telling them all about your life, your family, and your dog Ludo. We had to have a few talks about only kissing family... after you raised your hand in the middle of story time and told the librarian that you needed a hug and a kiss. (Which you then did.)

Emery style in full swing

You do not like loud noises, or if there are a lot of people and they are being loud. For the longest time you either left the room or covered your ears whenever anyone sang, "Happy Birthday" to anyone. I often say that you, "Want the attention until you get it" because you'll shut down once you realize everyone's eyes are on you.

Maybe the most impressive thing about you is your memory. You remember every little detail. If we drive by somewhere you've been just once in your life you can tell me who was there, what you were wearing, what you ate, etc, etc. It's really amazing. The tricky thing about this though is if we tell you were going to do something you don't forget, so if plans change it can lead to a melt down.

You love In & Out, Blaze The Monster Machine, Target, PJ Masks, and checking out movies from the library. You still don't nap but love "rest time" because that is your tablet time.

Pretty girl

You definitely took moving a little harder than Lincoln, and the first few days you kept asking to go back to the old house because "that room has flowers on the wall and this one doesn't."

I love watching your little mind work and how you are so helpful and inclusive of others. Sometimes even with Lincoln! ;) You've recently started dreaming and telling us about them in the mornings and that's been very fun to hear about.

Your dad and I love you so, so much and pray you will follow the Lord for your whole life.


Happy Birthday, my beautiful girl.

Love, Mama

Happy 2nd Birthday, Lincoln!

Dear Lincoln,

Happy birthday little man! Today you turn two years old and just like last year, I can’t believe how fast it went. You are such a joy, Linc. You’re always making us laugh. Our favorite lately is how you’ll just plop down next to us on the couch or walk up to us and let out your Ross Geller style, “Hi....”

One difference I noticed this year in raising both genders is that Emery always climbed things just to climb it, but you climb things to jump off! You jump off everything, whether it’s off the top of a playground or just an inch off the ground! 

You have such a sensitive heart and love to be held. “Hold you, mama!” If you get hurt no matter how big or small the injury is you usually just want a hug, almost like you just want us to acknowledge that something happened and then off you go! 

You are so much like your daddy. Super laid back and go with the flow, making us laugh with one liners, and you like things tidy! I know you’ll be such a great husband and father someday. 

If year one was the year of buckets on your head, year two is the year of socks and shoes! You are constantly putting on multiple layers of socks and anybody’s shoes you can get ahold of. You won’t keep your pajamas on so now every night and nap you sleep in the snap bottom onesies. (We had to do this for your sister, too.) 

Emery might be your favorite person ever. In the mornings and after nap she’s the first person you ask for. I love watching the two of you play together and love each other. You fight, too, of course, but it’s usually over as fast as it starts. One thing you picked up from her is you stomp your foot when you’re mad. You’ve got some fire in you, boy! I often ask you when your whiny or cranky if you need to go back to bed and you quickly respond, “no!” And then I ask if you have a happy heart and you’ll say, “hearrrrrrrt” And it’s just about the cutest thing ever. If I say, “Ow!” And you’re anywhere near me you always say, “sowwy mama!” And give me a kiss. One of my favorite things.

I really can’t believe you’re two. We love you so much, Linky Doodle. (Emery thinks this is your actual full name.) 

Your dad and I pray that you grow up to be a man of God full of integrity. 

Happy birthday, my sweet boy!

Love, Mama

PS: You’re still the most ticklish person I know!

Young, Wild, and THREE!!

Dear Emery,

Three? How did we get here? Three sounds so old to me. You are growing so fast, talking so much, and you have not slowed down at all! ;) We had to take your crib apart after we woke up to you knocking on our door one morning, and you transitioned great! I was camped out in the living room that night with a glass of wine, prepared for an all nighter of carrying you back to your room. But you surprised your dad and me! You only came out three times and then conked out. (And the best piece of advice I ever got was to put your doorknob on backwards so it locks from the outside!)

You spent all summer in the pool, such a little water-bug. One day it was pretty cloudy and everyone got out of the pool. But not you. You jumped off the steps into the pool for a solid 30 minutes all by yourself. I love watching you in moments like that. Fearless. You've gained so much independence!

You dropped your nap this year. WOOF. It was a rough go for a while, but now you love "rest time" and you correct us if we dare call it "nap." We also said goodbye to your pacis. You shocked me big time with that, too! For a while you just held them in your hand while you fell asleep, but then one day you just said, "No more pacis."And that was that. (Potty training is a whole 'nother story... check back next year.)

Nap Time Fail

You're funny, Em. You make us laugh all the time. You went through a stage where you insisted on picking out your own outfits, and I ate it up. I love how quirky and fun you are. You love singing, dancing, jumping, running, climbing, spinning, laughing... you just love life, girl. And I love watching you love life.

Top 5 Favorite Pics Ever

You are so much like me in so many ways, especially your stubborn will. Papa used to say my Native American name was, "Woman With Closed Fists" and I think we could go ahead and say you're Part 2. Once you've decided you aren't doing something, there's no talking you into it. But, the positive spin on that is that once you've decided you CAN do something, you won't quit until you achieve it. And that's the good stuff, Woman With Closed Fists Part 2. (Has a great ring to it, yeah?)

One thing that is SO much like your daddy though, is how particular you are. Things have to be done a certain way, and the same way, every time. If things are different or go out of order or routine it can throw you off. As frustrating as it can be it also makes my heart smile a bit, because I love that about daddy, too.

Me + My Girl

Happy Birthday, Emmy-Lou.
I love you big.

Love,
Mama

The First Year - Lincoln Taylor

Dear Lincoln,

I know this sounds cliche, but I cannot believe you're one today. It feels like a trick of some sort. What a year, bud. I often joke that Emery's first year felt like 5 years while your first year feels like I blinked and here we are. You came on your own time, two weeks late and full grown. ;) We joked that you would either be stubborn or so chill that you didn't mind hanging out that long. So far you've been the latter. My calm, go with the flow boy while your sister runs circles and swings from the curtains. Everyone says you look just like your daddy, and I agree. We're still waiting to see what color your hair is going to stay. Everyone says red but your dad and I think more blonde. 

This year was a different one with daddy's unemployed summer, but it was pretty special to have him home while you were still little. 

You slept 8 hours from the first night of your life all the way until month seven and eight. Oh, those nights were hard. You really helped my prayer life grow though, bud. A lot of nights in the dark just praying and crying and walking back and forth in your room. At one point I really just felt like I wasn't going to survive it, I swear. I started texting all my prayer warriors begging them to pray for you to sleep all night again. Eventually you did, after getting EIGHT teeth in those two months! Some people stop babies in stores because they're so cute, you got stopped because you had a mouth full of teeth. Hahaha just kidding. Sort of. ;) 

You made us laugh with your steam roller rolls! Didn't crawl until 10 months but that didn't stop you from getting to where you wanted to go! Rollin, rollin, rollin...

Your Granny Barton always tells me that your dad was the "quiet entertainer" as a little boy and I can already see that in you. One of our favorites is that you love putting buckets on your head. At one point I got so used to you being Mr. Buckethead that one morning I carried you all through the house gathering our things and getting ready to go and I didn't even notice until I put you in the car and was buckling you into your car seat that you had a bucket on your head. 

Another favorite is the fake sneeze. This is just a few weeks old. In the car after hearing daddy sneeze and your sister say, "bless you" you decided to try it out yourself. We find it hysterical and try to get you to do it all the time.

My absolute favorite thing you do is when you throw your head back laughing or crying. I know that sounds mean but you just look so cute. A close second is when I pick you up after nursing to put you up on my shoulder and walk to your bed. You still look just how you did when they handed you to me for the first time with your smushy tired face and your little arms reaching. 

Your dad's favorite thing about you is how ticklish you are! A tickle on any part of your body guarantees a giggle. It's the best. 

Your first and only word so far is "ball." And those are also your favorite toys! You love throwing balls and then going and getting them like you're playing fetch with yourself! 

Everyone told me that boys just have a special place in a mama's heart, and boy, were they right. I don't know if it's that combined with the fact that your my baby and (probably) my last baby, but it seems you have my heart in your hand. My baby boy. Each moment is so exciting and special, especially since this time I know how fast it goes. 

I love you and can't wait to see who you become. We pray that you will grow up to be a man of integrity who loves the Lord. 

Happy Birthday, Linc. Love you so big. 

It Takes A Village...

When I joined MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) I was a brand new mom. Emery was 4 months old and I had no idea what I was doing. I had one local mom friend- shout out Stephanie! Most of my days I sat at home by myself bored to tears (oh, there were so many tears) and texting my mom begging her to come over.  I was working part time from home which only worked because I made Emery's nap time during my shift. I specifically remember one time sitting on her bedroom floor with one arm through her crib rails patting her little butt and shushing while simultaneously working on the computer with my other hand. I was four months into the whole motherhood thing, dealing with postpartum depression (which nobody liked to talk about) and thinking I had been tricked into having kids. "You'll be such a great mom! Your babies will be so cute! Y'all need to hurry up and have kids already! When are you having kids?" And then, as if they were tricking you into joining their secret hell club all along, I heard these things after Emery was born: "Sucks, huh? You never really knew what tired meant, huh? Just wait until she starts teething! Just wait until she has her first cold! This is so HARD, huh????"

Where the (insert profanity of your choice here) was my TRIBE?? Yeah, clearly it takes a village... Anybody have directions to mine?? I thought when I brought a human into the world little tiki huts would pop up all around me and offer to hold my baby while I used the bathroom by myself?? Who signed me up for this? Are there refunds? Where's all the people that invite me to play dates and girls nights out and point me back to Jesus when the amount of spit up in my home is forcing me to lose my religion?!

Enter MOPS.

You see, MOPs moms don't care if you breastfeed or bottle feed, use disposable diapers or cloth diapers, co-sleep or use duct tape to keep your child in their own room (just an example...ahem), there's no judgement if you show up in your yoga pants or use it as your twice a month occasion to wear full makeup and blowdry your hair. Because at MOPs, everybody is in the same boat. Everybody GETS you. Whether it's celebrating a new pregnancy, or walking through a loss of a precious baby, we're all moms. And moms of littles, to boot! The spit up on your shoulder and coffee stain on your pants are welcome at MOPs. Whether you come to socialize or use it as a 2.5 hour break from your kids with a free breakfast, you're welcome at MOPs. The relationships I have made in the past two years are relationships I know will last. These are my people. 

So, they say it takes a village to raise a child, and I agree. But here's what I've learned: sometimes you have to build that village. Put yourself out there and open your mind/heart/home and reach out to other mamas who are trying to figure it out just like you are. I promise you that you won't regret it.

I'm so excited to be Coordinator of that same MOPs group this year; I know the Lord is going to do BIG things. Come join us!

The Seven Year Itch

"The seven-year itch is a psychological term that suggests that happiness in a relationship declines after around year seven of a marriage. Divorce rates show a trend in couples that, on average, divorce around seven years. Around the seventh year, tensions rise to a point that couples either divorce or adapt to their partner." -Good ole Wikipedia

The "seven year itch" showed up right on cue this year, falling in the midst of a new baby and unemployment. You know the part of the vows that say, "better for worse, for richer for poorer?" Well, we're hitting the worse and poorer side right about now.

When Josh and I were dating, I told him I'd go anywhere with him. I told him I'd live in a crappy apartment and eat spaghettios out of the can if we needed to. What I really meant was that I wanted a story with him. An adventure. Looking back over the course of our marriage we've had just that! From living in a 399 square foot single wide to my grandmas attic, we've made it work! Moved cross country, adopted a dog, bought a house, brought two humans into the world! We've fought and we've laughed and we've seen each other at our worst and best. We've prayed together and cried together. Road trips and flights with an infant, food poisoning, laundry that sits in the dryer for days, sometimes weeks. We've adventured all right.

We've watched many a marriage fall apart in our seven year run, and each time the news comes we hold each other a little tighter. (A lot of the time I cry and say, "PLEASE DON'T EVER LEAVE ME.") And while it breaks our hearts to see friend's marriages crumble, it also gives us a boost and makes us ask the question, "How can we do better? How can we make our marriage last?"

So, here's what we've come up with so far:

Romans 12:10
This is something my parents drilled in me growing up and now it plays a HUGE role in our marriage. Constantly trying to out do each other in honor, constantly putting the other person before yourself.

Understanding Personalities
Josh is an introvert and I'm an extrovert. We learned early on that because of that we have different needs. When Josh is feeling burnt out and needs to "recharge" I know he needs a night alone. However, when I am feeling that way, he knows that I need a night out with friends to recharge! (We took a personality test during our pre-marital counseling and it really helped us start out on the right foot!)

Open Communication
We literally talk about everything. We've learned that the more we talk and talk things out, the less time we have to hold grudges or get mad. We don't keep secrets from each other- we put everything out in the open.

Keep it funny!
We laugh (at each other) A LOT. Josh tells stupid jokes and I mispronounce words just like my mother.

Say It Like You Mean It
We say I love you about a billion times a day. Sounds cheesy, I know, but it's true. Sometimes we even text it from the bathroom. It's the last thing we say to each other before we go to sleep every night. It's super important to us, especially on hard days. Knowing that we're both still in this even when we piss each other off.

Flirt it up, y'all.
This one speaks for itself ;)

So, "seven year itch", BITE ME. Josh, I'd rather be itchy with you than anyone else in the whole world. Happy 7th Anniversary. Here's to many, many more years of us!

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