Dear Ransom,
You are going to be 3 years old tomorrow. Right now you are in your room singing to yourself. You do this a lot. Sing to yourself. And to anyone that will listen. Lately you've been making up songs or just singing random words. Like your babysitters name over and over again or how Baby Jesus was a little boy once ( hmm) or how you'd like to be a dinosaur. All classic Ransom songs. You particularly like to sing if you have your guitar handy. In fact, that little orange Ukulele that we got for you over a year ago has not had a single day without being played with! You definitely love your music.
You now know several "adult" songs by heart and will sing them along with us if the mood strikes you. Your favorite and most requested is Amazing Grace. But you also like Take My Life and Let it Be and How Deep the Father's Love for Us. Those are your favorite for sure.
In looking back over this year I feel like the best way to describe you is going from a toddler to a little boy. It probably moved the process along that you had to spend three months without your Mommy and Daddy while we fought for Tabitha's life. During that time you experienced many new things and adjusted very well to new situations and people. We were so very proud of you! It helped that you always knew that you were loved and safe-being with Papa and Spicy and Nana is really not a trial! You probably had way more fun than if you'd been with Mommy all that time! But you did get to spend most weekends with me at the Ronald McDonald House ( or the Ol' MacDonald House as you called it) and there were just TONS of fun things there!
After your months of spoiling, you got a little sister, Tabitha. You were very sweet to her right away and definitely understood that she'd been in Mommy's tummy all that time and she was finally out! You very much appreciated the fact that she gave you a truck and a race car for being born. She is now 7 months old and you have varying interest in her. Mostly you just make sure we don't forget her when we're going places ( not that we would!) and you always pray for her first in your nightly prayers. You will periodically ask to hold her, but a few seconds is more than enough. You are not very excited, however, about her being about to reach your things or sit near you when you're playing. We suspect that it will be quite the horrible shock when she becomes mobile! But we pray that you will love and take care of her like a good big brother!
This year you definitely learned about geography! You learned about Georgia and Texas when we moved for Fort Benning, GA to San Antonio Tx. You definitely are enjoying some of the fun things to do in San Antonio and you very much like how much closer we are to Nacogdoches! You miss your family there a lot!
Some of your little quirks that we're currently enjoying are that you've moved from asking where various people are, to asking what we're going to do next. I have to give you a running itinerary of the day continually. You also like to ask "Why?" ALL. THE. TIME.
You love your Bear and Lamby and Paci. Incidentally, Bear is a boy, Lamby is a girl and Paci is also a boy. Its a little bit upsetting that you have personified Paci-especially since we'll hopefully getting rid of 'him' soon. While you are currently only allowed paci in bed, you will often visit him many many times during a day. If you are being particularly quiet or have disappeared, one can almost always bet that they'll find you lounging in your bed snuggling with your stuffed friends and getting a drag off of paci.
You are constantly saying funny things and have a very extensive vocabulary. In fact, pretty much everyone you talk to comments at how advanced you are in the speech department. You are very easy to understand which is also nice. I'm not sure why, but I'd hazard a guess that your love for books hasn't turn this particular advancement. I recently counted your books-the ones you read regularly-and you have 117!! We average reading out loud about 15 books a day and you're currently a big fan of the Bernstain Bears and the Little Bear books.
You also enjoy watching the Little Bear show and Mister Rogers Neighborhood in the mornings on the ipad. Your parents, who are NOT morning people, appreciate that you are also a "slow morning person". Your routine is to wake up around 7, yell that you want to get up ( you never get up on your own from naps or mornings), go to the potty ( we started potty training in June and you're pretty much 100% accomplished with only a few accidents here and there in August), then climb into bed with Bear, Lamby and Paci with the ipad. Watch an episode of ( currently Mister Rogers) then yell that you want Oatmeal. You are reminded that you have to ask nicely. Then you have your oatmeal which has usually been made and is cooling for you while you've watched your show. What a nice life you have!
This year you learned your letter sounds to go along with your knowledge of the alphabet, numbers, colors and shapes. You also know how to spell your own name and how old you are. You love to play doctor, playing with your brand new train set, your cars and trucks on your road rug, and riding your balance bike ( which you are incredibly fast on!).
Tomorrow I will interview you about your favorite things, and who knows what you will say, but this is what *I* would guess is the correct answer:
Who is your best friend: Kilsyth
What is your favorite book: Cars and Trucks and Things that Go, Richard Scarry
Favorite movie: Winnie the Pooh
Favorite TV show: Mister Rogers
Favorite Food: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Favorite Drink: "Juice" ( which he rarely gets)
Favorite things to do: ride his bike
Favorite Subject in school: just getting to go is pretty exciting
Favorite Song: Its a Beautiful Day in the neighborhood
You are a very happy little boy who is continually exclaiming "My isn't it a beautiful day?"...whether its daytime or nighttime or whether its raining or sunny or cold. It is your saying for when you are particularly happy, and it never fails to make ME happy hearing it come out of your mouth. Thank you for always posing it as a question and therefore making me stop and realize that it IS a beautiful day! Especially because we get to have you as a son!
We love you so much,
Mommy and Daddy
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
This morning...
We recently read about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness and not getting to eat for 40 days during Ransom's bible story. This morning Ransom was eating some yogurt and he asked if Jesus was hungry. At first I was confused. Then he said, " did Jesus not get lunch or dinner or breakfast?"
That made more sense since that was almost a direct quote from the story.
"Yes, Jesus was very hungry because he didn't eat for 40 days."
*pause*
"I think I better share my yogurt with Jesus."
That made more sense since that was almost a direct quote from the story.
"Yes, Jesus was very hungry because he didn't eat for 40 days."
*pause*
"I think I better share my yogurt with Jesus."
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
30 months
Dear Ransom,
One of the things I love that you've been doing a lot lately is thanking me for things. Little things like, "Thanks for pushing Tabitha and me in the stroller!" or "Thanks for driving me to the museum!"
and even "Thank you for feeding Tabitha!"....who said being a mom was a thankless job?!? Not when I've got you around!
Thanks for being my favorite son,
Mommy
One of the things I love that you've been doing a lot lately is thanking me for things. Little things like, "Thanks for pushing Tabitha and me in the stroller!" or "Thanks for driving me to the museum!"
and even "Thank you for feeding Tabitha!"....who said being a mom was a thankless job?!? Not when I've got you around!
Thanks for being my favorite son,
Mommy
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Texas Time
Dear Ransom,
The last few months have been truly different for our family. For one thing, you are currently separated from your Mommy and Daddy and are staying with Papa and Spicy in Nacogdoches.
When we first decided to come to Texas to give Tabitha the best possible care, we thought that you would get to stay with Mommy in Houston. However, things changed and you are now living in Nacogdoches at Papa and Spicy's house. You spend Monday's with Nana and you go to school on Tuesday's and Thursday's with Kilsyth. And then, on the weekends you usually get to go visit Mommy at the Ronald McDonald House, which you call the "ol' McDonald House".
As your Mommy I cannot tell you how proud I am of you and how well you have adjusted to all of the changes that have taken place in your little life these last few months. One habit you have developed is to ask what people are doing over and over again. It usually goes like this:
"What's Daddy doing?"
Answer: "Daddy is at work."
"What's Mommy doing?"
Answer: "Mommy is at the Doctor ( or as the case may be now...) she is at the Ol' Mcdonald house."
You will ask these questions many times in a day, even if you just so happen to be with us, sitting across the table from us! But you are always happy with a simple answer and I am grateful that you seem comforted by an answer that you feel like you already know is coming. In fact, if we answer something different from "Daddy is working" you will correct the person and tell them that, no, Daddy is at work! You are a funny fellow!
As hard as it is to not get to see you every single day, we are so glad that you're having so much fun with the rest of your family. You are such a talkative little boy and you now can easily tell us about your day in pretty good detail. We are so proud of your extensive vocabulary. You still love fire engines and ambulances and anything else that have lights and loud sounds! And you are one lucky little boy, because since your birthday in August you have gotten to visit a Fire Station, you've "driven" an airplane, motorcycles and even a real race car! We are lucky that you love cars and trucks so much because traveling with you is really quite fun! You point out all the different cars and big rigs and construction equipment that you see along the way and have a grand time telling everyone about it.
You also love this opportunity to go to school with your cousin Kilsyth. Every time you see each other, even if its only been a few hours, you always run and give each other a big hug and a kiss. It is such fun to see you play together and lately you've really enjoyed talking to one another on the phone. You have full blown 2-year-old conversations with one another! You love going to school and getting to play and see your teacher "Miss Allison". You've only gotten in trouble once, when you and Kilsyth ganged up on another kid, and you apparently threw such a fit when you got in trouble that other teachers were coming to check on your class to make sure everything was OK! You definitely do not like to get in trouble and usually try your best to "punish" whoever is punishing you with a huge spectacle.
You've had fun getting to spend time at Nana's house too. You love how much you get to play outside at her house and that she has a dog and a cat AND a tricycle for you to ride. We are so grateful that you've built such a strong relationship with your grandparents because of this particular situation. But with all the good that has come from this time, we can not WAIT to be back together as a family! Your mommy and daddy miss you terribly every single day we are apart!
We love you,
Mommy
The last few months have been truly different for our family. For one thing, you are currently separated from your Mommy and Daddy and are staying with Papa and Spicy in Nacogdoches.
When we first decided to come to Texas to give Tabitha the best possible care, we thought that you would get to stay with Mommy in Houston. However, things changed and you are now living in Nacogdoches at Papa and Spicy's house. You spend Monday's with Nana and you go to school on Tuesday's and Thursday's with Kilsyth. And then, on the weekends you usually get to go visit Mommy at the Ronald McDonald House, which you call the "ol' McDonald House".
As your Mommy I cannot tell you how proud I am of you and how well you have adjusted to all of the changes that have taken place in your little life these last few months. One habit you have developed is to ask what people are doing over and over again. It usually goes like this:
"What's Daddy doing?"
Answer: "Daddy is at work."
"What's Mommy doing?"
Answer: "Mommy is at the Doctor ( or as the case may be now...) she is at the Ol' Mcdonald house."
You will ask these questions many times in a day, even if you just so happen to be with us, sitting across the table from us! But you are always happy with a simple answer and I am grateful that you seem comforted by an answer that you feel like you already know is coming. In fact, if we answer something different from "Daddy is working" you will correct the person and tell them that, no, Daddy is at work! You are a funny fellow!
As hard as it is to not get to see you every single day, we are so glad that you're having so much fun with the rest of your family. You are such a talkative little boy and you now can easily tell us about your day in pretty good detail. We are so proud of your extensive vocabulary. You still love fire engines and ambulances and anything else that have lights and loud sounds! And you are one lucky little boy, because since your birthday in August you have gotten to visit a Fire Station, you've "driven" an airplane, motorcycles and even a real race car! We are lucky that you love cars and trucks so much because traveling with you is really quite fun! You point out all the different cars and big rigs and construction equipment that you see along the way and have a grand time telling everyone about it.
You also love this opportunity to go to school with your cousin Kilsyth. Every time you see each other, even if its only been a few hours, you always run and give each other a big hug and a kiss. It is such fun to see you play together and lately you've really enjoyed talking to one another on the phone. You have full blown 2-year-old conversations with one another! You love going to school and getting to play and see your teacher "Miss Allison". You've only gotten in trouble once, when you and Kilsyth ganged up on another kid, and you apparently threw such a fit when you got in trouble that other teachers were coming to check on your class to make sure everything was OK! You definitely do not like to get in trouble and usually try your best to "punish" whoever is punishing you with a huge spectacle.
You've had fun getting to spend time at Nana's house too. You love how much you get to play outside at her house and that she has a dog and a cat AND a tricycle for you to ride. We are so grateful that you've built such a strong relationship with your grandparents because of this particular situation. But with all the good that has come from this time, we can not WAIT to be back together as a family! Your mommy and daddy miss you terribly every single day we are apart!
We love you,
Mommy
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
2 years old
Dear Ransom,
You are going to be 2 years old tomorrow. Which means, that 2 years ago today I was in labor. Thanks for that.
That being said, I've been thinking recently about the sentiment that you often hear from mothers, how they wish they their little babies would stay little babies forever. I never understood this. I loved you when you were a baby, sure. But I really could hardly wait for the fun things to come. Well, I think I've finally reached the point. The point when I'd like to keep you like this forever. You are so very very fun to be around. You are constantly saying funny things, doing funny things. You are bubbling over with excitement for life and you can hardly contain it all.
I love how you so very much wish you knew more words. You can speak in short sentences now, but its quite clear that, in your mind, some things deserve to be talked about in paragraphs. Of course, your lack of vocabulary does not stop you. Oh no. You'll just repeat the words you DO know until they have adequately filled the proper space that is needed.
You have a very good sense of humor and are continually cracking yourself up. But this is not enough, you have also started yelling for Mommy or Daddy until one of us acknowledges what your incredible wit has come up with now. Why, yes, Ransom...two pacifiers in your mouth is hilarious. Putting a little piece of play dough into that lantern where a candle should go....pure genius. Of course, we laugh with you. We laugh because we are delighted by your discoveries of the world around you. We too, have renewed interest in firetrucks, motorcycles, mail trucks, ambulances, police cars, bicycles, pianos, guitars, dogs and anything else you might have come to love.
We think its great that you love the Wheels on the Bus song so much, that for a while you would ask us to put anything and everything on the bus. Not just normal things like people and animals (one could argue that they do not belong on the bus either) but airplanes and helicopters, pacifiers, showers, rain, various foods...all of them have been on the bus, and we have done our very best to come up with the proper sounds for each one.
We think its great that have recently started pushing two of your stuffed animals around perched on top of your lawnmower like it were a stroller. Every so often you will take one off, cradle it like a baby and bounce and "shhh" it. We assume that God is subconsciously preparing you for two sisters....but whatever the case, you are quite the little Daddy.
We think its great that you like to eat grapes and bananas, strawberries and you LOVE cheese. We love that you now understand bargaining and will at least try bites of new foods if you know that you'll get a bite of something you like afterwards. In this way you have found that you are actually not as picky as you may have thought you were...and that your food tastes really DO branch out past four foods. geez.
Yes, there are definitely things that are not fun about two year olds. 2 year old tantrums are REAL. And you have them from time to time. Especially if things change quickly or if something different from what you were expecting happens. Or if someone looks at you wrong and doesn't give you exactly what you want. ha! ;-)
But, honestly, the good outweighs the bad so very much. And I love that you are still my little boy. My little boy who gives the very best hugs and kisses. My little boy who is the very best cuddler and who likes to hang out in bed playing under pillows and blankets ( Mommy likes beds too). I love that your hair grows super fast and gets curly when its humid. I love your stinky little feet and how you like to hold hands when we pray. I love that you sing in your crib when you wake up in the mornings and before you go to sleep at night.
Your Daddy and I are so very grateful for you in our lives, above all you have taught us that we know very little and must rely on our Lord Jesus for all wisdom when it comes to raising you. We are thankful that you point us to Him every single day, and we pray that one day you will come to love Him as much as we do.
Happy Birthday, my little two year old!
Mommy
You are going to be 2 years old tomorrow. Which means, that 2 years ago today I was in labor. Thanks for that.
That being said, I've been thinking recently about the sentiment that you often hear from mothers, how they wish they their little babies would stay little babies forever. I never understood this. I loved you when you were a baby, sure. But I really could hardly wait for the fun things to come. Well, I think I've finally reached the point. The point when I'd like to keep you like this forever. You are so very very fun to be around. You are constantly saying funny things, doing funny things. You are bubbling over with excitement for life and you can hardly contain it all.
I love how you so very much wish you knew more words. You can speak in short sentences now, but its quite clear that, in your mind, some things deserve to be talked about in paragraphs. Of course, your lack of vocabulary does not stop you. Oh no. You'll just repeat the words you DO know until they have adequately filled the proper space that is needed.
You have a very good sense of humor and are continually cracking yourself up. But this is not enough, you have also started yelling for Mommy or Daddy until one of us acknowledges what your incredible wit has come up with now. Why, yes, Ransom...two pacifiers in your mouth is hilarious. Putting a little piece of play dough into that lantern where a candle should go....pure genius. Of course, we laugh with you. We laugh because we are delighted by your discoveries of the world around you. We too, have renewed interest in firetrucks, motorcycles, mail trucks, ambulances, police cars, bicycles, pianos, guitars, dogs and anything else you might have come to love.
We think its great that you love the Wheels on the Bus song so much, that for a while you would ask us to put anything and everything on the bus. Not just normal things like people and animals (one could argue that they do not belong on the bus either) but airplanes and helicopters, pacifiers, showers, rain, various foods...all of them have been on the bus, and we have done our very best to come up with the proper sounds for each one.
We think its great that have recently started pushing two of your stuffed animals around perched on top of your lawnmower like it were a stroller. Every so often you will take one off, cradle it like a baby and bounce and "shhh" it. We assume that God is subconsciously preparing you for two sisters....but whatever the case, you are quite the little Daddy.
We think its great that you like to eat grapes and bananas, strawberries and you LOVE cheese. We love that you now understand bargaining and will at least try bites of new foods if you know that you'll get a bite of something you like afterwards. In this way you have found that you are actually not as picky as you may have thought you were...and that your food tastes really DO branch out past four foods. geez.
Yes, there are definitely things that are not fun about two year olds. 2 year old tantrums are REAL. And you have them from time to time. Especially if things change quickly or if something different from what you were expecting happens. Or if someone looks at you wrong and doesn't give you exactly what you want. ha! ;-)
But, honestly, the good outweighs the bad so very much. And I love that you are still my little boy. My little boy who gives the very best hugs and kisses. My little boy who is the very best cuddler and who likes to hang out in bed playing under pillows and blankets ( Mommy likes beds too). I love that your hair grows super fast and gets curly when its humid. I love your stinky little feet and how you like to hold hands when we pray. I love that you sing in your crib when you wake up in the mornings and before you go to sleep at night.
Your Daddy and I are so very grateful for you in our lives, above all you have taught us that we know very little and must rely on our Lord Jesus for all wisdom when it comes to raising you. We are thankful that you point us to Him every single day, and we pray that one day you will come to love Him as much as we do.
Happy Birthday, my little two year old!
Mommy
Friday, July 13, 2012
"Guitar"
Dear Ransom,
Over the last few weeks your love of guitars has grown exponentially. It started one day when we showed you a video of Great Steve playing one of his guitars on Youtube. That is when you learned the word, and also learned the sound that guitars made. From then on if a song started on the radio with a guitar solo you would yell out "GOOOO-TAR" very loudly.
Your interest and love grew even more when your Daddy one day let you play with his guitar. The guitar lives propped up in a corner of our living room and from then on Mommy has been bombarded by your requests to play with it again. Lets just say that it got so incessant that a Ukulele was quickly purchased on Amazon for 20 dollars so you could have your own guitar.
You LOVE it. At night it is the last thing you talk about before going to sleep. When you wake up from your naps it is the first thing you want to go find. And in the mornings.....well, in the mornings you watch video after video of people playing guitars on youtube while Mommy does her quiet time. No more sesame street or preschool prep videos for you! Nope, straight up people doing guitar rifts is the only thing for you.
Love, Mommy
Over the last few weeks your love of guitars has grown exponentially. It started one day when we showed you a video of Great Steve playing one of his guitars on Youtube. That is when you learned the word, and also learned the sound that guitars made. From then on if a song started on the radio with a guitar solo you would yell out "GOOOO-TAR" very loudly.
Your interest and love grew even more when your Daddy one day let you play with his guitar. The guitar lives propped up in a corner of our living room and from then on Mommy has been bombarded by your requests to play with it again. Lets just say that it got so incessant that a Ukulele was quickly purchased on Amazon for 20 dollars so you could have your own guitar.
You LOVE it. At night it is the last thing you talk about before going to sleep. When you wake up from your naps it is the first thing you want to go find. And in the mornings.....well, in the mornings you watch video after video of people playing guitars on youtube while Mommy does her quiet time. No more sesame street or preschool prep videos for you! Nope, straight up people doing guitar rifts is the only thing for you.
Love, Mommy
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