Dear Winslow

Goodness gracious, little boy! It's been a while since I've written you a letter.  I have a good handful that I've never published here, but that means they'll be even more special to you when you are old enough to read them.

You are 20 months old.  TWENTY months.  How in the world did time fly so fast?  I cannot believe you will be two years old soon.  I want to cry, but I also beam at how big you are.  You are smart as a whip  And also hard headed too. I think you got that from me.  It will come in handy though when you're older.  :)

You're favorite thing to do right now are library time on Wednesdays.  We go for 45 minutes and you play with the other toddlers and then sing songs for 10-15 minutes.  You love the songs and the hand motions that we do.  It's so funny to watch you because all the other babies are sitting in their mommas laps singing and you are right in the middle of the circle watching everyone. You won't sit in my lap, no sir.  You have to be in the middle. It makes me smile because you'll go up to one of the other mommy's and smile so big and then run back to the middle of the circle.  The teacher calls you Mr. Explorer because you never.sit.still.  You always are looking for something to get into.  (Like that sharpie marker you found in my purse last week!)

You also love cars. trucks. anything with wheels. You go to sleep with a car, eat breakfast with a car, and run errands with a car.  You also make this "vroom vroom" sound everywhere you take it. You love driving the car over my head and in your food.  sigh.

You still nap once a day for 1.5-2 hours.  Sometimes longer but not that often.  You wake up between 7:45-8:15 which is great. I am not complaining at all.  You go to bed between 7:45-8:15 every night and don't make a peep until the next morning.

You constantly have bruises or scrapes on your little knees because you're always into something! You love the ocean and we try to make a beach trip every weekend.

I could not have dreamed up a more precious little boy if I tried.  You are truly the apple of my eye, my little buddy, my best friend.  I love spending my days with you and watching you learn and grow.

We have lots of traveling to do these next few months, including a trip to Texas, NC, Key West, and Orlando!  You are still rear facing in your car seat and hope to stay that way until at least 2.5- it's so much safer for your little spine that isn't done growing together yet.  Your favorite foods are cheese, corn, chick fil a nuggets, cereal, watermelon, mac and cheese, and green smoothies.  You don't really like yogurt right now, or green beans.

I am so blessed to be your mommy and I just love you to pieces.

Love,

Mom

Dear Winslow

Dear Winslow,

You have been changing so much recently I'm not even sure I know what's going on!  It's like you woke up, decided to sit up on your own (you're ALMOST there), get two bottom teeth (they are poking through a tiny iny bit) and decided that playing in your exersaucer is so much fun.  It's so crazy to see how much you take in when you just look around.  It's like you are growing into such a little boy and you're no longer the baby that we came home with.  You are so good at looking at us when we say your name and  you always let us know when you don't like something.

You are so full of energy it amazes me.  Naptimes are short, but you are never grumpy when you're awake.  My favorite moments of the day are when you wake up and right before you go to bed.  When you get up in the morning, you give me the biggest smile in the world.  You'll squeal and talk and smile all morning.  Then it's naptime and sometimes you like it and sometimes you don't. 

You're kind of like your momma. 

When it's time to go to bed, I've been taking a bath with you in the big bathtub.  Seeing your little face light up when you splash in the water brings me so much joy.  I will move your little chunky baby legs up and down the bathtub and you'll just smile and take it all in.  You love it so much.  You DON'T love when bathtime is over though.  You'll throw a little hissy fit now.  It's cute because sometimes when you cry, you're putting on a show..momma can tell. 

You sleep on your tummy now that you can roll over.  When I put you in your crib, you'll talk to yourself for like .2 seconds, roll over on your belly, and you're out.  It's the cutest thing in the world when I go check on you and your little booty is in the air. 

I even take a picture of you because one day, I'm going to blink and you'll be 18 years old.  What?

I love you so much, dear boy. 

We started babyfood last week too.  You gobbled it up like you were starving (even though you ate like 5 minutes before that)  I think it's safe to say, you're gonna have a big appetite and eat an ENTIRE box of cereal for dinner like my brothers used to do.  We are going to start with some sweet potatoes or avacado this weekend.  It's  fun to see how much you are exploring and growing every single day.

The squeals and screams that you do remind me of myself.  If you talk to LaLa,  she will be the FIRST to tell you  I was a LOUD child.  I think you may take after me in that aspect.  You love to exercise your lungs...but you're never mad! I can count on one hand the amount of times you've been REALLY upset since you've been born.

You are SUCH a joy, little one.

I hope I never forget the smell of your sweet little baby fuzz head.  I hope I never forget the grunting sound you make right before you go to bed.  Or that you love pounding your toys with your right hand, but not your left.  Or that you get mad at me when I try to feel of your little two teeth in your mouth.  Oh man, I could go on and on how perfect God made you.  I am so lucky to be your momma. 

The way you hold my hand when you nurse.  Or the way you love to stand up and those little thunder thighs with all the dimples and rolls are just asking to be pinched or squished.  Or when I blow air on them, you squeal with delight.

You love when daddy kisses you under the neck, you get the biggest smile and you laugh pretty loud.  I still think you're a lazy laugher though, because we haven't gotten but one or two huge belly laughs.  It'll come though, it'll come.  We just aren't funny enough. 

I love you so much, Winslow Jones.  I never want you to grow up.  Just when I think I can't ever love you any more, I do.  It's like God gives me a tiny bit more of love each day I wake up.  It's incredible. 

You are loved. You are loved. 

-Your momma

Dear Winslow,

The last post of 2013 little one!!

I can't believe this year is over.  This was one of the BEST years of my life...and it's mostly because of YOU!! We announced you were coming into the world on New Years Eve last year and this year we got to celebrate with you (even though you went to bed at 7pm) ;)

We can't imagine our lives without you in it, it's like you were always supposed to be in it.  You fit perfectly into our family. 

Today was hard.  You decided you didn't really need any naps today.  And that caused a little grumpiness and some crying from you.  It broke my heart because I know you were so sleepy, but you wouldn't go to sleep.  I think you were just exhausted.  I prayed for you when you went to bed and I know that tomorrow will be a lot better.  We will have hard days, Winslow.  But that's the beauty of grace.  The Lord allows us to start over with no condemnation or guilt.  We can start a fresh new day.  I am grateful for that.

Some of my most favorite things you do lately that I do NOT want to forget:

When you nurse, you now touch my face.  You are exploring so much now and I just stare at you and smile so big because those blue eyes of yours just melt me.   You will grab my nose, my lips, my eyes.  It's precious. 

When you're going to sleep, you make this groaning sound.  It's not an upset sound or a happy sound..it's just a sound you make in your throat.  I love it.  You do it in your carseat and when you're heading to bed for the night. 

You love to stand up now.   (With me helping you, of course)  It's like you're showing everyone how strong you are. 

You are sleeping like a champ, most nights.  You'll be alseep by 7:15 and wake up once to eat (around 4-4:30) and then back down again until 7:30.  It's a dream, really. You do have your nights where you're up more, but most of the time you sleep great.

Your favorite toys right now are your exersaucer, some squishy building blocks your " Aunt Granny" got you, and Socks the Fox.  

We love you so much and CANNOT wait to see you grow in 2014. 

Love,

Mommy

Dear Winslow

Goodness Gracious!

TOMORROW you will be four months old.

Can that really be happening?  Were we not just at the hospital yesterday? 

I seriously look at you and cannot believe the little boy you are becoming.  You have such a big personality already- and you are also starting to become stubborn like your momma daddy! ;)  If you don't want to do something, you let us know RIGHT then. It's cute though.  You are now rolling over like crazy.  Seriously, the second I lay you on your playmat, you're rolled over looking at the world.  You LOVE to take everything in that you see which is probably why you think naps are DUMB.

Hopefully you'll soon learn that naps are good for you though... :) 

I love being your mom, Winslow.  You fell asleep nursing tonight (which I always love when you do that) because it lets me just stare at how perfect you are.  I looked at your ears, your chubby little cheeks, your sweet little lips..and I just can't thank the Lord enough for choosing me to be your mom.  It's an overwhelming feeling to know that he placed you in my life and how perfect you are for me.

You have the biggest blue eyes I've ever seen and everyone who sees you comments on how gorgeous they are.  I can't wait until you're old enough to look at me with them to get what you want.  or can i?  Maybe it'll be sweet when you're cuddled next to me in bed asking for a cookie at 8 in the morning, or when you beg to stay up just for one more story.  I bet I won't be able to say no.

Lots has been going on since I last wrote you a letter. 

We will celebrate your first Christmas next week.  And since you've been such a good boy this year (except for the coming NINE days late part), Santa will be making a visit!  We are also going to be traveling to Texas and Alabama to visit family and you'll be to meet a lot of your Aunts Uncles, and grandparents!  I can't wait to show you off.  You are going to be the center of attention, for sure.

You now roll over both ways all the time..you like to roll from your back to your stomach more though and you talk to me all day.  You also LOVE those little feet of yours.  They haven't found your mouth just yet, but you play with them all day long.  You still love bathtime, which is nice.  Bathtime is my favorite part of the day because you will splash all night if I'd let you.

You have discovered DARLA.  You will follow her with your eyes around the room and you even smiled at her today.  It was pretty cute.  One of these days, you'll be riding on her back. 

I love you so much little monkey.  I hope you never forget that, and every day just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter. 

Love,

Your momma

Dear Winslow

Baby Boy,

You are now 2.5 months old...REALLY?  I seriously wish time would slow down...isn't that what all momma's say?  Goodness gracious you are such a joy each and every day.

My favorite part of the day is when you wake up and are super happy and giggly and then when it's time to go to bed and you get your bath.  You love those times.  I do too.  You love to splash in the bathtub and you also love to talk to your toys, especially the musical lion that Grammy bought you.  You are so precious.

I cannot believe that I go back to work in just 2 weeks...I go back on your 3 month birthday.  But I am not complaining because I am working part-time now...and Grammy is going to watch you while I'm gone.  I know y'all will have a BLAST.  I am so lucky to have her around where she can watch you while I'm working.  Don't worry though, I'm sure she will leave some kisses for me...  :)

There is a whole new world out here for you, little one..and I can tell you're taking it all in.  You are so alert and wide eyed all the time.  You love to be outside and look at the trees. You love to watch your toys light up and when you hear daddy's voice after he's been at work..you go crazy with the smiles.  It melts my heart.

I can't believe you are growing so big!  Before I know it, you'll be sitting up on your own...then crawling, then walking! Wow.

I love you so much and want you to know that being your mom is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  God is good.  All the time.

Keep on growing little one...

Love,

Your momma.

Dear Winslow

Hey baby boy,

As I watch you lay on your playmat "talking" to yourself in the mirror, I must write these sweet little things down that you do so I'll never ever forget them.

Like the way you kick one leg if you're upset and i'm holding you.  Or when you're laying on your back, you'll only kick one leg.

Or the way you breathe when we pour water over your little head at bathtime. It takes your breath away and you smile afterwards.  It melts my heart.

Or the way you do this little scream/coo that sounds like a pterodactyl.

How about when you're in the bath and you kick your legs and splash all the water out?  You love bathtime so much.

When you nurse and you make these little grunts and noises.  It makes me smile so big.

You have JUST recently starting looking up at me when your nurse and just once or twice I caught a smile.  Talk about making me melt.

Or when you hear daddies voice, you ALWAYS smile so big for him when he gets home.  It's the sweetest thing.

When you sneeze, all your arms and legs flail.

At bedtime when you're sleepy but fighting it, you'll purse your lips out and blink your eyes really heavy.  That's when i KNOW you are so tired.

Baby boy, it's these little things that I love so much about you- I hope I never forget them.  You are my joy and my world. 

I love you, Winslow.

Love,

Your mom.

Dear Winslow

Baby boy,

You are growing so fast already! How is it that you're over a month old?  It makes me so excited, yet sad that you are getting bigger. I can't wait for you to keep exploring new things each day.  I see it in your eyes- the way you look at things and how new they are for you!

We are quickly learning what you like and what you don't like...here's a few:

1. You do not like being swaddled.  You will grunt and cry to try and get your arms out, but after a couple minutes you settle down.  I hate to see you upset, but I also know that you sleep so much better when you are swaddled, so we will continue to do it.  We tried a couple nights of not doing it, and you were up every 1.5-2 hours...if we swaddle you, we sometime get 5-6 hours!  (And that makes your momma very happy!)

2. You LOVE to be held over our shoulder- we call it throwing you over our shoulder like a sack of taters. You don't like to be held like a baby at all.  You know, the traditional hold that most people do to babies.  I feel kind of bad, because when people want to hold you, you start to cry because you don't like it! 

3. You love bathtime. You have started kicking your legs a tiny bit and you'll stay in there, happy as a clam, until we take you out.

4. You DO NOT LIKE being cold after bathtime- if we don't dry you off, put a diaper on you, and put your clothes on in 2.5 seconds, you let us know!

5.  You love nursing. You make the cutest sounds in the universe while you nurse, and I absolutely adore that time I have with you.  Sometimes you'll just stare straight up at me, and it makes my heart melt.

6. You like to have your head rubbed!  Molly was over here the other night and started rubbing your little head and you cooed for a good thirty minutes!  You love it.

7.  You don't like to miss out on things!  Sometimes you'll be so tired,  but will not go to sleep! thankfully this is never really at night, but it's during the afternoon or evening.  This evening you screamed for a good few minutes because you didn't want a nap, but I knew you were so tired.  After I finally got you down, you slept almost 2 hours! See?  Momma does know best.  ;)

Winslow,  I love being your mom.  To see you change and grow each day makes me so happy.

This may be cheesy to some, but I have to document this special time.   Yesterday I was holding you and trying to put away some clean laundry and we were just chatting.  Well, I decided to play some music and George Strait's song "Carrying Your Love with Me" came on.  I twirled you around our bedroom and sang to you and danced and the way you looked at me and smiled made me cry! I boo hoo-ed like a little baby because you just do that to me, W.  It was the most precious moment we've shared since you've been here! Except for that first time we locked eyes when you were just minutes old.  I'll never forget that moment. Ever.

I love you Winslow.  So does your daddy.  You are so special to us and I always want you to know that. 

You are my sunshine.

Love,

Mom

Dear Winslow

Dearest baby boy,

This week has been so great yet so tiring.  A couple days you were not happy at all, and it wore me out a little! It's so hard to hear you cry and not be able to do anything about it.  If you promise not to tell, I'll let you know that I cried with you.  It was hard.  There will be days like that.  But there will also be days where you are happy as can be, which is most days.  I love watching you take in the world.  All the new sights and sounds...the way you are starting to coo just a tiny bit.  You'll talk to me a lot and then let out a big cry and then be happy as can be again.

You're so funny.

I love you.

We met daddy for dinner tonight while he was at work.  I had my first experiences of nursing you in the car.  It was funny because I kept looking outside to make sure no one was peeking at me.  You do great in your carseat so far!  Only a couple cries and then you're fine. 

You are such a joy.  I love being your mom.

I pray for you every single night.  I pray for your salvation, I pray for your health, your wife, your little fingers and toes.  I pray for everything.  You have blessed me so much in the past 3 weeks, it's insane. 

I love you.

When you sleep, you love to make little chirps and grunts.  You'll even let out a cry but I am convinced it's because you're dreaming.  It doesn't even phase you.  Let's just hope you learn to sleep a tiny iny bit longer in the coming weeks.. i know you will. :)

It's hard getting adjusted to this big ol' world!  I hope I am making it as easy as possible for you, little W.

We are so in love with you.  I can't even put it into words.  When I think about you and how God made you so perfect and beautiful, it makes me tear up. 

You are wonderful and the perfect missing piece in our family. 

Love,

Your mom.

Dear Winslow

Dear baby boy,

Exactly ONE month from today is your due date! Will you arrive early?  Will you arrive late?  I wonder that a lot these days.  I am almost 36 weeks pregnant and with every day, I'm getting more and more excited to meet you.  I can't believe in less than a month (hopefully) you'll be in my arms!

My brothers, dad, and stepmom came from Texas this past weekend to visit.  They have not seen me since you've been growing in my belly.  The last time they saw me, I was only 8 weeks pregnant with you and you were the size of a pea!  Now you're almost a small watermelon!  Can you believe it?
 We had a great time visitng and they all helped build us a nice fence in our backyard.  It's almost twice as big as it used to be and so when you start growing up into a big boy, you'll have lots of fun throwing the ball and playing with Darla.

We had a doctors appointment this morning and you are measuring right on schedule! I know you're cozy in there, but if you want to come and meet us in a couple weeks, that would be awesome!  You had a GREAT heartbeat and next week we'll go back to check on you.

This week we've been cleaning the house in preparation for your arrival.  We want to make sure everything is perfect for our little angel.  I've washed all your clothes and boy are you going to be adorable in them! I might just change your clothes every hour because you'll be so cute.  ;)

You're getting so big in my belly that I can feel your little feet when you kick and sometimes I  think I feel an elbow!  I cannot wait to meet you, sweet boy.  Will you have blue eyes like momma and daddy?  Will you have curly hair?  Are you going to be as tall as dad when you get big?  I dream about you all the time. One day you'll read these letters and laugh at me, I hope.

Since you've been growing in my belly, you always loved to sit on my right side.  All the doctors who look at my belly when I lay down always comment on how "crooked" you like to be.  You'll be on the far right side all day sometimes!  It's so cute because it's been that way since around 20 weeks.  I want to make sure I remember these things for when you can read these letters.

Dear baby boy,  momma and daddy love you so much.  We pray for you every night, dad is still playing songs to you at night too.  He loves to play Willie Nelson and Jack Johnson.

See you soon, Winslow!

Xoxo,

Mommy

Dear Winslow

Dear Baby Boy,

I cannot believe that in about six weeks, you'll be here!! We are SOOOOO excited for you to arrive and I have gone into full nesting mode preparing our house for you.  I started washing your little clothes tonight and sorting them into months- it's going to be so much fun dressing you ten times a day!

This week was all about you, baby boy.  We celebrated your arrival with a beautiful baby shower- it was held downtown Clayton at the Morning Glory Inn.  We had cake, chocolate covered strawberries (my favorite!) and played a few games.  All of my friends and family were there and we even took turns singing to you! It was quite a show.  This week I can tell you are still growing! My stomach is getting pretty big! 


Every night before I go to sleep, daddy still talks to you.  My favorite is when he first starts off he always says, "Hey Winslow, it's me.  Dad."  It's so sweet.  I know you are going to have daddy wrapped around your finger, as well as me.  I can't wait until you're here.

Something funny that you do is that when I lay down, you're little booty pokes up on my right side like crazy! My belly gets so lop-sided. You definately love my right side.  I had a few maternity photos taken this past weekend and when I layed down, the photographer even commented on how crooked my belly looked! Haha..you are so funny.

My mom (and your grandmother!) is in visiting- i love having her here. She's helping me fold all your clothes and sewing some things for you! She made you a boppy pillow cover for our nursing sessions when you're here, and she even sewed your curtains in your nursery.  I love them.

I pray for you every single day, sweet boy.  I want you to grow up seeing Jesus' love in our home.  I pray that you'll be kind hearted and that you'll always be a gentleman like your daddy.  He treats me so great.  I love him.

And i love you, sweet boy.  I can't believe how much love I have for you and I haven't even met you yet!  Please stay nice and cozy in my belly for a few more weeks.  Our house is not ready for you just yet.  :)

We love you!

-Mommy