2

Two weeks and two days from today, Micah will turn 2. It's hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that I no longer have any babies in the house, just toddlers. We haven't used bottles in over a year and diapers are being phased out. Shortly after the wedding, we will be celebrating the end of binkies. Baby toys that have been outgrown are being passed on to the nursery at church and 'Baby Einstein' has been officially given up for 'Little Einsteins'.

With his new year of life comes new attitudes. He is feistier than his brother, less compliant and much more opinionated. The terrible two's have begun in full force and today has been a doozy. His word of the day is 'No!' and it has earned him many time outs and spankings. He is just being contrary. I could tell him to go eat ice cream and he would tell me 'No', it's just the way he's feeling today. If Mommy wants him to do it, he's not going to. I've been pulling my hair out, determined to be consistent and train him correctly, yet growing more and more exhausted with each test he gives me. On more than one occasion I have been tempted to let his attitude slide, but the fear of seeing this attitude spiral into something even uglier scares me into remaining firm.

I washed their sheets today. After the linen was dry, I set the boys at the dining room table with puzzles and set off to make the beds. I had finished Elijah's and was putting Micah's together when he toddled into the room. Once again, he was being disobedient. I had told him to stay at the table. I was sitting on the floor amongst blankets and stuffed animals that would be piled back up on his bed once it was finished. I was about to get up and start the discipline process again, but he did something that took me off guard. Without saying a word, he picked up his favorite Pooh bear from the pile, curled up in my lap and laid his head on my chest. Instinctively I wrapped my arms around him, kissed the top of his head and started to rock back and forth. I began humming and then eventually singing, his favorite song. Within minutes he was asleep. All that testing of boundaries had tired him out, too.

He is still my baby. He will grow and frustrate me. He will push my buttons and make choices I disagree with. But my lap will always be available, whether he is 2, 22 or, Lord willing, 52. If he needs, I will rock him and sing to him because no matter how big he gets, he will be my baby.