My baby boy!

I got back from Arizona late at night, so Sully was asleep when I got home.  At 5 in the morning, I woke up to Sully standing next to my bed stroking my cheek and softly saying "Mama!  Mama!".  

Undeniably Sully is in the midst of that terrible stage of toddler-hood.  So fun, but so hard.  He doesn't talk (another post on that subject!), he wants to do everything himself, he is busy and hungry and curious and messy and fast, but underneath it all he really is still a baby.  This last week or two he has been so snugly again.  He loves to climb on our laps and give long hugs.  Then  he puts his chubby little hands on both cheeks until he has our full attention and gives the best little baby kisses.  

I can't get enough of it!  

When I have to take him to run errands I prepare  myself for the worst.  I have to be fully prepared with snacks, drinks and toys.  I avoid taking him for the most part, but this week I had to take him to get new shoes.  I walked through doors of Nordstrom with fear and trepidation because I had to negotiate it with a feisty 21 month old.  Once again, he surprised me with a completely charming version of Sully.  He gave the saleslady high fives and fist bumps and then he went to the other kids in the department and said hi to each of them. Trying on the different shoes brought big smiles and he cooperated by running back and forth so we could see if the shoes fit well.  The clerk told me that he was her favorite customer of the month!  The balloon waiting for him at the end was more than he could have dreamed of and then we calmly walked back out to the car holding hands all while he was trying to do some sign language to tell me about the cars and his new shoes.  

I write this fairly mundane glimpse into our daily life so that I remember. I want to remember his pudgy feet that are so hard to find shoes for, his sweet smile and funny facial expressions.  I want to remember his ability to be content and happy because as soon as we got the car he began screaming about the baseball bat that was sitting in the back and was just out of his reach.