Happy Birthday, Hootie!!!

In less than an hour, my miracle baby is going to turn two years old. If you haven't heard about how he is our miracle, you can read about that here. For the child that amazed the specialists by even being born, he hasn't stopped amazing us since he burst into this world (Thank You Sweet Jesus for ridiculously fast labors. Amen.). Those first minutes after he was born on December 2nd, 2008 were filled with many tears. (And FYI - I wasn't cryin' at the previous two births. Okay, maybe crying from the pain, but that's it.) We cried because we KNEW that the power of prayer had gotten that preciously perfect 8 lb. baby into the world. But I was also crying because this was THE PRETTIEST BABY EVER BORN. No really. YOU think your baby was pretty. Nope. Mine was. And I can say this honestly because my other two homegrown kiddos weren't as perfectly pretty (God love'em.) He really was THAT pretty. I mean look. He was about a half an hour old at this picture. I told you. And he stayed that beautiful. He has these amazingly gorgeous blue eyes and to-die-for eyelashes. But was even more INCREDIBLE is that he was the BEST baby ever. The kid slept through the night at 6 weeks old. He ate and laughed and was PERFECT. He was laid back and happy as can be. He really was just a joy to be around. He was awesome.

But as history has proved with my kids, the terrible screamin' demon babies turn into rockin' awesome toddlers. And well, the perfect, sweet, amazing babies turn into this...

(Here I am pretty sure he is crying over the heinous haircut.)

Yes, about 4 months ago my perfect Houston James turned into a hellion. And it's not that he's just bad ALL the time. (Don't get me wrong, he can be plenty bad.) But he's just a HURRICANE! He can't walk 3 steps without making some kind of a horrid mess out of something. It can be ANYTHING, and he can destroy it. Books, curtains, food - ANYTHING. As Jason says, "The Force is strong with this one".

But he's such a Momma's Boy and a total little lover. When he isn't hitting and poking, he's giving hugs and kisses. Of course, the problem there is that he's so stinkin' big (32 lbs at 23 months; only 7 lbs. lighter than Aidan, who is five), he usually knocks little Macy over just trying to be sweet. And every once in a while I am lucky enough to catch one of these....

But more often than not, I am usually catching him doing something like this instead...

And here he is today....still gorgeous, but a TOTAL HANDFUL. If you'd told me two years ago, during months of being on bedrest, that I'd get to wake up to this every morning (screaming "MAAA MAAA MAAA!" from the crib we have had to make into a makeshift cage to keep him from climbing out of it) - I'm not sure I would have believed you. But oh Dear Lord...I am so glad I can.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Hootie!

Mama and Daddy love you!