Preston catch-up: 16 months

Since its been a little while since I shared what Preston's up to these days, I thought today would be a good catch up/chance to show off his latest Cassie pictures. You know, that whole two birds/one stone thing.

This boy is growing by leaps and bounds, although, on the outside, it looks like his hair is doing most of the growing. I had planned on his first haircut about a month ago but chickened out last minute. I just can see the baby curls go yet, so I'll just continue to correct people when they say how cute "she" is or ask "her" name while he's wearing a blue shirt with cars and sucking on a paci that says "Boy Oh Boy!" Context clues, people.

He's got eight teeth now and shows them off when we ask "Where are your teeth?" He also sticks out his tongue when you ask where it is and points to his nose, ears, hair and belly button when prompted. However, if you ask where his eyes are, he points (and by points, I mean pokes) yours.

He is talking a lot more, saying his usual "mama" and "dada," says, "uh-huh" and "nuh-uh" when asked questions, but he's gotten really good at "no." No is his jam. He also says "buh-bye," "Suh-size!" (surprise) when he turns the corner or peeks around the couch, "Guh-ees" for Bubble Guppies, and all the words you say when you do something you're not supposed to ("uh-oh," "oops," "oh no," etc.). He uses those last ones a lot.

He loves to tickle and be tickled, scare and be scared, which makes me wonder if he's my kid at all because I hate to be on the receiving end of either of those. He has the silliest personality and squeals in a high-pitched voice when he's being goofy or wants to make us laugh.

While he does like to get into what he's not supposed to, he is the sweetest, cuddliest little guy. He gives the biggest, slobberiest kisses and best hugs with little pats on the back. Whenever Scott is gone for the week traveling, Preston seems attune to the fact that I need a little extra help and a little extra patience to get it things taken care of on my own, and he's just a little sweeter and a little cuddlier, and that makes all the difference.

This boy.

He's never fails to win me over more. Every stage I think, "This is my favorite stage," but I really think this one is my favorite, but it's only because this is where we are now. We love him so much, and he makes our little family more joyous by being part of it.

Freedom from worry

"I don't want him to develop my fears," I told Scott as we were sitting outside with Preston; we were enjoying the slightly fall evening, and Preston was chucking rocks in the flowerbed. This was said as I was simultaneously checking the the flowerbed for spiders ahead of Preston, telling him to "wait until Momma knows it's clean."

"Yeah, then don't do that," Scott replied.

OK. Good point.

But how do I keep from doing that? I remember being a child and rolling in the grass and walking along the top of the monkey bars and hurtling myself out of a swing at the peak of its path. I did this without fear of spiders or injury or falling. My biggest fears where the imaginary ones — the Boogieman under my bed or the police sketch of the Unabomber.

There was a time a couple of years ago where I couldn't go to sleep for fear that I would die in the middle of the night. This fear gradually built up over time, and my anxiety won over many battles to the point where I would have a panic attack most nights. My childhood Boogieman fear was replaced with a sudden, suffocating worry about my own mortality. It was miserable.

Thankfully that is in the past, but it doesn't mean that I'm still not a huge worrier, whether it's about my family, work or school; big things like my faith, middle of the road things like Preston still not eating finger foods, or small things like what shoes are the best for a fledging walker.

In our class at church on Sunday, we were talking about how a lot of our worries are based on things that aren't real. A lot of those worries are unfounded. I had no major health problem that would cause me to die in the middle of the night, and a lot of the things I stress about will get done or ultimately resolve themselves. I want to give Preston that same feeling of freedom I had when jumping out of the swing and not have him anxious about spiders in the flowerbed. Heck, I want that feeling of freedom, too!

I think about that when I read that Jesus calls us to be like little children. Preston is unaware of little made up worries. Instead he trusts that I'm there and going to take care of him. I'm a reassuring presence nearby, so he is blissful and happy in whatever he is doing. I know that God is there, watching over me, so why should I worry when I have His reassuring presence nearby? He's offering me that same, simple happiness.

God is always teaching me something new through Preston — how I should be and the love that He feels for me. It's a humbling responsibility to be given and an amazing blessing to see every day.

Kendi Everyday

If Atlantic-Pacific is my imaginary closet, then Kendi's is my real one. She is my longest running favorite blogger, and I like her because she wears things I could actually wear, only does it better. She dresses up shorts and dresses down heels. Sure, she might wear heels in more casual situations than I, but don't we all wish we wore heels more and were a little more glam overall? (Don't misread that as "glam overalls;" it's not the same thing.*)

I love her fun with patterns and color and how all-around put together she looks. She is a more realistic inspiration for me than some of the other style bloggers out there. I bought my brown boots because Kendi had them. She's the only blogger who's driven me to make a purchase. That's power right there!

*In the 6th grade, I had a pair of Gap black velvet overalls that I wore with a long sleeve white T-shirt with a rhinestone-embleshed snowflake on it. I guess you could say those were "glam" overalls — or the tragic mistake of youth.

(All photos via kendieveryday.com.)