Our Glue
In order for glue to be effective, it has to be stuck between two different things. It’s in the middle.
I was really worried about our Trey. I didn’t want him to get lost in the midst of the twins arriving. In my opinion, the oldest automatically dominates and gets attention. Babies naturally require a lot of your attention. And that can leave you with the “the middle child”. Before the twins arrived I started praying for wisdom that the Lord would teach Brock and I how to best love, disciple, discipline, and encourage each of our kids specifically to be the men and woman God has designed them to be.
As the year has gone on and Trey’s personality and demeanor continues to blossom, I saw quite the opposite of what I thought would happen. Trey became our glue.
His smile. It automatically makes you smile. It takes over his entire face, his eyes sparkle and his gapped front teeth make it all the more adorable. His laugh is contagious and what I love most is it comes from a light-hearted spirit. He can be crying in hysterics and in a second something makes him giggle. He has a natural joy to him that draws you in. When he is in a really good mood instead of just walking he does a side/hop/gallop to his next destination.
He’s feisty. He’s got a crazy side to him which I actually love. It can be exhausting, but it’s obvious what he wants or doesn’t want based on his noise level or temperament. I can appreciate his firm yes or no. You can watch the aggression wash over him while playing, and every part of his body clenches as he grits his teeth together and his jaw tightens as he charges.
He’s sensitive. It amazes me to watch him study others faces. He looks right in your eyes while saying “whut, whut." He has a really big heart. Is quick to seek forgiveness. Cannot stand separation when he knows he is in trouble. His tears are the definition of alligator tears and he uses his pointer finger to wipe them before they reach the end of his cheek. His cry is so loud and has been since birth.
I never want to forget his pudgy feet. His soft, chubby hands. His crazy bed head. His little voice saying, “but, but mooommmyyy” trying to stall for bed. I want to remember how he called both of the twins Elle before he could say Ayden and how Casen is now “Tay-tee” To remember the sound of, “mmm dewicious” as he throughly enjoyed most food or “prwaise de lawd no poo poos,” raising a hand while I changed him.
I don’t want to forget seeing him walk around with a tooth brush in his mouth, sometimes two (most of the time those toothbrushes belonged to another family member). I want to remember his obsession with all things sports. His love for pizza and mac n cheese. How he could tell us when it was tubby night and would be right. His memorization of roll call during Mickey Mouse Club House.
I want to remember turning the corner seeing him in a pile of books, turning the pages. How he would hunker over and squeeze his hands together when he prayed for bed. Or the way his little feet swept across the floor during bedtime races with Casen on the mickey car.
18 months to 26 months is my favorite. The way they learn something new everyday amazes me at how God designed our minds. Their little voices, preferences and the way they do the things they do. It’s such a quick stage, as all of them are, but I’m really thankful the Lord has allowed me to enjoy it with Trey.
Even just writing this I am teary and my heart is welling up in emotion. Motherhood man, whew.
We have this thing we do where Trey would keep saying, “Hi Mommy,” until I would say, “Hi baby” in return. He will randomly come up to tell me, “I your baby.” And although he had to grow up a little faster than I would have chosen this past year, I saw God’s grace in his personality being our middle. Our glue.
Happy 2 years my sweet baby boy, you are loved more than you love reading Brown Bear.
