A new haircut calls for a photoshoot

Life with a two and a half year old has been everything you can imagine and more.  Yes, we are entering new territory with the "no's" and the emotions and the testing and the discipline.  Yes, I really thought that maybe Jake would never hit this stage.  And yes, I have been praying more than I ever have for patience and love and grace and frantically revisiting my parenting books to see what in the world I am doing wrong.

And yet on the other hand there is still this little boy who melts my heart when he says, "Oh, mama, pray!" like he did half way through our lunch today because he realized we didn't pray before we started eating.  And this little boy who runs upstairs to get me his coveted lamb and blanket because I told him that I had a headache and needed to lay down for a little bit and that's what he has when he "lays down."  And this little boy who melts my heart every time he says "thank you, mama" even though it's usually in reference to me giving him chocolate milk :)

This age is a roller coaster of emotions (for him and I!)  But my heart is so so full and so grateful for this little guy that's been entrusted to us.