My 2 year old

I absolutely love this age! I love hearing John Thomas talk and seeing what words he picks up on. He is putting two to three words together which is really cute. He is great about saying Thank you and Please. Another one is Stop Momma (I thought this would start in the teenage years, not 2!) I love watching his personality grow and watching him discover what he likes. He loves Mickey Mouse, trains, playing outside, coloring, going to the childcare at the gym and playing with Kennedy. I am so thankful I am able to stay home with him and also teach some classes at the gym. It seems like the perfect balance for both of us.

Healthy JT

Tumble Bunnies. JT loves this class!

Practicing handstand, like Mommy

Love the curly hair!!

John Thomas loves the playcare at the gym. He ask to go everyday!!

Yay for warmer weather!!!We love to play outside and go on walks

Daddy got John Thomas his first Final 4 shirt

Daddy swinging John Thomas, JT laughed and laughed!!

I feel like this winter was tough on me with loosing Francis. It was also my first "true" Ohio winter. It was so cold, snow covered the ground for almost three months and you don't see the sun much during the winter. But it is warming up and I'm looking forward to lots of warm weather, family walks, playtime and seeing what God has in store for my family :)

Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend! After my husband working 7 days a week since beginning of October he has finally slowed down a little and had weekend off. It was so nice having him around and having some help with John Thomas :)
Saturday morning we took John Thomas to the Easter egg hunt at church. It was so nice. They had breakfast for everyone, a little service for the kids and the weather was so nice that even got to hunt Easter eggs outside. They divided up all the kids by age and 1-2 year olds area had big bags of goldfish, animal crackers, fruit snacks, suckers and eggs laying on the ground. The eggs even had stickers instead of candy inside them. So smart! because I was already dreading my child getting a lot of candy. After the Easter eggs hunt we headed down to Cincinnati for John Thomas' first Zoo trip. The Cincinnati Zoo is ranked top 10 in the country so we set his standards high ;) He loved it! We saw the animals, took a train ride and watched a 3D movie.

Sunday morning we got up and JT got to see what

 the Easter Bunny brought him

Then we got ready for church and brunch at the Dayton Country Club with the Millers. Church was packed, as it should be :) and brunch was great! The country club gave each child an Easter basket on their way in and had an Easter bunny to have pictures made with, an Easter egg hunt and someone making balloon animals for the kids. really nice. The weather is finally warming up so after JT's nap we got to spend sometime outside and play with new toys. Such a nice weekend!

My Family

Not too excited about the Easter Bunny

 but we finally got our picture made

Playing outside with Easter presents

Our week

I am up early this morning while everyone else is asleep so I thought I would blog :) after I wrote my last blog I felt better just "getting it out there." I have had some tough days but God has also blessed me in special ways this week.
 I have a friend that I met right after I moved here. She was running past my house when I stepped out the door my second day living here and I asked if I could run a couple miles with her since I had never run here. We have been friends since that day. How cool?! She is a Christian, about 10 years older than me, and has 4 kids. She has been such a blessing! We were able to have lunch together this week and it was so nice!
I also started a Bible study on Jonah called "Life Interrupted". The first lesson was about how we have our plans for life and how do we handle life when God throws something our way that was not in our plan. Wow! I felt like a spotlight was on me :) Looking forward to this study.

Tommy won both ballgames this week. Yay! John Thomas is active as always. He had his two year old pictures taken this week, can't wait to see them. The only way to get him to sit for a picture was with a sucker which is so ironic. My child, who is a vegetarian, gets very little processed food/sugar has a sucker in all his pictures :) I do use suckers at basketball games when I have ran out of every other option of entertainment. They will be perfect pictures to remember this stage of life. I had a good friend tell me that when he is 16 I will wish all it took was a sucker to get him to do what I want him to. haha so true!!

A few pictures from our week

Easy entertainment ;) JT's a pirate

Granna taught JT about his "piggies" so as soon as we get in the car he take off his socks and shoes and yells "pigs" until you start playing with them.

 We maybe Northerner's now?! 40 degrees, sun out, windows down!

This is how he eats all sandwich's - opens eats the middle only

Playing with Kennedy

and Daddy

painting

love watching JT sleep.

 I know he won't nap in our bed forever, I love that he does now

Too close to the tv but I think it's cute how he puts a hand in his pocket

Watching Daddy's ballgame (with a sucker, trying to make it to the end!)

A little exercise after the game

Just because flowers from my mom to let me know she was thinking about Francis.

 Made my day!! Hope I am as thoughtful and loving as my mom to my children.

 

Francis

Today is three months since I went into labor and delivered Francis. Time does help you heal but so often I wonder how much time will it take me to heal? I thought it would be a lot easier by now and in some ways it is but so many ways it is not. I still question God everyday and tell God I forgive him (like I have a reason to be mad since I am so blessed and he knows what is best for my life). Many days I have this overwhelming sadness that makes you feel so alone. I feel like I'm the only one that remembers my baby. (I know this isn't true but no one can understand what a mother goes through)
One of the instructors at the gym where I teach is due two weeks before my due date, to see her getting bigger makes me so sad for myself. I want to be happy for all my friends having babies and finding out they are expecting but it is so hard right now.  I wish there was an easy button, a way to know how to move forward.
The hospital took newborn pictures and I haven't looked at them since I came home from the hospital. I want to but I'm scared of the emotions that they would bring up and if I can handle it. I know I have to be strong because I have an amazing little boy that needs his mommy everyday. My husband works at least 80 hours a week and without any family around to support me I have to stay strong.
I look forward to the day I can see my precious baby again.


I cling to this poem below. When the days seem so tough sometimes I picture this poem and look forward to the day.

"They say that time in heaven is compared to 'the blink of an eye'
for us on this earth.
Sometimes it helps me to think of my child
running ahead of me through a beautiful field of wildflowers and
butterflies; so happy and completely caught up in what she is
doing that when she looks behind her, I'll already be there."
~Author Unknown

Basketball Season

I have been busy teaching group fitness classes ( I teach 8 a week), some personal training, chasing John Thomas around and trying to keep up with my husband's basketball season. John Thomas loves going to the basketball games this year. Last year was tough because he was so young but this year he enjoys watching "ball".  As soon as we pull into the basketball arena parking lot JT starts yelling "Dada Ball". Then as soon as we get in the arena he starts again "Dada Ball". We try to get to the game early enough that Tommy can take JT on the court before the game while the players are warming up. It is so cute. JT is the star of the show, all the players are so nice to him.

Trying to escape

So proud of himself :)

University of Dayton Basketball

 A special treat

 ( I'm pretty sure this is JT's first cookie)

 Just interested in the icing

Taking a toodler to a basketball game is work! I come prepared with the Ipad and snacks, we buy popcorn, makes trips up and down the stairs, look for Daddy and even watch a little ball.

Daddy at work

And the next day.....

 at the gym's childcare.

The Wednesday night games usually start at 7pm and by the time the game is over, we wait to see Daddy and get home it's after 10pm. I teach on Thursday's at 11am and my little man is exhausted. But it is all worth it.

John Thomas had his two year appt - weight 28lbs height 34 1/4. a little over 50th% in both. He is talking and trying to copy every word that comes out of your mouth :) of course his favorite words are - momma, dada, dee (for Kennedy) no and mine. He knows all the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters by name and Buzz, Woody and Hat. He believes Woody's hat is the third character.

I have also had two of my best friends come visit in the past month. Mandy, my best friend from Alabama, and Stephanie, my best friend from Arkansas, came a couple weeks later. They both enjoyed the freezing cold, snowy Ohio weather ;) I managed not to take a single picture during either visit. We had a blast and it was so nice to have friends visit me!! Especially while I am trying to heal from my miscarriage.

One final picture

Copying Mommy. I use the foam roller a lot and so does JT.

 I signed up for another marathon but training was adding stress to my life and making me feel overwhelmed so I have decided to only do the half and just enjoy it rather than stressing over the training for a full. I'm excited to travel to Nashville for the Country Music Marathon!