Made in Richmond

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JR,

Ohhhhhh, JR.

Ok, first, let me say that I love you more than anything. You are the biggest joy in my life.

But daaaaaaaang, kid.

Your twos haven’t been so terrible overall, but the last few weeks have been…challenging.

I keep trying to remind myself that you’re always on the dramatic side before a big milestone — three is just around the corner, after all. Meanwhile, potty training is going on and your buds at school keep moving up to the pre-school class ahead of you (you’ll see them a couple weeks after your birthday). I just think it’s a lot for your mind to process.

Also, people are just crabby sometimes, and I tend to forget that, yes, you are an actual *person*.

***

You spent last weekend with your Grandma while your Dad and I went out of town for Aunt Phanie’s wedding. When I called to check on you, Grandma sounded very tired when she said, “Does he always *talk* this much?” Ha. Haha. Hahahahahahaha. She has no idea. You are just about the chattiest kid ever, particularly with people with whom you feel very comfortable. It’s fun to see what you want to talk about though. Lately you’ll say things like “Ummmm, let’s talk about things that are yellow” or brown or whatever color is on your mind. Then we name things that are that color, before moving on to another. I’m sure this is something your teachers say, but it still cracks me up.

***

Storytime at the library seems to be your most favorite thing these days. You love to sing and to see the other kids. Picking out movies and books is the highlight of your week. You always seem so surprised that the library will just let us take all! these! books! home! You have VERY little interest in your own books and only want to read the ones from the “li-berry.”

***

I had to go to the Children’s Museum to cover something for work, and since it’s obviously a kid-friendly venue, you got to join me. We hadn’t been for a very long time, and you just about lost your mind with excitement. You loved the pretend autoshop the most because you got to pretend to change tires and pump gas. You kept shouting, “IT’S JUST LIKE LIGHTNING MCQUEEN!”

***

We sing songs every night, and lately you’ve only had tolerance for what you call “hard” songs. These are typically songs we sing in church or whatever songs I can come up with that aren’t on the typical toddler’s playlist.

A current favorite is “Beautiful Boy.” You know all the words now — good thing because most of the time I get choked up and can’t finish it…

Close your eyes,
Have no fear,
The monsters gone,
He’s on the run and your [mama's] here,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,
Darling,
Darling,
Darling [Jackson].

Sometimes you sing “Beautiful Mama” instead. And then I die from the sweet.

Love,
Mama

Whenever I walk into a room, I would like someone to start playing this…

Or this…

ORRRRR a mash-up of the two.

Thanks.

(Picture by Ross)

You guys. My kid is killing me these days. KILLING ME.

I suppose I’m due. I always said that since JR was an incredibly easy baby, he was surely saving it for when he becomes a teenager.

I guess I just underestimated when the butt-headedness would show up. Because, boy howdy, it’s here. And it’s trying to slowly melt my brain.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my son entirely. But I feel like it’s a bad sign when I see a commercial like the one below and start hollering at the TV, “That’s it! They understand meeeeeeeeeeeee!”

I know that, for whatever reason, this image is going to be burned into my memory forever. This boy…