The Only Thing Better...

Hi Everyone! Sorry it's been a while since my last post - who ever thought working 8 hours a week and taking care of a little one would be hard? I seriously thought it would be a piece of cake but as Ceej gets older he naps less frequently and less predictably so it's keeping me busy! Two more weeks - thank goodness!

So some of you may know that Ceej and I spent last week at my parents house visiting his Gran and Grandpa (who I'm still going to rally for him to call my Dad Papal because that's what I called my grandpas growing up - but that's still up for debate!).  My Dad, like always, is probably one of the hardest working men I know and has been working weekends. It had been about a month since they had seen Ceej so I wanted to take him there so my Dad could get some quality time with him. We had a great time just hanging out, seeing the animals at the park, going for Mexican and lots and lots of snuggles.

At Gas City Park going to see the animals for the first time!!

 He hooked his little finger in grandpa's shirt and held on tight while he napped - heart melted….

 Gran bought him a monkey and he hasn't let go since - move over Grover!

 Whatchu lookin at Billy Goat?

It was something my Dad said yesterday morning to me that inspired this post. Ceejy was up at 4am and knowing we had a long drive back home I wanted to a little extra sleep and I knew Gran and Grandpa were up and at em so I took Ceej to them to play with while I went back to sleep (which by the way didn't work and I ended up getting up anyways - ah the life of a momma!). But when I came back in to try and lay down a few minutes later my Dad came in, kissed me on the cheek and said "Thanks for coming home, it feels so good to have my baby girl back in her room. I love you." Cue the ugly tears - big time. I love my Dad - seriously guys - I cannot tell you how amazing he is. He always worked hard for us to be sure that we had the best life possible and now seeing him with Casey just melts my heart. He is so in love with this little guy it's incredible. He's told me numerous times that everyone told him how great Grandchildren would be but he never really knew what they meant until he met Ceej. 

And then there is Gran…Gran who has saved momma's sanity and taken the very best care of Ceej possible. Seriously - my mom is a saint. She is so patient and she honestly loves Ceej as if he were her very own. She is the voice of reason for me when I'm freaking out because he spit up, or because I think his head is flat, or because I think he's got issues with his feet and is bow legged. She reminds me to relax and enjoy him, and the moment, and not get caught up in the small stuff. I trust her implicitly with CJ and know she takes care of him just as well if not better than I do. My momma is my rock and I don't know what I would do without her.

That's why the title of this post was "The only think better…" and to finish that - "…than having you as my parents is my child having you as grandparents." I'm sorry it took us so long to finally make you grandparents - the love that I see in your eyes for him when you are giggling with him, trying to comfort him, feeding or rocking him or just hanging pulls at my heart strings in a way I never thought possible. Every single day with this little man it's like I discover a new piece of my heart (and a new ugly cry trigger haha) that I never knew was there. Thank you for being the best parents I could have ever wished for - me and Ceejy are so so lucky to have you.

I also thought a lot about what my dad said when he snuck into my dark room and I thought wow - I'm going to be the same way with Ceej one of these days. There will come a day when he's grown, moved away, maybe calls me every few days, perhaps has a wife and kids of his own and I will live for the moments when he is home, in his room where he "belongs". I never realized what it meant for my parents to truly miss us - I just thought well every kid grows up, moves away and starts a life and family of their own. But now that I have CJ I truly can appreciate how hard that has to be and trust me - as much as I can't wait to see what life has in store for my little miracle - that is not a day I look forward to. As I sit here and stare at him with tears in my eyes sleeping by my bedside (there's not a shot in hell he's going in his own room anytime soon!) - I just want to beg him and God - please please stay small forever sweet boy.

So for now, I will leave you with quite possible one of my favorite pictures of my little stud looking way too grown up for his britches...

XOXO
K