Because you're two.

My Little Lucas,
You turned two this week. Had you stayed on schedule in the beginning you would still be one until late August. But my sweet Lucas, now that we know your personality, we know you never stay on schedule.

Because you're two you think you can make all the decisions. You like to be independent as long as mommy is close by. Not daddy, or Noah- just mommy. We are attached and going strong, separation anxiety doesn't look like it's ending anytime soon. We love to snuggle and tickle. You crawl into bed with us every night, sometimes gentle but usually like a monster crawling under my covers. Your bold personality starts right when you wake up. 

Because you're two you love to dance. The "happy song" is on constant repeat in our life. We love to watch how happy it really makes you. Forget soothing lullabies- let's jam to Happy before bed. You love applesauce, pizza, milk (in a toy story cup) and any kind of cookie. The pantry doors have to stay locked because you my friend, love to snack! 

Because you're two you love to run, jump, shriek and wrestle. You're all boy and aren't afraid to show it. My favorite thing you say right now is "Yep". Ask you a question and it's Yep- not yes or yea. Always "Yep". With your mischievous smile accompanying it. The energy and life you bring to our family makes us feel complete. 

I thank God every day for bringing me my sweet Lucas. He chose me for you and trusted that I would be the best mom. The past two years have been a blessing, time to power through the terrific twos and watch your personality keep changing. Because you're two and you're my Luca- you always keep us guessing. 

Thank you for being two and bringing crazy love into our lives. You have taught us life is full of the unintentional and you have taught me to embrace it.

Love mommy. 

Dance it Out #embracelovingyou

Habits are hard to break. Hating on myself while getting dressed is an old habit that I'm working on kicking. But let's face it, once something is done for so long it's your automatic go to. Being mean to myself is engrained in me. Even when I am working on it so hard.
Have you seen this Dove ad? It makes me cry every time...

It really is an epidemic. We are hard on ourselves. We can't see what others see. There are campaigns all over the place about loving our real beauty but it's a slow moving change. You still hear about how so and so lost this much baby weight or this person has been working hard for that bride to be body. Why not stand up and say- I love who I am and I love the way I look!

Channel JLo and pose it out in your backyard.. I promise it boosts the self esteem. 

Remembering to fight the mean words with LOVE. Love yourself inside and out. List the things you do love about yourself, work really hard at it until you believe it! Because it's easy to list those things you want to change (I've shared that) but what about the things you love? Find a friend, someone who you know loves you and ask- what do you like about me? Then share what you love with them. AND then share what you love about yourself. Say it out loud and be proud of it. Empower one another to be kind to yourselves. It may seem like you're fishing for compliments but NO- it's sharing love with each other.
Then bump some old school Jennifer Lopez (I suggest Jenny From the Block) and have a dance party. It's a serious mood lifter.

JLo dance party with a 2 year old is good for the soul.

and the silly outtake for you, once a cheerleader always a cheerleader?

Love yourself this week, #embracelovingyou

Doing it for me.

I started swimming last week. It's something I've wanted to pick up for awhile and always made excuses as to why I couldn't. Sometimes they were valid excuses but none the less I chose not to try it out. I'm not an exercise  person. I don't enjoy it, I don't get endorphins and I most definitely don't run anywhere unless someone is chasing me. Even then I would probably get caught. I do know you have to train yourself and work up to being an exercise person. The desire just has never been there.

Well in this journey to love me more I wanted to work on the health portion as well. I want to be a mom that is around for my boys. I want to be able to maybe not keep up with them but at least not have to sit out all the time. I chose swimming because I loved it growing up and I knew it is actually a really good workout. What I didn't know was how hard of a workout it actually is! 

So at first I was like 

And then I spent an hour swimming- I was out of breathe, I could feel my muscles trying to figure out what the heck was going on and I could tell I should've stopped a little sooner. But I didn't want to. 

Being in the water felt amazing. Yes tiring but I realized that it was this huge stress relief for me. You can't really think in the water, it's a lot of focusing (and for right now it's a lot of remembering to breathe for me!). I love that your under water, only able to really hear yourself swimming those laps.

I was doing it for myself and I was enjoying it. I've stuck to it for a week, they say it take 3 weeks to form a habit. Here's to a habit that I don't want to break. 

What are you choosing to do for yourself?