A cute picture from our Christmas adventures. I'll post more soon. Don't you want to just cover her in kisses?

James Thomas Wilson

Born December 29, 2010 at 6:37pm

8lbs 8oz

19 3/4 inches

Sweet Baby James is beautiful! Mother and baby are well.

"And from his fullness we have all received grace after grace." John 1:16

Welcome baby James! We love you so much already!

More Dance Moves from Mac

Mac's new dance moves. He kept Arden screaming with belly laughter for somewhere around 20 minutes earlier today. Brad caught the same moves later on video. You can barely hear music, but it's there.

Such a 21st Century Kid

Mac's latest pretend game? Recycling. Here is the game:

1. Empty shoe-box sized plastic toy bucket (the recycling bin).

2. Fill up bucket with miscellaneous items (items to be recycled).

3. Toss the items into closet (the recycling truck).

4. Nonchalantly toss the empty toy bin to the side in the room (the same way the man who picks up our recycling does).

He came up with this entirely on his own and never tires of it.

Tonight while making supper...

Mac: Mom, are you making a FEAST?

(Where on earth did he learn the word, "feast"?)

Me: Well...You might think it's a feast. I guess it depends on how you look at it.

Mac: (The child is SO literal!) I want to look at it!! Mom, let me look at it!

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In other news, we've taken close to 300 photos trying to get a good one for a Christmas picture (over the course of a week). We're working on it. I think I have a finalist...it has 2 children, not crying, looking in the general direction of the camera, entire faces are in the frame, in focus. Smiles? Who needs smiles? (Who gets smiles, simultaneously, from a 1 and 3 year old?? And how??)

Mac Funnies

{As I'm pulling brown sugar out of the pantry}

Mac: Mom! You've got cookie sugar! What are you doing with cookie sugar!??! Are we making cookies??

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Mac has some serious confusion on cupcakes and pancakes. Since his birthday he keeps pretending to be making pancakes. "Mom, I'm making pancakes for you!"

I suspected that he meant cupcakes, so today I asked him, "Are you making pancakes or cupcakes?"

"Pancakes."

"Did you eat a pancake on your birthday or a cupcake on your birthday?"

"I had a pancake on my birthday with candles in it."

Hmm.

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Mac likes to sing the son "God our Father" for the blessing. It's so cute--he sings it like this:

Gawd are Fah-der,

Gawd are Fah-der,

We dank you,

We dank you,

For our men-y BLESS-wings,

For our men-y BLESS-wings,

Ah-Ah-men

Ah-Ah-men.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The day of Mac's birthday party, he couldn't wait to have his cupcake. He repeatedly asked me throughout the day when he would get his cupcake. I told him again and again, "Wait for your party."

When guests began to arrive for his party, he began to get really excited about eating his cupcake. He kept asking me when it would be time. I answered that as soon as everyone arrived, we'd give him his cupcake.

We'd planned to sing to Mac first so he would not be antsy about having to wait for his cupcake while we sang to Arden. When everyone was ready, I told Mac it was finally time for his cupcake! I expected him to dash to the table in happy expectation. Instead, he flat-out ignored me.

"Mac, I said it's time for cake! Aren't you excited?"

"Mom, please give Arden her cake first!"

"Are you sure?"

"Please do Arden first."

So, we sang to Arden first. Then when it was Mac's turn, he reluctantly sat in his seat. I brought out the cupcake with three candles. Everyone began to sing. Mac's eyes began to fill with tears.

As the song went on, Mac became more and more visibly upset. His eyes were full of tears. His lips were quivering. He looked completely overwhelmed. I tried to comfort him and then helped him blow out his candles and gave him a big hug.

After that, he happily ate his cupcake.

Since then, he keeps telling me, "Mom, at my birthday, I don't like it when people sing. Please don't let people sing to me. Everyone was looking at me."

Apparently his Sunday School class sang to him as well--and he keeps telling me how much he didn't like that either.

So, we'll see if he changes his mind before he turns 4. But next year's party might involve only singing to Arden. And that's okay : )

Happy Birthday Mac! (A week late)

Dear Mac,

Happy Birthday! You are three! (And actually--you've been three for a solid week now! Sorry for the late birthday wish, but since we spent your actual birthday partying, the birthday weekend hosting houseguests, and the week following at the happiest place on earth, I didn't have time to sit down and write a real birthday letter to you. And since you can't read yet and don't know the difference, I don't think you'll mind. But I do hope you read this someday--and feel the depth of the love daddy and I have for you!)

What a year it's been! You began the year with a brand-new baby sister. I'm so proud of the big brother you've become. It touches my heart to see you be kind to your sister. I love watching the two of you play together and giggle together. (You LOVE to make her laugh.) Of course, there are plenty of times the sweet tender moments take a turn...like the other day when you wanted Arden to walk to you. Against my better judgement, I allowed it. She toddled from me to you...you welcomed her with open arms...and then you body slammed her. The sweet sibling moment ended in shrieks of pain from the "gurl" (as you call her). So...your big brother role is sweet--but also requires a fair amount of supervision from me!

You also have mastered so much language this year, and it's been amazing to watch. A year ago, you were forming simple 1 or 2 word sentences. Now, you are the master of the run-on sentence! It's wonderful and shed so much light on what goes on in your head. For example, here is a conversation we had today:

{Context: washing our hands after I helped you in the bathroom at cookout. The hosts had candle burning on the counter beside the sink.}

Mac: Oh no Mom! Watch out! There's fire right there!

Me: Mac, it's okay. It's just a candle. We do need to be careful around candles, but it's not going to hurt us if we don't touch it.

Mac: {pauses to consider} Oooooh. Is someone turning one?

It's been fun to watch you play this year. You've mastered the tricycle, and daddy and I think it's time for your first bicycle! You have become very good at (simple) jigsaw puzzles. You enjoy drawing, especially the letter "M". You've finally mastered the digger at the park (it's pretty tricky, but you've got it!). You love your Thomas the Train set and using legos to build tunnels and parking garages for your trains. The most significant change in your play this year has been the amount of make-believe! You love to pretend, and are always telling me one complicated scheme or another about what is "happening".

Along with play comes social life. It's funny to watch you play with others. You are generally more quiet around other kids than you are around us. You love playing with one or two other kids, but in a big crowd tend to stick to the edge of the crowd or play by yourself instead. You don't seem to be a ringleader, but you don't appear to be a follower either. I hope that makes you a "quiet leader"--but time will tell. You're quite at home with the "big kids" (youth group teenagers), and love when they come to our home, talking their ears off and inviting them into your room to play with your toys. You seem more comfortable around them than kids your own age--probably because they pay you so much attention and think everything you say and do is adorable.

You are stepping into the part of childhood when you beginning to understand that bad things can happen. With that has come some fear of things--like the dark. We try to keep you sheltered from scary images and ideas, but some cannot be avoided. The other day, we were looking a daffodil bulbs at Lowes when you pretty much jumped into my arms and buried your head in my neck. You had seen the Halloween decorations, including a very life-like witch, with a loud cackle and eyes that lit up. You would not move from the spot and I had to carry you (all 40 pounds, as we were told by the doctor last week)--while wheeling Arden in the shopping cart--out of the store. Now you won't go to Lowes--and I don't blame you! We try to help you take your fear to the Lord, praying with you and encouraging you to pray on your own when you are scared.

You've begun to ask many spiritual questions. We try to answer simply yet fully--a difficult task. It's such a blessing to see you interested in spiritual things. We pray continually for wisdom in guiding you. We pray continually that you will grow in your knowledge of the Lord and in your relationship with him.

This post would paint an untrue picture if I didn't mention your 3 year old WILL. You want things done YOUR WAY, and we will hear about it if things are not. You want fiercely to control the world around you, in any way you can. It's an interesting contrast--because you want so passionately to be in control, yet you also need to always know that WE (your parents) are in control. The irony--you (like all children) want control and fight for control--yet gaining control is also what you most fear (though you could never verbalize this), because it means your parents are no longer in control. I pray for wisdom continually in this balance.

The main thing I want you to know on your third birthday--how very deeply your daddy and I love you. We are so thankful for the gift of you. I love your sweet little boy self, I love you hands and feet and your sweet blonde hair. I love the words that come out of your mouth (usually!), and how you can't wait to show me when you've figured something out. I love watching you helping your sister. I love watching you tackle daddy when he comes home. I love seeing your little legs pumping the tricycle to go fast. I love hearing you "read to my buddies" at night (reading books in bed to your stuffed animals). I love who you are, and I love who you will become.

I pray that this year the gospel will become increasingly real to you.

I love you Mac. Happy Birthday!
Mama