Happy Birthday Will!

The Birthday boy with his Happy Meal!











His Cars cupcake.

Opening presents...

My lil' man Will is two today! It is amazing to me that it has only/already been 2 years since this Will-full boy joined our family. When he was first born, it was a hard time in our lives. My mom was back in NJ undergoing tests and sadly getting the news that her cancer had returned. She had been with me for Jack and Ella-Kathryn's births, so her absence was profound.

My water broke that morning, about 5ish, and we gathered the other two kiddos up and headed off to the hospital. Soon my sweet friend K came to pick up EK and Jack (he had his first season of football that year) and all of a sudden my contractions pretty much stopped. What in the world. I'd never experienced my water breaking, so I thought this time we would be in and out in record time. Oh well! I was given some meds to keep labor going and finally at 1ish, William Charles was born. Here's the thing - he was a great baby until Christmas. I don't know if it was all of the hustle of having company for the holidays, his scheduled I'm sure was pushed all around, but by the New Year, he was a mess. And he's stayed that way ever since! He has been a terrible sleeper and eater, although we are now beginning to see some turn around in those areas. I know we are responsible for much of his issues, we were simply too tired to really push him to sleep better/longer, but truthfully, he is all around a willful child. He and I recently got into a battle of the wills over his need to say "yes, mommy" after I had given him a direction. He screamed for THIRTY minutes! He is fiercely independent about somethings, and then others, only his mommy can do. He has figured out how to open all of our doors, to let Chewie out of his crate, and he rides his big wheels down the driveway at an alarming rate of speed. He adores his big brother and sister and is so sweet with his little baby brother, always wanting to hold him and kiss or pat his head. This dear, tender, funny boy tries my patience and then some, but at the end of the day, he is too precious for words. Happy 2nd birthday lil man!