And just like that, our Maverick is TWO!

Two years ago at this time, I was sitting on my mother-in-law's couch in clothes that barely still fit timing contractions and praying for them to continue. If I close my eyes, I can remember how the low lighting from the lamps in the room, how swollen my feet felt (after all, I had walked 4 miles the days before trying to induce labor, and worked all day that day), and the torment I felt wondering if it was the right decision for Brittney to come home from the mountains. I remember feeling so torn because I knew I was having contractions, but I knew they weren't coming regularly either, and I was going to feel really bad if she took Corben out of school and drove 3 hours home for nothing, especially since I was still 11 days from my due date.

I remember sinking back into the burgundy cushions, and praying, begging God to please let these be real contractions. I couldn't be pregnant another day. The skin across my belly actually hurt it was so stretched thin. My skin was wrecked with stretch marks (that I was already depressed about, but whatever, I could only focus on trying to keep having contractions at this point) and my back ached, and my ribs screamed.

I woke up in the middle of the night that night and I knew. I knew I was having a baby the next day. I was so excited I could barely go back to sleep. I crawled back in bed and whispered to Brandon that we were going to have a baby that day and to go back to sleep, that I would let him know when it was time. At 7:00am, my eyes popped open with the pain of a very real, very pronounced contraction. I was ecstatic! I immediately grabbed my phone and began timing the contractions. We were having a baby!

(Side note: at this point I stopped blogging and went back to read Maverick's birth story, which maybe I'll post after I take some of the TMI details out.)

Fast forward 23.5hours later and I was holding my precious baby on my chest. I know this is going to sound so cliche, but I needed that baby. God knew exactly what I needed at that time in my life, before I ever knew I needed him. If you've followed our story over the last 2 years, or know what we've been through at all, you may know that essentially our world has been turned upside down, and then shaken up for good measure. I'll give a quick synopsis to catch you up to speed: In the last 2 years we've had a baby, sold a house, bought a house, totaled a car, bought a car, changed jobs,  and changed our church. (More on this later)

Maverick was literally the calm in the storm. He was a baby who rarely fussed, barely ever cried, and had the affect of an angel. People routinely asked if he ever made a peep, and I got to the point that I actually craved my baby. It was like I needed him to recharge, like he was the focal point in a spinning world. In a way, I was clinging to God by clinging to my baby. If you've ever been in a place in your life where you feel desperate for God to take over, you know what I mean. Maverick kept me grounded, and kept me sane. When I felt like I was spiraling out of control as parent of a wild 3 year old, Maverick assured me it would be OK. When I was nervous about being in the way or being too loud in someone else's house (I was living with my mother-in-law and didn't want to be a nuisance!) Maverick's calm spirit would assure me it would be fine. When I worried about our jobs and our future and our finances, Maverick was there. He was the constant in a life that seemed to be always evolving. So much changed in such a short period of time in our lives and to know I could count on his sweet temperament was gold.

I sometimes think back to those crazy months, and wonder if I clung to Maverick too much, but then I stop and think that maybe that was God's gift to me. An anchor in the midst of a stormy sea. A lifeline to hold onto until the waves calmed. Either way, the child was an angel and any thought about being able to love him as much as Paxton dissolved right away. My heart grew for that child and I cannot imagine our family without him.

Two years later and I still find myself sitting back to watch him in awe. This sweet child, who looks so much alike and yet different from his older brother, is such a beautiful complement to our family. He's starting to talk so much now, and its like this really fun game that we get to play all day with him, piecing together the words he says to repeat back to him the sentence he wants to say.

"Mommy. Fast Choo Choo. Go. Mommy" Translation: Mommy, go fast like a train (choo choo).

"Daddy. 'Poon Peas. Help. Eat Daddy." Translation: Daddy, help me eat with my spoon please.

"Daddy. 'Pit. Llama. Daddy. Face. Hahahaha" Translation: Daddy, the Llama spit in your face. Hahaha"

He says pretty much whatever he wants to say, and can get his point across 95% of the time.

I love this child with my whole heart and I'm so grateful that God gave him to us. I honestly can't imagine life without him and lately I've found myself praying more and more for his future. I'm so excited to see his personality develop (Lawd, is he stubborn. Even more so than Pax!) and I recognize a fierceness in him that I see in myself. I love the way he demands to be rocked before agreeing to lay down in bed, even if its for just minutes. What mom doesn't secretly want to snuggle their baby before bed?! I cherish the little fishy kisses he gives and I hope he never outgrows giving those. I adore that mischievous smile and those pudgy little fingers. I still giggle when we're going through the "where are your eyes? Where are your toes?" game and he shouts with glee ELBOWWWW and grabs his little knees like he's just pulled the biggest trick on us. :)

I love that he says "Peas" and "Thank you Mommy" and "'mon"(short for c'mon).  And I hope I always remember the way he says "Hold Jew" (Hold you... which means "hold me mommy") and holds his little arms up to me.

I love this baby. I really can't put it into words. I just can't but I wish I could. I hope he knows just how precious he is and how his Daddy and I pray for him and his future spouse and his salvation.

To my sweet, precious Mavvy: You are so special and important and so loved. Be kind - overly kind - and think of others. You are smart and thoughtful, so use those qualities to love others in a big way and do big things. Your daddy and I are rooting for you and will always, always love you. These 2 years are chock full of memories with you and I'm so blessed to have a lifetime more to look forward to. I love you, sweet Mav, and Happy Birthday. Happy, happy birthday!