Got my first flowers today. Nathan was at Drill, and Iliya and I were out playing with some new sidewalk chalk I got for him. He had lost interest in the sidewalk chalk and wandered over to a patch of clover in the front yard. Next thing I knew I had the "bud" of a clover flower thrust in my face and Iliya said, "flowers, mama!" I thanked him profusely so he proceeded to pick me "more flowers"...the funny thing is that he would pick the clover flower, stem and all...and on his way to hand it to me, he would tear the flower from the stem and just give the bud to me.

He has always been a sweet & mostly cuddly child, but lately, his displays of affection have become stronger and way more spontaneous, which is really cool. He throws his arms around me and says, "maMama!" (which, I *think* is my mama) or "hug, mama!". He also has taken an interest in playing with my hair (should've cut it sooner! haha).

There are plenty of frustrations...his loudness at inappropriate times, his stubbornness, his two-year-old indecisiveness, his low patience levels, his never ceasing curiosity about all things with buttons. His behavior (in public) has been known to embarrass me to no end.

But at the end of the day, I know he's just a normal 2-year old with a normal mama who's worried that everyone is watching and critiquing. And I know this. He is mine and I am his. I have flower buds to prove it.