Things that make me smile :)

James has been doing so many things lately that make me laugh until I cry. He's now officially closer to three than two and whether I want to admit it or not, he is hardly a baby anymore. He says now that he's my "big boy baby." I'll take it while it lasts. :) His little personality has just blossomed - I love who God has made him.

I just wanted to record a few cute stories of our life with him lately - before he's just my "big boy" and not my "big boy baby" anymore.


1. James and Daddy have been having "boy's night" once a week while I go to a women's Bible study. The first week that I attended, I came home to a story that really made laugh. Stephen told me that they went to Walmart and browsed the toy aisles. James came across an etch-a-sketch and said that he wanted one. Stephen told him that maybe Mama and Daddy could get him one for Christmas or that we could ask Santa for one. He thought about it for a minute and said matter-of-factly "No, I want Ma Collins to get me one." (Grandma Collins is my mother's mother, and his Great-grandma.) Since we don't live close to her or get to see family in South Carolina as often as we'd like, it really tickled me that she came to his mind. I called her later that week to tell her the story (I knew she would love that he mentioned her), and I told her that an etch-a-sketch would be a great idea to get him for Christmas. A few days later we  found a package at the door - she didn't wait until Christmas. He is definitely not lacking for anything - especially people that love him. :)

2. James loves animals, and so we visit Petsmart quite a bit and just look at the fish, birds, cats, etc with James. It's free entertainment, and he thinks that it's just the best thing to "go see the pets!" On our last visit he asked if he could bring this little grasshopper pull toy with us. We agreed but didn't think much about it. When we got inside and he was pulling it behind him in the store, I realized that he asked to bring it because he was trying to walk his "pet" on it's "leash" like he's seen all the other dog owners do in Petsmart on previous visits. At first I thought it was precious, and then my little softie heart could not take it. I found an employee and asked "What is the cheapest and easiest fish that we could purchase for our 2 year old son?" And now we are officially the proud owners of "Water", a female beta fish. :) And he absolutely adores his "pet."

3. He has so many little phrases and funny things that he says lately. He uses the word "yeppers" (he says that Daddy taught him that one) now. And his most beloved phrase that he uses when he is surprised by something is "Oh, chicken fingers!" That one continues to make us laugh. He says that he heard it on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...probably true! :) He says things like, "I want to visit the Statue of Liberty soon" and I constantly ask myself where he comes up with these things. He also woke up at 4 a.m. on Sunday morning and would not go back to sleep, because as I was putting him to sleep the night before he was being very inquisitive and I told him that I would, per his request, find out about "what the white stuff was on the mice" in his animal video when he woke up in the morning. And so early the next morning, he was ready to hold me to my word (he is very literal!) I will never let questions about life's great mysteries ever go unanswered before bedtime again, believe me! It was not funny at 4 a.m., but honestly, it's one of the things that I love about him the most. I hope he never stops asking questions.

4. I love that he is forming his own opinion about many things including what he likes to wear. This outfit of choice made me laugh until I cried. I love that he marches to the beat of his own drum, and I hope he always will be proud of who he is and who God made him. :) I pray that he'll always be an imitator of Jesus and nobody else.