Over-Dramatic

The house is very, very quiet right now - something I am completely unused to. Both of my boys are asleep. Or, I guess I should say all of my boys are asleep as even the dogs are off snoring somewhere.
We had a busy day yesterday and while I kinda wish I was snoozing too, I am still coming down after 9 hours of work. And my stomach is grumbling which means I'm going to have to get off of my butt and cook some dinner here soon.
There's no napping for this Mama.
I knew I would write this post sometime this week. I wasn't sure if I would wait until Saturday or write it earlier or even later...but I knew that it would have to wait until I could be in the quiet, where my thoughts could bleed freely without interruption.
Henry is turning three. I am going to have a THREE year old.
I know that it may seem that I'm being a bit over-dramatic about the whole ordeal, and I assure you that that's probably true. But over-dramatic is the only way I can think to describe the way that it feels to think about three entire years coming and going since this little boy entered our lives.
Three years of ups and downs, of learning what works and what doesn't.
Three years of wiping away tears and giving hugs and kisses and holding him tight and wishing time to stand still.
But it never does. Time does not stand still for anyone - no matter how over-dramatically you ask it to.
I look at him as he's laying so peacefully asleep, curled up in his Daddy's chair, and it's all I can do not to go scoop him up and sniff deep the familiar smell of boy - dirt, sweat, and still that hint of baby. I love it. And I know one day I'll miss it.
I wonder sometimes how mother's do it. I even had the thought earlier this week that God must have created mother's simply for the purpose of praying for their children until they learned to pray for themselves. And as silly as that may sound to some, I seriously fear the day that my grandmother passes on because I know that a great prayer warrior will no longer be praying for me.
Honestly though - how often do you think of your child? How often do tears run freely in both joy and worry and love and hope and fear? For me - it's often. And it's both wonderful and terrifying to know that my baby has grown up this much already. And it's both wonderful and terrifying to know that he has a lot of growing yet to do.
Three years. I cannot believe it. Three entire years.
I hope I have not failed him as a mother in any way. I hope that he will look back one day and know that I gave my entire self to him so that I could see him grow and become something great and wonderful. I hope he will always remember that I love him and that I break and bleed and smile and laugh and live in a completely different way since he was born.
I hope one day he has a three year-old, and that he breathes in a deep understanding of what it's like to sit staring at a tiny face - so perfect and round - and pour love and wishes for wonderful things, but break because of the swiftness of precious time rushing by.
I hope he has a wonderful third birthday, and I hope that I can keep it together. Every year seems harder to grasp. Every years seems to come and go faster than the last. I want to bottle this time and keep it trapped forever so that I never miss even the smallest of details.
Am I being over-dramatic? I don't think so... as far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as an 'over-dramatic' love, especially when it comes to that of a mother's.

Henry's 3 Year Photos

Since I had Saturday off of work and our schedule for the next few weeks is packed to the max, I took advantage of the free time and took Henry's 3 year photos. Having an ice-cream theme for his birthday this year has turned out to be SO MUCH FUN! Don't you agree?

(If you live in my area and are interested in having photos done, contact me through my website: www.oveycreations.com - Pleasant Hill, Troy, and Dayton, Ohio Lifestyle and Child Photographer)

Henry's 3rd Birthday Theme

I racked my brain for two long months to decide what 'theme' we were going to have for Henry's birthday this year. I asked him over and over again what he would like to have and he just kept telling me 'No party! CHOCOLATE CAKE MOMMY!' Okay, okay...to my dismay, I will be trading out the delicious butter pecan cake I've made the last two years for a chocolate one. Anything to please my boy!
Still, the fact that he really isn't into anything new and obviously doesn't care what we have did not make my decision easier. I honestly thought of just bright colors and the number 3, no big deal, no big theme, no hassle. Just a good old plain birthday party with friends and family...and chocolate cake. But this honestly made me sad. I LOVE planning his birthday every year, it's one of my absolute favorite things to do.
So I thought and thought and brainstormed and asked Henry over and over and over again if he would like 'this' party or 'that' party (and he always told me no) until finally I said 'Henry, do you want to have an ice-cream party this year with lots and lots of ice-cream and goodies to put on top?' and to my absolute pleasure and surprise, the kid got excited about it and said yes.
I had my theme and so I started brain-storming, browsing Pinterest, and coming up with fun ideas. I won't give all of those away yet - I'd rather photograph all the fun at his party next month, but I did finish (I think it's finished, tell me it's finished so I'll stop playing with it...) his invitation!

I think it turned out pretty cool. And because I like to be all nostalgic, here are the invitations I made from the first two years:

Henry's Planes, Trains & Automobile's 2nd birthday.

Henry's Puppy 1st birthday.