These are the days.

I took this picture last week and it's become one of my favorite pictures, always making me smile when I see it on my phone. I know there will come a day when the toddler years are behind us and I think back and have memories of it sometimes being difficult; after all, it's the phase of independence, some fits being thrown, potty training, some picky eating going on, and messes. I know I won't remember all the exact moments... but I never want to forget some of the little things about these days: The way his little voice says "mommy" and how his little hands feel when they wrap around my neck for a hug or when he tickles me. The weird/funny obsession with wearing socks on his hands and stacking hats on his head. The way he says "you're welcome" instead of "thank you" and we can't figure out how to explain to him that he has it backwards. Or how he sometimes says "Diddy" but a lot of the time he refers to his dad as "Tony" and thinks it's funny. How much he loves looking at the moon each night and throws up a high-five for it then says, "goodnight moon". The excitement of knowing his letters, numbers, animal sounds and how he yells "hooray" when we sing 'If You're Happy and You Know It'. How much he loves our gentle dog Molly and wants so badly for her to be a pony for him to ride. It's all these little unique things, his big belly laugh while he throws his head back, and so much more that make being a mom the best thing I've ever done. Honestly, I love watching him grow and even though some days are really long.... some days, I look at my kid, sitting on the bed while I sort laundry, wearing socks on his hands and his (too small) beach hat on his head, and can't help but pause, laugh a little at how crazy my child is, and thank God for this adventure!

Side note: We were watching America's Funniest Home Videos the other evening and this kid isn't even 2 years old yet and you would not believe how hard he was dying laughing at watching that show, and especially the segments where people fall. Seriously, we took video and it's the funniest thing ever--- I don't think we've laughed that hard in a really long time!