Born in a Nest to Die on a Tree

Where's Jacky

A couple of nights ago I was resting with Jacky at bedtime {in his big boy bed} and I asked him, "Who loves you?" This was not a strange question because it's one we often ask him, to which he replies enthusiastically, "Mommy loves Jacky!" {or Daddy- depending on who asked} On this occasion he didn't stop with "Mommy"- he kept going with the list of people who "love Jacky." He was going through his list- "Daddy loves Jacky, and Mimi loves Jacky, Claire loves Jacky, Jesus loves Jacky, Papa loves Jacky, Coco loves Jacky, Grandma and Grandpa love Jacky, Missy loves Jacky, Jon Jon loves Jacky, Nana and Grandpa love Jacky..."
 I couldn't believe he said,

Jesus loves Jacky

so I said, "Jesus does love Jacky!" and he just said, "Yes- Jesus in his nest loves Jacky" and continued his list of all the family members and friends that love Jacky. 

There were two things that really struck me about this little conversation with my little two year old boy: 

He knows Jesus.  He knows Jesus loves him.  Of course he is only 2 and he doesn't understand salvation or sin or the cross, or even how truly incomprehensible and incredible it is that we are loved by the Creator of the universe; but he knows Jesus loves him.  

That is why the Lord sent his only son to die for our sins, because of his LOVE for us, so that we could be reconciled to Him, and have abundant life {here and now- not just for eternity}.  To know His love is the greatest journey.  I want Jack to know His love. To walk with Him, to seek Him, and to know the peace, strength, power, forgiveness, and abundant life that is found in loving Him. 

He knows Jesus at the beginning of His story. Jack described Jesus as in his nest.  His picture of Jesus is the baby in the "nest" of straw in the manger.  Jack doesn't yet understand that the rest of Jesus' story, and His ultimate act of LOVE for him, was on a tree- when he died on the cross.  This sweet little boy is just at the very beginnings of his walk with the Lord, but I pray that as he grows, so will his love for our Savior Jesus, who  "loves Jacky" so dearly.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

Big Boy Bed and Musings on Time

Bye bye crib. Well, at least for a few months.

Jack with his "buddies" before we dismantled his crib.

Yesterday was a monumental day in the Bradford home. We dismantled Jack's crib and replaced it with a brand new twin bed! I teared up a little as I untied his sail boat bumper, and took off the bed skirt and sheet.  I can't believe he is done with his crib.  At the risk of sounding cliche, Im just going to say it, he is growing up too fast.

I have determined that becoming a parent subsequently results in a change in the passage of time.  It is different now.  Years signify huge changes in the life (or lives) of these tiny people you are responsible for.  It is not something I can explain to anyone who is not a parent, but if you are, you know what I mean.  Now months and years are marked by milestones of someone else's life instead of your own.  Being a parent changes you, and it should.  Sure I still have a birthday, but being 25, 26, or 27....it doesn't matter. {However, this year is my Golden Birthday! I am turning 27 on the  27th, so that's kind of exciting}.  I just keep wondering how Jack went from a new baby who slept, ate and pooped; to a two year old who speaks in sentences, sings "Jingle Bells" and jokes around about "sepping in poop." He has quite a sense of humor.

He wasn't sure he wanted his boats to go bye bye. 

Helping Daddy build his big boy bed! He calls himself, "Workerman Jack"

Watching Daddy...still not quite sure what to think

Well all of this is to say he is in a big boy bed now.  Last night was a little rough, but today he slept almost 4 hours in his bed for his nap.  He would have kept sleeping, but I woke him up because I was afraid he wouldn't sleep tonight.  I didn't sleep much last night.  I had the same nervous feeling as the first night he slept in his crib in his room, instead of in the cradle next to me.  I checked the monitor at every little movement that I heard {video monitor= best thing EVER}.  So I'm hoping for a little more sleep tonight.

He loves his Curious George Big Boy Bed!

Update: It has been almost a week now and he is doing great! We have had a couple of nights of him waking up and getting out of bed, but for the most part he sleeps all night in his big boy bed! 

We did have one funny/sad incident though. The second night I was checking on him on the monitor and I couldn't see him.  I figured he just moved out of view of the monitor. That was around 10:30pm. Around midnight Sean came to bed and I still couldn't see Jack. I asked Sean to just go in and check on him. He went in Jack was not on the bed. He was not on the pillows we put on the floor just in case he fell out.  All he saw was was two little legs sticking out from 

UNDERNEATH THE BED!  

It was like the Wizard of Oz when the  house lands on the Wicked Witch of the West, except so sad because it was my baby boy...sleeping under the bed.  He was sound asleep and Sean carefully picked him up and tucked him back in. I felt like a terrible mom, although it was a little funny.  We did buy a bed rail, but they all require a box spring, which he doesn't have, so we put up a chair and pillows now so he doesn't fall out. 

xo