Baylen’s 2nd Birthday

Yesterday Baylen turned 2! The joy of the Lord was so present as we celebrated our amazing little guy. I tried really hard to put aside all of my chores, laundry, ect, and spent extra time focusing on him. As I intentionally observed him playing and laughing and interacting with his sisters, my heart overflowed with praise as I marveled at the handiwork of our Creator. He molded Baylen together so beautifully and uniquely. Baylen’s the only Baylen in the whole world.

A glimpse of our day…

The birthday boy slept in until 7:30ish and I had his favorite breakfast waiting for him. He gobbled down oatmeal, strawberry-banana greek yogurt, a glass of orange juice in his new Lightning McQueen tumbler, and an egg. Big boy breakfast right there!We hung around the house and played while the girls took their morning naps, and then headed to his 2 year doctor appointment. The doc told us we have a healthy boy on our hands, and he’s in the 50th percentile for height and weight. Afterward we ran to Target for a few things, picked up a personal pan cheese pizza (another Bay fave) from Pizza Hut Express on the way out, and headed home for lunch. Then we made cupcakes together before his afternoon nap. He loves helping me bake. His job was to line the cupcake tin and pour the ingredients in the mixer. And taste test the batter, which is really his sole motivating factor for helping me.They baked while he slept and after he woke up we frosted them! Which he LOVED, especially since most of the frosting landed in his mouth.After the girls woke up from their afternoon naps we headed to the park to let the sugar high run its course. I can actually just sit and watch him now without freaking out that he’s gonna hurt himself. When did he start climbing ladders?! We headed back home and played some more until Daddy came home with Baylen’s favorite meal: sesame chicken! The boy loves him some chinese. Then we put the girls to bed and let him stay up a little later to have a mini birthday party with mom and dad. In the last few months he’s become a pro at blowing. He’ll blow on his food when he sees steam coming from it, so we were excited to let him try to blow out his candles. We helped him the first time, and then he insisted that we relight them so he could try again. After four rounds he blew them both out at the same time and was content to be done. He’s determined like that.Next it was time for his presents. We started by giving him two small trains to open, and he yelled “CHOO-CHOO!” We could have just stopped there and he would have been thrilled. But the finale was a wooden train track set. Seeing the excitement on his face was priceless. It was kind of a buzz kill when we told him we had to wait until morning to play with it, but it was pretty awesome this morning when “CHOO-CHOO!” were the first words to come out of his mouth, and after breakfast we went to work setting up his track. 

It’s a true joy to watch this sweet, joyful, determined, stubborn, jokester of a boy grow. There’s nothing else I’d rather do than spend my days with him.

The same is true of our God, no? He loves watching us grow. He loves when we are true to how He created us, and loves seeing us use the gifts and personalities He’s given us. He loves blessing us. He loves surprising us. We are special to HIM. There is no one else in the whole world just like us.

Thank you Lord, for special events like birthdays that remind us of the miracle of life. You are an amazing creator, and I praise you for the first two years with Baylen Jacob. Lord, I ask that you would remind my readers of the miracle of their lives today. Remind them that your love for them is extravagant, that you dance over them in celebration of who they are, that they are beautifully and uniquely made to glorify you. 

Amber

*This post is part of a 31 Day Challenge to write about Seeing God in Ordinary Moments. Visit my landing page here for links to all the posts.

P.S. For more reflections on parenthood and life, follow us on Facebook (Hun Let’s Run) and on Instagram: @ambermariekuiper and @jakekuiper! We’d also love for you to subscribe to our Hun, Let’s Run Podcast! For more info about joining our fitness community as a customer or coach, please email us at amber@mommysmetime.com!