dude just dominates the day.

it seems like somedays i'm leading a 3 ring circus around here, with just one child.

he's a busy one.  jumping from activity to activity, toy to toy, room to room, leaving little tornadoes everywhere he goes.

i realized the other day that i spend most of the day running after him, playing damage control.

sometimes i think i'm pathetic, as i spend HOURS picking up HIS stuff.

but really?  it gives me purpose.  

i'm weird and have a "way" i like to put all the toys. all the crayons. all the gadgets. all the stuff.

back in ORDER.

i like order :)

i usually make him help me "teen up", as he pronounces it, but he lasts for about 4.8 seconds.

regardless, he has fun and i get to organize and reorganize and clean up the same stuff all day. every day.

but you know what?

i sort of actually love it.

i love my job :)

i think i'll call myself the home organizing engineer.

i mean, why not add engineer to the title?

here's romes in bunch of crappy cell phone pictures, just out and about, escapading around the house:

 {keeping his lungs up and running}

 {single fisting the masterpiece}

 {double fisting}

 {peeking out from his "2 biiiiig bankies"}

 {building a tower, and exclaiming, "i did it!"  and then building another one and shouting, "2 did its!"}

 {watching bob the builder.  the only way i can take a shower without someone standing right.THERE. the whole time}

 {helping mommy with her ridiculous popsicle consumption}

 {probably the result of me saying, "no more bob the builder, time to read books"}

 {building things.  dude could build all day.}

 {whoops? how did this one get in there?  this is one of my "let's make these cows sit in awkward positions sessions"}

{stinky face}

so there you have it folks.  a little view into how little romes dominates his days.

ps. he turns TWO on saturday.

? i know.  the cliche, "they grow up sooo fastttt....wahhhhh"

but they do.

and it's sad.

and he better not ever get married.

or have any girlfriends.

{ha!}

unless it's eden, or lucy, or rose :)

the week we were circus freaks.

either it's just momma issues.  or maybe it's being preggo.

regardless, i can't sleep very well.

it seems like around 2 or 3am i wake up.  

and then i'm all MUST.THINK.OF.ALL.THE.THINGS.

for about 2 hours.

and then i usually wind up on my phone, pintresting random things that i'll probably never refer to anyways, stumbling upon all these cool instagramers that obvi use way better filters than i, and of course, old faithful himself: facebook.

this particular night, union station basically said, hey guys!  the circus is coming.

so.  romes and i made a week of it.

we watched the train roll into town and unload the elephants and horses.

 and we watched them walk to the sprint center.  tails in trunks.

the next day, we watched them devour whole fruits and veggies for lunch,

as they prepared for their opening night.

and then romes and i had lunch too.

at the P&L.

i told romy, momma and daddy used to have quite a bit of fun here.

but i didn't get into any specifics.

{ahem, celia.........cartwheels?}

romy heard my speaking of fun, and took it to his own level.

he chose to "raise the roof" and sprint around the entire P&L "living room"

and, then we capped off our week by officially reaching groupie status.

we went to the circus.

i'm trying to look like a mormon mommy blogger with my ruby lips.

kidding.

they're painted red, compliments to celia, who sent me this fabulous

"lip marker" by TopShop.

i'm in wuv.

you should get some too.

 anyways.

back to the circus.

romy only asked to be "all done" a few times.

he loved the elephants.  the tigers.  the horsies.  

and the people who climbed "up and up and up" (the ladders)

oh.  and he gobbled up the popcorn.

by the end, he had mastered multiple sounds of the circus.

our little roman.

well, hello  :)  

i have to tell you, i've had all these pictures of roman, just sitting in this post, for about 3 weeks now.

and i've began writing multiple posts to go with them,

but i never finish them, i come back to finish, and decide to rewrite it,

and then i don't finish that one either, and the cycle continues.

so.  i'm going to stop the cycle madness.

and just let my fingers flow with typing, as they slowly open up the door to my thoughts.

...

  if i could just freeze time right now.

and life was just the three of us? well, and baby too :)

and we were just sitting in the living room building legos, happy as ever?

and we could do this every day for the rest of our lives?

and you wouldn't grow up. 

and we wouldn't have to deal with other stuff?

well, then my sweet son.  it would be a perfect world.

 you see, like so many children, amongst his energetic, life-loving self, little Romy has another side to him.
one that's confusing to us.
of course pictures don't show it.

because, well, when he's having a moment.  it's not like i'm thinking about pulling the camera out.

and i've been hesitant to talk about it, because i know that no child is perfect.  they all have their moments, ones you wouldn't choose to photograph.  but sometimes, there's something that pulls on your momma heart a little bit stronger.
sort of like when your child isn't sleeping well and is fussy.  and you just know it must be an ear infection.  and then. you go to the doc.  and you're right.  double ear infection.
it's that momma instinct.
that's what i'm feeling.

 some days will be hard.  i know this.  it's part of parenting.
but sometimes things happen that really overwhelm me....
like when we practically got asked to leave the hair salon yesterday, because little roman can't quite handle/process the noise and the act of getting his hair cut.  

or seeing roman struggle in our PT/OT therapy session this morning, 

i'm sort of just bleehhh. and overwhelmed. and tired.

i mean, i knew that parenting didn't come with a manual.
but sometimes you just really want a manual :)

oh romy.  you thrive at home.  with your momma.

and while you do have a small group of kids that you "trust"..... for the most part?
we'll just say social situations aren't your forte.  

it's been a confusing and frustrating road for me.
and, well, trying to help you process the sensory overload of certain noises? i'm in new territory.

i've shook off my insecurities, thinking people probably just assume i baby him,
and now i am certain, i have a momma instinct that is telling me to advocate for my child.
because, it's my job.

so, along with physical therapy to help your intoeing [pigeon toes!]
you also go to occupational therapy for your sensory processing needs.

they both take place at the same clinic, and these women are gifts.  

they're blessings that have swooped in and wrapped arms of knowledge, care, and empathy right around you.  and me.
i'm more thankful than words can describe, for the therapists and their ability to see your needs, and that they share a concern for them with me

but at the same time, i'm confused. and worried. 

however, i'm learning to slowly turn my worries over to the Lord.  to losen my momma grip.

and though it might just be one finger at a time,  i can feel with each moment of release, that the Lord doesn't skip a beat.
He so smoothly slips right in, and takes over.

calming my heart.  reassuring me He's right here, and that our life isn't supposed to be easy.
did i just think this momma gig would be a cinch?

when i read romans 5, i can't help but smile, as i think if the struggles i've  come through in my role as a momma so far, to our little roman.  and i can't help but have hope.

because i need help, i struggle.  i need a savior.

but when i suffer, i learn how to persevere, and that builds character.  and through that, i can hope.

and to hope is a gift.

my savior died for me.  not because i had it all together, and rocked at this thing called life.

nope!  he died for me because i stink at life.  and i need him to rescue me.

i guess for me, once again, it confirms why we hit bumps in the road.

if we didn't have bumps?  we wouldn't need a savior, no need to be rescued.

and sometimes those bumps are just a really big pot hole.

and, that's where i'm finding myself at the moment.

one. giant. parenting. pothole.  

i know we'll be on our way again soon, out of this "hole".

and i know it's just part of parenting - one decision after another :)

but, right now thoughts are swarming.

this morning at his therapy we talked a bit about the future.

meaning, we began talked about school for romes and what our plans were.  

yikes. i thought he was still my baby?! :)

ahhh.  why is parenting so scary?  can't i just stick to figuring out how to cure his diaper rash, and not have to think about how to help him process the sound of another child's loud voice without freaking out?

obvi.  way too many lots questions are bouncing around in my brain.

so.  there's my thoughts.  all splattered out in this post.

giving you a glimpse into our lives at the moment.

 and maybe you find yourself struggling too.

if so, hopefully reading about mine, will help you feel not so alone.

i know romes was knit together fearfully and wonderfully.  i know these issues are more mine than his.

and while we are most definitely in a state of decision making, worry, and prayer,

don't you worry - - - we're still having fun.

this momma done went and became a circus groupie this week.

yep.

tuesday, we tracked those elephants down and watched them hop off the circus train.

wednesday, we went and had lunch with the grey beasts.

and this weekend?  we're goin to see'em in action.  

we know what lights up our little guy's eyes.

and we won't let scary big parenting issues get in the way of enjoying the animals.

about a year ago, i was in such a low place - - - the tug at my heart to stay home with my child was raging, more than i'll ever be able to explain.  little did i know at the time, the Lord would eventually answer my prayers :)

and now, look back on this past year, me as a full time momma at home. and romes as a full time one year old?
i can't think of any place i'd rather be, then right here.

at home,

raising my child,

making these difficult parenting decisions,
sometimes making grilled cheese for lunch 4 out the 5 days a week,

and of course, learning about every truck that ever exists.

we might just have a really long shaggy mullet because we can't seem to cut that hair, 

but hotdang.  we'll master the sound an elephant makes, even if it means stalking the circus.

...
and now you get 74 gold stars if you read this whole post.  yikes. i didn't realize it was this long.