This will be the year I remember that Henry’s Santa suit was too small and cut him off at the ankles. My shaggy haired two-year-old wouldn’t go near the big man without Mommy and Daddy. I promise the kids weren’t asleep, it’s just the best picture we could get.

In three of these pictures, Charlotte is without Henry. She’s with him in three others. Half of all her Christmases have been with a little brother. This makes me smile.

My funny five-year-old was only apprehensive for a quick second when talking to Santa Claus. She remembered her sweet, simple list of two gifts and went on to ask Santa for gifts for Henry. I was so proud of the kind little lady she showed she’s becoming today.

Memories locked down: polka dot dress, red bow, too-small Santa suit, closed eyes. Christmas 2015.

Henry is a train fanatic. I call him a “choo-choo cuckoo.” He will push trains until he can’t keep his eyes open before his afternoon nap. My sweet 2 year-old snuggles with trains in his bed. It’s all around adorable.

I was excited when TOMY sent Henry a set of the the Chuggington 1, 2, 3 Tracks. We recently bought him some wooden train tracks for his birthday. We bought the generic brand tracks from Target because the Thomas and Friends tracks were more than we wanted to spend. Now, after using this new track I wish we had bought all TOMY Chuggington tracks! The good news? The Chuggington 1, 2, 3 Track fits perfectly with most other wooden train track brands. (Thomas, Melissa & Doug etc.)

(Raise your hand if you’re a parent who already has the “Chuggington” theme song in your head after reading this? It’s a catchy tune. Well played, Disney Junior, well played.)

What makes the TOMY tracks different is the connected hinges that flex up and down, and rotate 360 degrees. Parts of the track are already connected and designed so that little kids can make their own layout and play with it right out of the box. Henry got the “Wilson Rides The Rails” set. The track makes an oval, but disconnect in a few places and rotate to make other shapes and connect with other tracks.

We got a hand-me-down train table without tracks a few years ago when my 5-year-old daughter was little. The Chuggington track fits great. I love the Wilson train that has the same magnets as our other trains. Henry is young and I don’t have the patience to connect more plastic trains together. The wooden trains with magnets are so much better for little hands. Wilson connects with Thomas and other brands of wooden trains.

The TOMY Chuggington Wooden Railway sets are available for your little train lover at Toys R Us this holiday season! The The “Wilson Rides The Rails” starter set retails for $29.99 and is recommended for ages 2 and up. Tell me what you like or dislike about your train sets. Have you tried the Chuggington sets? What is your train lover wishing for this year?

Dear Henry,

The day before your birthday this photo came up on my Timehop:

I remember it so well. We were waiting and waiting for your arrival. We didn’t know much about you, we didn’t even know if you were a boy or a girl. We just knew that we couldn’t wait for you to join our family. Your sister sat with me and we rolled Thomas the Tank Engine and Rosie over my belly. The caption I put on the photo was “Trying to lure this kid out with the promise of toys.” I laugh now on your second birthday. (Well, Friday November, 6 was your second birthday.) I laugh because it was like I was predicting our future with the turn of those little wheels across my body.

So much of what you love has wheels. “Cars!” “Choo choos!” are your favorite phrases and your favorite toys. “Wwweeeew!” is what you mean for planes. You love them too, and the “Planes” movie that I may have completely memorized soon. The look of concentration you get when you push trains across your new train tracks is awesome. You ride your push toys with gusto and try so hard to reach the pedals on your new trike. Then you sneak over to your sister’s big bike because you have big dreams for a little guy. Daddy and I always wonder if wheels will be a way of life for you.

You wouldn’t put down the new car you got for your birthday during Stroller Strides. Also, you don’t want to wear any other shoes but the light-up Thomas shoes.

Wheels aren’t all you love. You love running fast, yelling loud and smiling big. You love when your sister sends you into giggle fits, when you pet Ginger and when Daddy walks in the door after work. Henry, you also love your mama. Son, we love you too. I didn’t know my heart could be so full until you joined our family. Thank you for being you.

Happy Birthday. I love you, my sweet, sweet boy.

Two years later. Thomas and Rosie are well loved. My belly is much smaller and you are so much bigger.

Love,

Mama

This afternoon I watched her, realizing that only for this fleeting, magical time will she dance with her daddy on Sunday afternoons with a tutu and crooked fairy wings. Even the epic tantrum over her toothbrush NOT being pink was treasured and locked away in my memories this weekend. This is the only time we have left to give her all of our attention.

I scooped her up on the couch with her puffy tutu, smelling her unique toddler aroma of baby shampoo and strawberry ice cream. I looked at her and cried. How will I ever love another child like I do this one? I have to wonder if my heart is ready to welcome in more of this overwhelming and humbling love.

These next two months will be sacred for me. I don’t use that term lightly. I don’t know what to expect or what to do, I just know tutu dancing and snuggles will be plenty as I prepare my heart for more.

Today I committed a shameful parent faux-pas that could possibly get me banned from future toddler social gatherings. I didn’t show up for a birthday party I had RSVP’d “yes” for.

I know, I know. That is really lousy. But, I have an excuse. See, this was a first birthday party. The festivities for this sweet baby started at 2:00pm. When I got the invitation I cringed. Ooph! 2:00pm on a Sunday. There is only one thing my child is doing at that time. On the weekends 1:00pm-4:00pm are what I refer to as “the golden hours.” Two hours in that time frame is nap time. Period. Sacred and pure. That is the time our child must sleep to maintain child status and not transform into a monster. Nap time at school is from 12:30pm-2:30pm. On the weekends we are looser with that for activities, but I can assure you that between the hours of 1:00pm-3:00pm, she will likely not be awake for the majority of the time.

So, you may be thinking, “Why was the party at 2?” Well, think about it. The sleep schedule of a one-year-old infant and a 2 1/2 year old toddler are VERY different. Charlotte was still taking 2 naps a day at that point in her life. 1 or 2:00pm would have been the perfect time for a party and I’m quite certain that is when I scheduled her first birthday party. Also, it was Sunday and you can’t do a party on Sunday mornings because of church. This is the South, people. That time is reserved for Jesus, football preview shows or lying around the house like the lazy heathen that I am.  Another thing, this party was at an incredibly popular kid play spot in town. When it comes to reserving rooms you get what you get and you get it EARLY. That may have been the only time the parents could reserve the room.

So, then you may be asking, “Amy, why did you RSVP ‘yes’ if you knew this was during the golden hours?” ::sigh:: Because I’m impossibly optimistic and absolutely refuse to miss out on any fun, ever. I tried to get her to nap early. No luck. That child slept long and hard from 1:30pm-4:00pm. There was no waking her. If I had woken her up she would have been miserable and had no fun.

Lesson learned. Leave the golden hours sacred and sometimes just say you can’t make it, even if it means becoming a mommy faux-pas.