Best Friend Patchy
Expectations
In typical kid fashion, David’s favorite “toys” are not toys at all. He’ll waltz right on past the overflowing toy box to grab any kind of kitchen utensil or cat toy to play with.
Due to this fact, I haven’t bought him a toy in a long, long time. I’ve only bought him a couple books, actually, and the rest of his toys have been gifts or things I purchased many months ago.
His toy of choice these days is a spatula. I affectionally named his spatula “Patchy”. Patchy goes everywhere with David and can only be held by the very end of the wooden stick. He will not hold the spatula in the middle, or even on the wide end. He meticulously places the very end in his palm and wraps his fingers around it to carry it with him for the next several hours.
I have to pry Patchy from his death grip before nap time. It is absolutely hilarious to me.
Another one of his new things lately is laying on the floor to examine the world around him. He spent a good 6 months laying on the floor before he learned how to sit, but apparently he would like to give things a once over from ground level again.
For awhile now David has expressed happiness over Justin coming home from work, but as he gets older it’s getting even sweeter to watch him be overtaken with joy.
We try to sit near the glass front door around the time Justin is expected to be home so we can see him walk up to the door. As soon as David catches a glimpse of Justin, his arms will go straight down to his side, and he’ll flex his entire body and tremble as if he’s completely overwhelmed with the excitement he feels seeing his dad. I nearly cry every single time. It is so sweet.
Justin’s hands are usually full, so he’ll walk in, say hi to us, and make his way to the mudroom to drop his bags before picking David up. So, David chases after him and stands right under him until he get’s a pick up. Again, just picture me in the corner crying while all this is going down. #emo
As Justin and I anticipate this next baby, I have very intentionally tried to savor this time with just David. I read a devotional that struck me a few weeks ago, and I’ve made it a point to try to stay “fresh” in my role as David’s mom until the very day I go to the hospital to have this next baby. I’m pretty tired and uncomfortable, but I want to be able to look back on my 14 months with him and know I tried my hardest to enjoy him and have fun with him.
comments
How adorable !!! You should try to get a video of the David / Justin afternoon greeting, sounds so sweet. Have a great day
What a sweet story, even the part about you being #emo in the corner. Exciting times ahead, congrats!
I loved reading this post! To be honest, it’s because my dog’s name is Patchy and she’s my best friend too. HAHA!
Thanks for sharing! I can’t wait to see the new baby and how you blog will evolves with your life!
My daughter loved carrying around a spatula too! I liked it because she could chew on the silicone end during teething and not destroy it lol
So so sweet! You’re a great storyteller and I can just picture the #emo waterworks haha
You are a great mom, Kate. And I love your stories! The emo in the corner comment was so funny – reminded me of something my sister would joke about. 🙂
Such a lovely story and such cute pictures of David! I love the one next to the mirror – such a gorgeous smile 🙂
Kate, that devotional was something I needed to read.
Lately, I’ve been feeling like I don’t want to do any of those household chores… Everything seems lacklustre, unbearable, boring. I know it’s wrong to not do those mundane chores… But I find no joy in them right now. I’m stale, like that devotional described.
“If you are depending on something else as your source of freshness and strength, you will not realize when His power is gone.” Amen! Thank you for sharing the devotional and that perspective.
My daughter will be 16 years old in May and I still cry over things she does, etc. I can only imagine what it is like to be pregnant and watch your little one like that. Moms get it! I love the pictures. My daughter used to carry around a piece of a silk blanket (“Silkie”) around (along with a red bull beanie baby (“Red) – heaven forbid we ever forgot one of those items when we walked out the door) I agree with another poster – you are a great storyteller and I love that you write in the same way that you speak. It is very real and the reader can really get “into” the story you are trying to convey. I love your blog and think you are a wonderful person. I can’t wait to see you grow as a mom and to see your little ones grow up. (Hope that doesn’t sound creepy – not meant to be -UGH!). You know what I mean. Thank you for sharing this precious time with us.
Those pics of David and Patchy are the cutest thing!! The daily exchange between David and Justin is so sweet. My sister used to cry every morning when my dad left for work. Glad David chose excitement over tears!
Oh this is awesome! One of my kids (I have 7) used to carry an empty bottle of baby powder everywhere. They are so stinkin cute! Just be careful of patchy when the baby comes! Ha ha! He is adorable!!!!!!!! You’re a great momma!
First of all, the top left picture made me start cackling at my desk! hahah
Secondly, reading about how excited David gets to see his dad made me start tearing up too! And I don’t even have kids, nor am I pregnant. Guess I’m just sappy haha, no excuses.
I’ve loved watching your journey of becoming a mom 🙂
i just gave birth last Saturday to a girl not due until 2/24. She and her “older” sister are now only 9.5 months apart (my first is adopted). I was sad that I missed those last few weeks of special time with my oldest, but now being home with both of them, my heart is so full. And the daddy specialness just exponentially skyrocketed! You’ll have a wild time ahead of you as well, and just cherish every second of it!
Those pictures of David and “Patchy” are so funny. Never ceases to amaze me what a kid will latch onto. LOL It’s gonna be a fun time~
Don’t be too hard on yourself when trying to split time with the kids. The first few months are very hard on everyone, but once you see them playing together and interacting it will all make sense. I used to cry when I was home with my daughter after our son was born. I had all these plans to do fun things with her, but he turned out to be a very demanding baby and we didn’t get to do as much. Now that he is almost 2 and she is almost 5(next thursday how did that happen!) my husband and I get so overwhelmed watching them love each other, there is truly no greater blessing than seeing your kids truly love playing together.
It’s been such a privilege to watch your motherhood unfold. I enjoy all your posts but I always read your mommy posts and am so touched. Thank you for sharing pieces of your life. This post made me tear up a bit…and is giving me the baby itch! I’m going to go snuggle my 8 mo old and try to convince my husband that its time for the next one 🙂 I’ll be praying for csection day!
I love it! Kids decide on the weirdest things to latch on to. My son is only a month older than David and I have a three year old and I’m getting so excited for you when the new baby comes. I’m glad your focusing on what it’s like just having one because I sometimes try and remember what it was like before my son came along and I can’t recall it. Mostly because it’s like he’s always been there 🙂
I love your hair tutorials, skin care and make-up posts but my favorite are the ones when you talk about David and your family. So sweet for you to share a glimpse of life with a little one. I miss it so much as both of my children are now in college. It’s so cliche but times flies and they grow up before you realize what happened. It seems like high school lasted only a couple of years. I know you are making a diligent effort to live in the present and enjoy every moment. I wish I would’ve spent more time sitting and playing than fretting over the house being clean or laundry been neatly folded and put away. I think you’re an awesome wife and mother.
This is the sweetest. Love a boy’s relationship with his daddy. My son is the same with my husband and I’m always a puddle on the floor watching them together.
http://www.kristajacobs.blogspot.com
Ha! That is hilarious! David is absolutely adorable….
My son is now 3, and the joy he continues to have when his dad gets home from work is amazing! It is like the best day ever for him…every day! And love for kitchen untensils is something I know all too well. Xavier must have our wooden or plastic slotted spoons with him at all times. He has to leave them in the car when he goes to daycare/preschool but boy he wants them the second he is back in the car or at home.
My son is just a couple of weeks younger than David and this made me laugh! Ryder’s favorite toy is a hanger! He would carry one with him everywhere if we let him. I also have to pry it out of his death grip. So odd!
Hilarious! My middle son also preferred to walk around with a spatula all day. However, he did like to pull the top off and then put it back on. For my youngest son, it was spoons. We rarely have a picture of him from 6 – 18 months without a spoon in his hand, even while swimming in the pool!
That top left picture had me in a fit of laughter. So. Stinking. Cute. I was totally emo during my first pregnancy, with a girl I might add, and cried at EVERYTHING! With my second, a boy, I was HANGRY all the time. LOL!
It is true- young kids could not care less about fancy toys- a box is so much more fun. But the same is true for those fancy baby cribs. At the end we decorate those fancy baby rooms for ourselves- our babies won´t care! lol! 😉
Hahah this is too cute. I love the top left picture of him laying on the ground!
My 18 month old also has a spatula…with Elmo on it…that he loves…he also loves laying on the floor and looking around! Crazy cute kids!!!
This is too funny & cute! When I was a baby apparently my favorite thing was an empty tissue box. Babies are too adorable!
xx
Jenny // Mish Mosh Makeup
Both of my children loved to play in our utensil drawer and plastic storage cupboard. My daughter, who is almost 8, will still use the containers when she’s playing. I have never found a pair of beaters from when my son was small 🙂
Haha – Patchy! Kate, I love your attention to details and how you describe those in such a vivid way! Like here about the small detail as to how Patchy is being held by David at the very tip.. Such a small detail but brought smile to my face when wondering a) what a great mom and storyteller you are and b) why? why does he grab it like that? what´s the bigger plan behind it? Oh, if only David could speak! 🙂
All the best to you Kate – you if anyone will stay “fresh”! There will for sure be days it will not be possible but those are part of Life and are there for a reason. <3
Oh i love this!! My 18 month old’s affection for non-toy items was always entertaining.. my husband and I would sit back and wonder what he would pick up next.. now he will only pay attention to cars and occassionally he’ll pick up Elmo. We do the same thing-wait by the door and make daddys homecoming something special. I think my husband thoroughly enjoys walking through the door knowing we’re anticipating his arrival (sometimes anticipating for a BREAK-can i get a witness?) Love watching David grow and going thru similar life stages as you! can’t wait to know ur next babe’s gender! Best wishes!
That’s so funny that you say that. My now 3 year old son used to carry a plastic spoon with him EVERYWHERE he went. We actually went on vacation one summer and forgot the spoon. We had to stop and buy him a new one on the way. Thankfully we have moved on.
That first picture of David laying on the bathroom floor cracks.me.up!
My son loves a spatula too!! He likes to chase the dogs around with it saying “GIT!”. It works double duty as a teether too. :]
Runt
PRECIOUS!
I lost count of how many times I have come back to read this post today. Thank you for sharing such a precious story, it makes me smile every time.
I am in love with the first picture where he is just laying in the bathroom holding “Patchy” you can see the true love for it shining through! How cute =]
So cute! My older son went through a stage where he loved to carry around a plastic ladle!
Patchy is too adorable for words. Those will be great memories of silly things he did as a baby. I tell my now 7 yr old silly things she did and have such warm fuzzies thinking about them.
I love seeing kids reactions to dad coming home. That is the sweetest that he gets so excited! I know it melts both of your hearts.
awh! Love patchy:) My fiancé did the same thing with a wooden stirring spoon. His mom says he’d drop it out of his crib and cry during naps until someone gave him back his “poon”. Still to this day we all laugh about it. Babies are entertained with such simple things. I love their minds!
My son was attached to a spatula as well! He even slept with it when I just couldn’t pry it from his fingers. The things they like to play with most never ceases to amaze me! He’s adorable.
I’m so glad to see all these comments about kids and their spoons/spatulas! My 14 month old son loves spoons, spatulas, and the potato masher. He stirs in my pots and pans and puts the lids on over and over and over. Forget those toys in the corner. They are funny little people. Love your posts. PS-my niece and nephew are 11 months apart. You’ll be okay. The first year will be rough, but you’ll be okay, and they’ll be best friends. Excited to see what’s to come!
This is too funny! Thanks for sharing!
-Meg
http://www.smalltownsisters.blogspot.com
How funny! Love the story about Patchy and the story about watching Dad come home. Equally funny and sweet!!!
Aww, this story is so sweet and it really cheered me up. You guys are so cute!
The story of David and his way of greeting his daddy made me teary eyed, I am a softy when it comes to sweet stories of parents and their kids.
And maybe one day David will be a famous chef with his Patchy, you never know!
I wish you and your family all the best!
From Kristen.