The Summerlin Family: Happy Birthday, Jared!

I'm sad about Jared turning 3. Normally I'm excited and looking forward to what the next year will bring, but Jared was the cutest two year old ever. He talked in a sweet little voice and I'll always remember the way he said "puddin'" and the way he asked everything twice or maybe three times before you even were given a chance to respond. He was so loving. He stopped for every dog he saw and would wait for permission to pet it. I'll always remember the way he would walk quietly and slowly into the bedroom while I would be nursing Grayson to sleep. I would put my finger over my mouth to show him he needed to be quiet. He would walk over to me and rest his head on my stomach to give me a hug, then walk out. He learned to do so much this past year from talking to potty training himself.

I needed this year with Jared. I needed this year to enjoy him and laugh at all his mischievous behaviors. I needed this year to love him and be loved by him. It was this past year that I finally forgave myself for the PPD that I had after his birth. One day it just clicked that the mantra that had been playing in my head for so many months (and really, the two years) after his birth: I did not love him enough, was a lie. I loved him so much I grieved for what happened to us. I loved him enough to ensure that it would never happen again. I will never get those moments after his birth back, but I will always appreciate the little bundle of love that my Jared is.

Of course, now he's three. And I'm scared. I've seen signs of three year old Jared peeking out these past several weeks. He's a tough cookie. He doesn't care what you say. His favorite new saying is I don't. He don't want to go to bed. He don't want to go to time out. He don't want to share. He don't want to put up his toys. He don't. He don't. He don't.

His name means "descendent" or "one who rules." We purposely chose this name for him because we knew we needed our second son to have a strong personality so as not to be run over by Isaac. He's begun living up to his name and we have learned that we now have the responsibility to make sure he is a leader and not just a bossy meanie. ;) He would gladly rule our house and rule over everyone (ie his brothers) if we let him. So this next year will be an adventure for sure. It will be harder than when he was two, that much I know. But we'll make it through and we'll continue to laugh and above all, to love one another.

Thank you for being you, sweet, sweet Jared.

November 5, 2011

Reading his birthday book