TWO!

TWO!

From 2 to 3.

Our family.

Before Iz, our family was just the hubs and me.

We loved "just us"and loved having the ability to do whatever, whenever we pleased.

Now, it's a bit more challenging.

I remember being so nervous about taking Iz out to dinner when she was a just a few weeks and months old. Fearful of her crying in public and not knowing how to soothe her. Fearful of strangers giving me the "stink eye."

Ha! Those sweet baby cries are a welcome to the full out tantrums, yell fests, and throwing of plates and food that Iz now partakes in whenever we go to any restaurant.

I used to look at families with little ones and be appalled at the mess they would leave behind. Now I realize, there is little one can do when the little one is just learning how to eat "by myself" and about 90% of the meal ends up on the floor or in the high chair. And the parent's don't want to leave the mountain of mess behind...we just know that there is a very small window of time to get the evil ones aka children out the door and into the car before a full out riot starts.

I get it.

And now our TWO is now three. The just "us" includes the toddling thing that waves "hi" and "bye bye" to anyone who'll give her the attention.

And even though the hubs and I love and cherish our date nights, we love our family dates of the new "us."

I love how we go to the store and Craig chooses to carry Iz instead of putting her in the cart because he so wisely said to me when I insisted on putting her in the germ filled cart, "No. I want to hold her. There's only a small amount of time that I'll be able to do this."

So, he does. He holds our Bug in one arm, holds my hand with the other, and I steer the cart down the aisle.

From 2 to 3...the new "just us."