A year ago, a year from now*

A year ago, the husband and I were heading to New Orleans to celebrate our third wedding anniversary. I was pregnant, but barely. The Lad was just more than a thought making the smells of the city overwhelming. The Boy was a busy not-quite-18-month-old building trains out of his blocks and just starting to have real conversations. He still slept in a crib. We all got at least eight hours of sleep every night.

Now, the husband and I are staying home for our fourth anniversary, which is Thursday, but taking a quick daytrip this weekend along our area beaches.

The Lad is nearly half a year old. He still is nursing, but eats anything we give him and grows frustrated at dinner because I won't let him eat the things on my plate, things like chicken and corn on the cob. He has mastered rolling and backwards scooting, and is desperate to achieve forward motion. He was up on all fours for a few seconds last night. We're not sure who he wants to chase more: The Boy or The Cat. He sleeps in the crib, but thinks sleep is over-rated. We average five hours a stretch. We love him anyway.

The Boy, meanwhile, sleeps mostly undisturbed in a big boy bed. He builds castles for his trucks to crash and smash. He has taken to saying, unprompted, things such as, "I love you, Momma," and, "I like you a lot, Momma." Just a minute ago, he sent the Daddyman in to ask if The Lad could come outside and play with them. When he likes a song, he asks, "What THIS song?" and then tries to sing along. When he likes something someone has suggested, he says, "Yeah. That be an i-dee." He has figured out when the husband and I are spelling things, it usually means something good or interesting. Often, he figures out what we're talking about, I think from context clues. He can spell his name, but if you ask him how to spell anything else, he says, "Ummm, A ... I don't know."

A year from now, the husband and I will be celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. We hope to take a trip somewhere again. The Lad will be nearly 18 months old. I would imagine him doing the things The Boy did at that age, but who knows? He's a different kid. I wonder what his dimples will look like as his face grows less babyish and more boyish. I wonder what he'll build with the blocks and what words will dominate his one-word conversations. The Boy will be nearly three-and-a-half. I hope to goodness he'll be potty-trained. Is that old enough to start teeball? I wonder if he'll really be able to spell by then and, if so, how we will keep our conversations private. The boys really will be able to play together then, not just near each other like they do now. I imagine I will become a momma referee.

Where were you a year ago? Where will you be a year from now?

**I should add that this is one of Swistle's favorite games. So, the idea is stolen from her.