Favorite Foto Friday - Do you behave in Church?

If so, you can join us for donut Sunday.

Clothing optional.

You've come a long way, kiddo!

This morning I went to a party at Andy's school to celebrate the last day of class. We sat on the floor, nibbling M&M cookies and sipping lemonade, while Miss Terry, who has the most soothing story voice I've ever heard, read us a book about spitting watermelon seeds all over town. After that, all the kids stood up to sing us a selection of their favorite songs of the year...well, all the kids except for Andy, who wanted no part in performing for a huge group of camera-wielding moms jocking for position and whisper-screaming "Ryan, look at me!", "Julianna, smile!".

Nope, he preferred to stay seated right where he was, on the edge of the crowd, studying his lei and resolutely refusing Miss Laurey's gentle attempts to get him to join the group.

If you know what an overachiever I was in school, you might think this disappointed and embarrassed me, having the only kid in a class of 16 who refused to participate in the end of the year show. But to be honest, I sat there feeling so ridiculously proud of that kid.

This is a kid who started out the year reluctant to get even the tiniest bit of paint on his fingers, who today brought home a fingerpainted sun to hang on the fridge next to dozen of other messy works of art he willingly created.

This is a kid who just 9 months ago flat-out refused to let any stranger get within 5feet of him, who today scooted up close to both his teachers for good-bye hugs and pictures.

This is a kid who at the beginning of the school year would cry the moment we got in the car to go to school, who today released his death grip on my hand and quietly said "Bye Mom, see you after school" when it was time for class to start (even if he still made sad, little puppy-dog eyes as I was leaving).

This is a kid who has far exceeded my expectations. Even if he had stood up and belted out a solo of that sleeping fish song, I couldn't have been prouder.

Favorite Foto Friday

Look at you two in your sunglasses.

Ready to rule the playground.

Become kings of the splash pad.

Totally Cool.

Unfortunately, you look less cool when your sunglasses become bent from being jammed into your pockets.

And even less cool when, despite my warnings, you repeatedly bend them until they snap in half.

Oh well, T*rget has a never-ending supply of $5 glasses and summer is just getting started. We have lots of time left to master the "cool kid" look.

Pitter-Patter

Today we got an envelope w/a letter & a pair of socks from one of the boy's birth moms.

It got me thinking how easily I can close my eyes and hear the pitter-patter of his little feet in the hall as he chases after his brother or tries to tip-toe away to do something he's not supposed to. It made me think of how he can almost reach the pedals on his big boy bike and how he taps his feet to the beat when we are listening to a song he likes in the car.

Then I pictured his birth mom, standing in the accessories aisle of a baby store or at a booth in a crowded street market, looking at rows and rows of little boy socks, unsure of which pair to buy b/c she doesn't even know what size shoe he wears. The enormity of what she has lost hits me like a ton of bricks.

I can grab his adorable, pudgy, stinky little boy feet and kiss them any time I want and she doesn't even know what size shoe he wears.

No matter how many letters and pictures I send, it will never be enough to thank her for the sacrifice she made to give him a better life. I just hope it gives her some peace.

Favorite Foto Friday - Ear Plugs

If I could do it over again, that's what I'd add to my baby registry.

Favorite Foto Friday - Table Manners

I should probably put a stop to them actually licking their plates clean....

...but it sure does makes the dishes less work.

You're in Timeout Mickey.

I recently asked Aidan if he could please refrain from stripping down to his birthday suit when he is supposed to be taking a nap. His reply: "No Mom - Mickey make me do it."