Hot Summer Fun Begins. . .

Well, here we are at the end of our long weekend. It was fun but sooo tiring!

Pat had to work a lot, as I previously indicated. But, Aidan and I kept ourselves busy. We went to the pool yesterday and today, played outside (a little--very hot!!) and watched some movies. Daddy was able to join us today at the pool and then Aidan and I went to one of his school friends houses for a playdate.

At the present time, Aidan is watching a movie with his glassy eyes barely staying open. I am actually not too sure he'll still be awake when I go back in the other room! But, here are a few pictures from the pool this weekend. . .






One funny story from the playdate. . .Aidan's friend has a little tiny dauchsund named Lizzie. The mom apologized for the dog at which point I offered information about our two big dogs: Maggie the 83 pound Golden and Mosby the 93 pound Golden. We're not bothered by little dogs at all. . .I then offered that Maggie is almost 3--in another couple of weeks; and Mosby is 4 1/2. The mom said, so you got the two AFTER you had Aidan??? Not thinking, because we just don't really dwell on where Aidan came from anymore, I said, well no. The dogs came first. Realizing what I said about the same time I saw the confused look on the mom's face, I then told the story of Aidan coming from Russia. . .that was actually a first! A mom who didn't know and I probably could have not told except because of my slip up about the dogs! Hmmmmmm. . . .

Well, Aidan is asleep, so I gotta go. Hope you all had a nice Memorial Day weekend. God Bless!

A Nice Long Weekend, Just Us Two . . .

Memorial Day weekend. . .a nice long three days of no work, no housework, just playtime!!!!!! The pool opens today. If it is nice enough later, I'll take Aidan there. I will definitely be taking him tomorrow and on Monday. It's going to be great! The only "work" I have to do is laundry and to change the sheets! Awesome!!!Aidan and I are ready to run around with our bathings suits and sunscreen, without our shoes and get more freckles on our noses. . .



We won't be seeing much of Daddy this weekend. Truth be known, we haven't seen much of him lately. At the beginning of the year, he had gotten a temporary position that allowed him to work Monday through Friday on the day shift. It was supposed to last through June. It was awesome--even though he had to work his regular shifts and etc, etc...during the big snowstorms. . . But, in March, his company did a reorganization and offered many people an early retirement. So many of the guys took it that now they are a bit short handed, especially in Pat's position. So, back to shift work he went at the beginning of April But, now there's a new twist! Because there are so many fewer guys, Pat and the others left are having to fill in the open shifts and on the weekends. Lots of overtime. . .lots of extra money. . .no extra Daddy!! : ( So, now we've been looking at Supervisor positions, which are all day shift and having to do some weekend work, for Pat to apply to. It would be a great career move for him and it would be great for our family to have more family time. He'd still be oncall for trouble work, but there wouldn't be so much extra work time unless there is trouble. Yeah Pat!! And so, we pray it all works out. . .

Aidan, meanwhile, is really learning soooo many things at school these days. All kinds of things. As any parent knows, along with the good learning comes the bad learning. Most of the kids in Aidan's class have older siblings. But, one boy in particular, whom Aidan really likes, has a much older sibling. So, some of the things coming home and out of Aidan's mouth have had me dropping my jaw a few times. Suffice it to say, we have added name calling to the list of automatic time outs. . .But, one funny incident occurred the other night: We were getting ready for dinner when Aidan asked for something and I said no. So, he called me a "Buckhead!" : ) Compressing my lips to not laugh, I asked him to repeat what he said. Sure enough. Buckhead is what he said. So, I said since he was calling me a name he needed a time out. After he was safely away, I burst into laughter and thought to myself "Should I correct him??" The funny little guy!

AIDAN

Evidence that Aidan can write!!!!!



He told me that this says, "I love my Mommy, Daddy, two dogs and Cat. Love, Aidan!"

I love it!

Hope it doesn't rain soon and wash it away!!!

I Love Her, but. . .

I love my older sister. But, sometimes I just don't understand her.

Gini is 6 1/2 years older than me. She and I are technically both a part of the Boomer generation, although I was born at the end and don't really fit the true profile of a Boomer. She was really all about the 60's and 70's--the clothes, the music, the counter culture movement. I am really a product of the 80's and probably a bit of the 90's, too--conservative (with some liberal leanings as I get older), straight ahead black and white mover, logical, practical. . .etc. . .We are, essentially, part of different generations.

Gini is one of three godmothers and Aunties to Aidan and had always been wonderful to and about him. She, afterall, flew all the way from California to come for his Baptism--a weekend visit! This is amazing because, other than one dinner time visit with her a couple of years before that, she had not been to Virginia since I got married in 1986! It was huge.

But, for some reason, she buys Aidan clothes that are about 3 years in the future for him. He is still wearing some board shorts he got for his 2nd birthday. . .this year, she sent two bathing suits and two surf shirts. They are really awesome looking:



Let me preface this next part by saying, Aidan is now comfortably wearing size 3 shorts. His jeans are size 4T only because we need the length--the inside tab and button are on the 4th or 5th hole! He could technically still wear 2T shorts, but they are all a bit ragged looking and I just keep doing the 3T's. . .

Aidan will look good in these new bathing suites from Aunty Gini. . .when he is about 7 years old! They are a size 6/7. . .

4 Year Old Check Up. . .

Well, we had our 4 year old check up today. Aidan is 42 1/2 inches tall and in the 95th percentile for height. And, he is 40.2 pounds and in the 75th percentile for weight. He is no longer my little chunckamonka! I expressed some concern over his hot and cold on eating and the pediatrician was awesome! She explained that just because he is no longer chuncky, especially in the cheeks and tummy, it doesn't mean he isn't healthy. In fact, Aidan is exptremely healthy and scoring well above in most other areas: verbal skills about age 6; written skills-really?? about age 6!; language skills (he knows a good bit of Spanish already!--about age 9!!; and balancing about age 12!! (due to the ice skating, of course. . .--look out Ovie and Semin!! A. J. Harrison is coming!!) Aidan is really very athletic, so it is not surprising that he is tall and lean. . .okay. Mommy will try to relax already!! : )

Aidan is also doing really well in so many other areas: he is kind; he is gentle when he needs to be; he is a jokster--he is a kid! I just love this little guy so much!!

He expressed so much concern today about having shots, that the pediatrician said we could get a waiver for this year. He needs an MMR and the DPT. . .but these are still current because they are only a year old and he can get them updated before he starts Kindergarten. Sooooo, she said, let's let it go for this year with the understanding that we come in to get them if one of these diseases rear their ugly heads during the coming year. . .Thank you, thank you, Dr. Rappaport!!!!

A funny question came up: have we done any International Traveling with Aidan? Uhhhh. . .other than coming home from Russia two years ago??? Nope. I guess she was trying to find out what we were doing on a Social Services level and I explained he does have a US Passport and we're working on the Virginia re-adoption. . .we thought about going to Mexico this summer, but it just seems a little too unsettled to take a small child in there. . .we're going to Emerald Isle, NC instead. I think she understood.

Other than that, she was totally impressed with Aidan's balancing skills--bike riding, ice skating, standing on one foot. . .he is really good at all of that! I was only a little unsettled seeing my little son in his underpants--he just seemed so little and unprotected that way!! But, he was fine.

Anyway, that was all and now we're good for another year. . .hopefully, we don't have to see the good doctors at the pediatrician for a while. . .

Not that we don't like them! : )

Aidan's Birthday Party Pictures!!!

Finally. . .Of course, we had to download the Nikon Software Suite! Doh!

Customize your own digital scrapbook

Aidan had a great time. . .a little overwhelmed at times, and he got too many presents! But, it was still loads of fun!

Things I am Thankful for. . .

Okay so that's probably an obvious. . .

But, seriously, I am thankful for modern medicine--my arm is doing so much better. It's been four months since I broke it, and it is still not at 100%, but I can move it and use it almost fully. I can't do a total palm up and flat, but I think that will come with time.

I am thankful for Sudafed. This has been a strange spring. . .following a very strange winter!

I am thankful for tissues--with Zyrtec being pulled, I haven't found something that works for Aidan, yet, and so his nose has been running almost non-stop!

I am thankful for the opportunity to say to my son, "Stay out of the Living Room!!! You are NOT to play in there on Mommy's nice new chairs!! : )

I am thankful for those sneak-up-on-you naps that come out of Quiet Time:



I am thankful for Aidan's birth mother--right now it is a thankfulness that is even more pronounced. She gave me the ultimate gift--my son. I pray she knows she gave him a gift, too, that of a better life.

And, I am thankful for my husband. What a terrific man, human being, daddy, son, and husband! He gets grumpy (who doesn't) but he always is there and willing to listen to whatever is on my mind! I am so lucky to have him in my life!

Aidan's 4th birthday is tomorrow--can you believe it??? We have pretty much spoiled him, again! There are so many gifts waiting for him (hidden in the Living Room : ) ) We will head out to the Ice House at about 10:30 for the party. There will be somewhere between 15 and 18 little people and they will have pizza and sodas (caffeine free, of course) followed by cake. Then the children will go out on the ice for a 1/2 hour lesson followed by a little over an hour of free-skate.

Later in the day, Grandma and Grandpa will come over for a cookout: hamburgers, baked beans, deviled eggs, 3 bean salad all followed by chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles! MMmmmmmm!!!

When I try to imagine doing something completely different with my day, I come up completely blank.

I am so Thankful!

C Днём Матери

Happy Mother's Day, y'all. . .

If you haven't seen Blindside, you must. We watched it this weekend and I have to tell you the cutest thing Aidan said:

At one point in the movie, Sandra Bullock comes marching along in her determined way to do something for Michael, or one of her kids, and Aidan said, "There's Michael's Mama!!" I just love that about my son. I hope and pray he keeps that openness and acceptance all of his life.

We had a fantastic day today. First, I slept in until 8:00 this morning!! That is an unheard of time for me to sleep to. Even on vacation. In fact, I think I might have slept later except that the cat was sitting on my chest. . .

Then, we got dressed and went for a late breakfast at Anita's (Tex-Mex). Yum!!!

Later we came home and Pat took Aidan to his parents while I got our dinner ready: steaks, with baked potatoes and salad. More Yum!!

A nice afternoon with Grandma and Grandpa was had by all. And, as a bonus, I received the most awesome gift of a gift card to Elizabeth Arden's Red Door Salon!!! I see a full massage and pedicure coming in my near future!!! Woo Hoo!!

Aidan is now enjoying some play time downstairs while mommy has another glass of this fantastic wine. . .

Oh!! And here's the new camera:



Now to learn how to use it!!! I still have a few days before Aidan's birthday. . .

My Mom Rocks. . .

Today I left work about an hour early in order to go to Aidan's school for a Mother's Day Tea. . .my FIRST!!! It was cute. It was sweet. And they served sweet tea, too. . .yech!! But, it was so awesome!! I soooo wish I had had a camera!!

I arrived a little after the start time, but Aidan didn't seem to mind. I was served my tea and chocolate chip cookie--which was graciously shared with Aidan. . .well, I was gracious about it; Aidan not so much! I decided to give up on the snack when he dunked the cookie in the tea. . .

But, I digress. . .

After that, all of us moms sat down on the carpet in a semi-circle, outside of the children, who serendaded us with Happy Mother's Day to you! They even did a little flare at the end. . .on their knee! cute. . .

Then, the children gathered around the teacher and she had all of these cards and she started by telling us the children had made us all necklaces (out of colored macaroni and yarn!) and little cards upon which they told the teacher what to write. . .

Alex says, My Mom Rocks because she likes me. . .

Cole says, My Mom Rocks because she loves me and takes me places in the car. . .

Aidan says, My Mom Rocks because she loves me and she rocks me and she hugs me and kisses me. Love Aidan!

snif. . .snif. . .I'm still choked up!







I am soooo wearing my new necklace all weekend!!

Also, we ordered our new camera!!! Can't wait!!! We're picking it up at Best Buy this weekend. I just know I am going to be a star photographer after I get it!! : )

Happy Mother's Day, y'all!

It's Time. . .

Time for so many things to happen. . .

Time to finally make up our minds about where we're going on our vacation--we have it planned, and now just need to make our reservations;

Time to take the plunge and buy that nice camera--Aidan's birthday is only two weeks away, so we better get on that!!

And, more importantly, time to go to the store and buy Aidan a really big prize. . .

Why you ask?? Because. . . .

HE STAYED DRY ALL NIGHT LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aidan has been potty trained, during the day, for over a year now. Night time, though, has been a bit tougher. Partly it's because he's a boy, and partly because we have been a little lazy in working on this. But, lately, I've been trying to make sure he goes potty after brushing his teeth right before bed and we make sure he doesn't get his Pull Up on until after all of that is done. It's been working pretty good, but he still goes in the Pull Up to varying degrees: sometimes a lot, sometimes a little.

Last night, I guess we were both really tired and I forgot to put the Pull Up on him. This morning I asked him if needed to change into his underpants and he felt his PJ's and then looked at me in surprise and said, Mama, you forgot to put on my Pull Up! But, I'm dry, so it's okay. Really??? Oh my goodness!! This calls for a celebration!!! We're so going to the toy store before soccer!!! Aidan smiled huge. . .

But, this leads to other things it's time for:

Time to go and buy the new bed system we promised Aidan when he stayed dry at night. . .

Time to totally redecorate Aidan's room with Rocket ships or Cars or something (and take down the cute Noah's Ark border. . .sniff. . .)

But, best of all. . .

Time to stop buying the Pull Ups!!!!

We may still have a wet night or two, but now that I KNOW he can do it, I'm really going to concentrate my efforts on it much more.

I'm so proud of my little guy!!!