Obsessions

In the morning, I usually check my phone for text and email messages when I first get up.  I don't respond to anything right away, but I usually do check.  Last Friday morning, I was tagged in a Facebook message about a picture.  The message asked if Aidan was one of the children in the picture.  The author of the message thought he was, but she wasn't sure.  I looked immediately because the author is the mom of a little boy from Krasnoyarsk.

It turned out that there were actually two pictures of a group of children.  And YES!!!  There was Aidan right in the middle!!!  In the first picture, he was in profile, but I couldn't miss his mop of red hair and his big chipmunk cheeks!  The second picture I could see his face and know that the children had just gotten up ...either in the morning or from a nap.  My baby boy looked fuzzy and tired like he wanted to sleep more.  Boy do I know that look on him!!!!

 
 


It turned out that I recognized several of the children, and know that they are now living with their forever families here in the USA. 

I couldn't stop looking at these pictures on Friday.  They are of a time, in between our trips, that I was not a part of my sons life.  I know nothing, really of this period in his life.  So, this was a gem to me.  I believe, based on when I know some of these children came home, that this picture was taken sometime between late February and no later than about the 10th of March 2008. 

I did show Aidan these pictures.  He recognized himself immediately and thought some of the children seemed familiar.  The only other thing he said was, "Did that room smell like baby poop?"  I was struck by that because it seemed like it was a recovered memory and was completely honest and immediate.  I said I didn't know because I never got to go in this room.  It really pointed out that I have no idea what he remembers of that time in his life. 

Aidan's obsession, hockey, has been continuing to consume a great deal of our time.  Last week, he had two practices for his Travel Team because we're getting ready for a tournament in Laurel, Maryland.  That tournament is four games between Friday and Sunday.  The boys have been divided into two teams and each team will only play 2 games.  We'll find out tomorrow night which two games Aidan will play.  From that, we will know if he will be able to play his House League game--there may be a conflict with the Travel Team.  For the House Team, I hope no conflict exists.  It could be a lot of games, but Aidan will love it.

His House League team lost for the first time on Saturday.  But, it was a game in which the boys played a really good game of hockey.  The score was back and forth the entire game.  I think Aidan played some of the best hockey I have ever seen him play.  I was very proud of him. 

He scored a lot and he passed a lot and he had a lot of assists.  He played defense several shifts and didn't shy away from stealing the puck back from the other team.  It was really great to watch.  At one point, I saw the coach of the other team, who also happens to be the head of the Hockey program at Ashburn, check out the back of Aidan's jersey to get his name and number when he came off the ice. . .hooboy.

Aidan is #29 and the Head of the Hockey Program is standing under the AWAY sign. 

Anyway, Aidan might be obsessed with hockey.  But, darn if that kid isn't really good at it!!!