This is my son earlier this week. It's amazing isn't it? Wait, you don't understand why? Let me enlighten you... I never taught him how to push around a car. In fact, I never even showed him the huge drawer of cars we own in the playroom. His sister was looking for something and just happened to hand him one and walk away. Are you starting to get my drift? He innately knew exactly what to do. 

Somehow both my children have caught on to gender specific activities and ran with them. My daughter figured out princesses without me. I was never a huge fan of the whole Disney princess line. I always thought they were dorky. I never liked Mickey Mouse novelties, not even as a child. I remember when I was little thinking it just wasn't for me. Kellan's love for the rodent was all on her own. Now Colin has a love for cars and trucks without my mapping out how to get there.

That amazes me. The first time I saw him drag a car across the floor I had chills. That first morning he played with that car from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Kellan and I sat on the floor for over an hour with him faking crashes, parking them in his Little People car garages (which were cousin Riley's. Again, not me), driving them across the floor, rolling them to each other, and making motor noises. He LOVED it. He was in his own little form of heaven on Earth. I've never seen him so excited. He's never really latched on to any specific toy or catagory of toy until now. People have started to ask me what I think he might like for his first birthday and at first I really didn't know. He didn't have any real likes. Now? I have a laundry list of things I know he'd enjoy. It almost gives me a sense of comfort, like now I know my son.  I'm not guessing what I think he might like anymore. It makes me happy. He makes me happy. I'm diggin' him even more :)

Just Another Milestone to Scratch Off the List...

I've known my son had wings sticking out the sides of his head for some time now. I've had them pointed out to me more times than I can count. "Gee, thanks, I see him every day and never noticed", right? I knew he needed a haircut, I just didn't want it to be this soon. But with his first birthday pictures coming up and a wedding to attend this weekend, I gave in and finally took him. 

My heart sank the moment he was finished. He did an excellent job holding still all by himself. He smiled continuously through the whole ordeal. I wasn't worried one bit that he'd cry and scream. But when I saw him for the first time with his "big boy" haircut I was taken off guard. He seemed to have grown in those five minutes he sat in that chair. He looks so darn handsome. He melted my heart before and somehow he melts it even more now. 

Just another milestone to scratch off the list....

"....And Mio Is The Place, Yo!"

Last week my sister Emily and I headed up to our family's cabin in podunk Mio, Michigan to have some getaway fun with our kids. Let me tell you what... you CAN have fun with 3 adults, 5 children and 2 dogs in a one bedroom, one bathroom cinder block cabin by the river! Other than becoming mildly obsessed with the card game Skip-Bo (which is a whole other topic of conversation due to it's intense mental and strategical thought when playing with my brother-in-law Ron), I came back more relaxed then when I left. I'd say that's a winning outcome, right? Score. Here are some photographic highlights:

P.S. I would TOTALLY post the AWESOME picture I captured of all the kids jammed into the one stall shower all naked and soapy, but I am not one for "soap on a rope". If you see me, I'll be glad to show you in person. But I will put pretty stickers over winkies first....