six point five

today was drew’s half-birthday

6.5

as hard as it was for me to believe that leo was already at the half-way-to-four mark, it is even more unfathomable to me that in a mere six months drew will be seven.  seven sounds so old!! so grown-up.  so on his way to doing cool big boy things. so exciting. really.

as much as i want to hang on to drew...keep all his awesomeness to myself...it is so cool to see him grow and discover and find his own way.  he has always been an amazing kid...and i have no doubt that he'll continue to amaze and inspire all those around him.

so, drew...happy half birthday. i hope you enjoyed our extra time together this morning, that you had fun sledding and drinking hot cocoa with friends at school, that you were surprised and felt special when dad surprised you at lunch and when he read to your class this afternoon, and that you felt all of six-point-five as you stayed up past your bedtime on a school night and ran around the ice arena with your friends cheering on the high school hockey team to their first play-off victory of the year.  i wish for you to have many, many more happy days like today.

and...as you continue to make your way to seven, drew-man...i wish these things for you too:

that you lose your first tooth before you celebrate your birthday

that you score even more goals and display even better sportsmanship in your new black hockey helmet (i will miss your white one - as it made you easy to find on the ice since you were the only one on the team with a white one)

that you allow me to take your picture so i can forever capture your sweetness, silliness, & love for life

that you continue to perfect (and amaze me with) your kendama skills

that you continue to learn how to swim like a fish in pools. lakes, and maybe even oceans too

that you keep cheering on the Hoosiers with me all the way to a National Championship

that you keep trying new things - discovering what you like, what you dislike, and what you love

that you take yourself to a world of new places and meet interesting new people in all the books you read

that you make new friends...and hang on to the good friends you already have

that you continue to discover who you are and who you want to be

that you find happiness and love in everything that you do

happy half way to seven, drew!!! you are one incredible kid.

until next time...make the most of each moment

three and a half

I am not quite sure where the last year has gone.  It seems like a big hazy, foggy, dream…or maybe more aptly, a stand-still.  Obviously, that is from my perspective because if you’d ask Drew and Leo, they’d probably tell you they’ve done a lot in the past year.  They’ve made new friends, grown out of clothes, traveled to both new and familiar places, and soaked in more knowledge and skills than I ever thought possible.  But nevertheless, it’s been a year since I’ve documented any of that.  Thankfully, there is reason a reason to post again…today, Leo reached the half-way point to four.  

How "three and a half" is here already is very hard for us to believe.  But, it must be true since we were recently requested to schedule Leo for his kindergarten screening.  That sure was a wake-up call!  Despite my big hazy, foggy, going-through-the-motions year…life has been forging ahead.  Full steam.  And, suddenly, I don't want to forgot a moment of it all.

Today we celebrate Leo. 

To know Leo is to love Leo.  He is smart and sensitive.  He is determined and imaginative.  He is independent and curious.  He is caring and daring.  He thrives with music and art.  He is anything but hazy or foggy.  He is bright and shiny and beautiful.  We love him more and more each day. 

As Leo heads towards four, there are a few things about “Leo-At-Three” that I never what to forget:

That a mohawk is a “ho-mawk”.

That a marshmallow is a “smashmallow”.

That “show you somethin’” is a phrase he never gets tired of saying.

That he can draw the most awesome catfish; and is proud of each and every one of them.

That not a day goes by that his coloring and puzzle-putting-together abilities do not amaze me.

That he insists on changing his clothes (all by himself) upon entering the house – into sports shorts and a jersey and self-declaring himself a “new player”.

That he has the most sincere and enthusiastic way of saying “that’s great!”.

That his love for all things outer space has not diminished.

That he has built himself a fort of sorts behind a chair in the family room (and has stashed the essentials…paper and colored pencils…in it).

That he is an eager helper.

That he tries so hard to keep up with his brother.

That he is a natural in the water...swimming and floating unassisted.

That he has mastered the voice and motions of the robot that Eddy built in Pororo and Friends.

That his life as a three year old would not have been complete without the music of the Okee Dokee Brothers (may they win a Grammy Sunday night! for their album Can You Canoe? - it truly is excellent), Adele, Michael Buble (it's still Christmastime - "the best time of the year" - in our car), and of course, Psy.

Here's to the next six months...I can only imagine all the wonderful things that Leo will discover and accomplish by then! 

Happy Half Way to Four, Leo!!  You are one amazing kid.

Until next time...stay warm!