We celebrate all weekend, what fun! Today we got up early, got some plants from a plant swap, and then did yard work with Marti. Mike and Chris played t-ball, as Chris practiced hitting and even tried to hit left-handed. I love how he likes to play outside and that he likes to play with Mike so much.
I took a nap, which was welcomed and long overdue, but especially appreciated today. Feeling more than a little uncomfortable and exhausted, due to cramps I woke up feeling so much better. Mike then went to the store and picked up a charcoal grill and cooked steaks, asparagus, and portabello mushrooms, as potatoes with onions and garlic baked in olive oil in the oven. Christopher stayed outside with Mike while he was cooking, and we all enjoyed talking and hanging out around the grill and having dinner. Chris said he was a little cold, so he got a blanket and wrapped it around himself while he was waiting patiently. After dinner, he asked me if he could cuddle up in my lap, which made my heart sing. I have come to realize that I can no longer pick him up and carry him around, as he's gotten too big...it makes me happy how he's growing, but sad how I have to let go of one more "baby" thing. He often sits next to me to cuddle, but it was extra special that he wanted to get in my lap while we were outside. And then, he fell asleep. Awww. That almost never happens these days, that he falls asleep before being sent to bed. How nice it happened this way for my weekend with the guys. Truly makes my heart sing!
Chris made me something at school for Mother's Day, but he's been very good a keeping his secret after his initial disclosure this week. We have a rule in the family: "there are no secrets in our family" and since he is "Literal Man" he almost let the cat out of the bad earlier. I had asked him how his day went, and what did he do in school, so he told me that his class made something for all the moms. "It's a ...." he started to say, so I told him that he's supposed to tell me that it's a secret, which is when he reminded me about how we have no secrets in our house. So, there I was explaining to him the difference between a secret for a surprise, vs. a secret that is inappropriate. I tell you, every day is a learning experience with this little guy, I love it!
After we sat outside and talked for awhile, listening to music, Mike took him and put him in his top bunk. He was able to say most of his evening prayers before he drifted back to his solid slumber. Before he fell asleep earlier, he asked me where his backpack was, because he wanted to be sure to get his special present out first thing in the morning. I'm not even going to peek in his backpack! What fun it will be in the morning!
As for this weekend being a special day, I have to say, it's nice to have a day of our own, but it's really not just "our" day. There are so many levels of relationships out there, so many women who deserve to be honored, so many who have had an impact on each of us...how can we squish it all into one day? We celebrate for the whole weekend, and we make it a family even in our house. I also like to call several others to tell them Happy Mother's Day...my grandmothers, a couple of friends, my sisters, and several others.
Besides feeling emotional all week due to PMS (sorry, guys, I know this subject is considered TMI, but dammit, it hurts, it's uncomfortable, it's predictable, it makes some of us crazy), it's also the 3rd year without Mom in person. I know she's still around me, I know I can talk to her, but I do really miss her some days so much it makes me emotional and then I remember the good times. It's easier to meet the milestone days, birthday holidays and anniversary days, especially with a growing appreciation of all that is and all that will be...but it still hurts. Sigh.
And now, time for bed so I can sleep in tomorrow and continue this awesome weekend.
Happy Mother's Day, Mom!
And to all the Mom's out there!
I took a nap, which was welcomed and long overdue, but especially appreciated today. Feeling more than a little uncomfortable and exhausted, due to cramps I woke up feeling so much better. Mike then went to the store and picked up a charcoal grill and cooked steaks, asparagus, and portabello mushrooms, as potatoes with onions and garlic baked in olive oil in the oven. Christopher stayed outside with Mike while he was cooking, and we all enjoyed talking and hanging out around the grill and having dinner. Chris said he was a little cold, so he got a blanket and wrapped it around himself while he was waiting patiently. After dinner, he asked me if he could cuddle up in my lap, which made my heart sing. I have come to realize that I can no longer pick him up and carry him around, as he's gotten too big...it makes me happy how he's growing, but sad how I have to let go of one more "baby" thing. He often sits next to me to cuddle, but it was extra special that he wanted to get in my lap while we were outside. And then, he fell asleep. Awww. That almost never happens these days, that he falls asleep before being sent to bed. How nice it happened this way for my weekend with the guys. Truly makes my heart sing!
Chris made me something at school for Mother's Day, but he's been very good a keeping his secret after his initial disclosure this week. We have a rule in the family: "there are no secrets in our family" and since he is "Literal Man" he almost let the cat out of the bad earlier. I had asked him how his day went, and what did he do in school, so he told me that his class made something for all the moms. "It's a ...." he started to say, so I told him that he's supposed to tell me that it's a secret, which is when he reminded me about how we have no secrets in our house. So, there I was explaining to him the difference between a secret for a surprise, vs. a secret that is inappropriate. I tell you, every day is a learning experience with this little guy, I love it!
After we sat outside and talked for awhile, listening to music, Mike took him and put him in his top bunk. He was able to say most of his evening prayers before he drifted back to his solid slumber. Before he fell asleep earlier, he asked me where his backpack was, because he wanted to be sure to get his special present out first thing in the morning. I'm not even going to peek in his backpack! What fun it will be in the morning!
As for this weekend being a special day, I have to say, it's nice to have a day of our own, but it's really not just "our" day. There are so many levels of relationships out there, so many women who deserve to be honored, so many who have had an impact on each of us...how can we squish it all into one day? We celebrate for the whole weekend, and we make it a family even in our house. I also like to call several others to tell them Happy Mother's Day...my grandmothers, a couple of friends, my sisters, and several others.
Besides feeling emotional all week due to PMS (sorry, guys, I know this subject is considered TMI, but dammit, it hurts, it's uncomfortable, it's predictable, it makes some of us crazy), it's also the 3rd year without Mom in person. I know she's still around me, I know I can talk to her, but I do really miss her some days so much it makes me emotional and then I remember the good times. It's easier to meet the milestone days, birthday holidays and anniversary days, especially with a growing appreciation of all that is and all that will be...but it still hurts. Sigh.
And now, time for bed so I can sleep in tomorrow and continue this awesome weekend.
Happy Mother's Day, Mom!
And to all the Mom's out there!
So, we celebrated our little guy's adoption day by taking him to the only Mexican restaurant in town, and he loved it! We do something special with him each year, and will likely make it bigger each year as he understands more and more how much he means to us and how we love having him in our family.
When we got home, Mike put on his nightly show, Jeopardy, from a recording earlier. It's celebrity week, so some of the questions are a little easier for the rest of us non-fast thinkers. Well, on this special day, we had several personal references from the answers on Jeopardy tonight, including:
Senator Diane Feinstein of California is the aunt of the judge who signed our adoption papers, Judge Feinstein! On the day of his adoption, we had commented on her relationship to the senator, and used that as our way to remember the name of the judge who helped change our lives on this monumental, ceremonial day.
under the category of "yellow" was the New Mexico flag -- where we have lived the longest with our son (4 yrs for him, 15 for us)
Neil Patrick Harris was one of the contestants, a native of NM, and he is the one who answered the flag question
We've been talking about and picking one of my favorite local flowers....the buttercup. In fact, I just gave a bunch of buttercups to both Mike and Chris about a week ago. Not only was the picture of the buttercup easily identified by Chris, but it was not correctly answered by any of the 2 contestants
Now, we don't live our lives according to what happens on Jeopardy, that would be dumb. It is rather odd and amusing, since we do watch the show every day, that on two particular days in the past month, the answers on the show are randomly and yet very closely related to something not as pertinent to the day as it was by showing up today.
It was a good day!