Seven Months...

Seven Months Old and his new theme phrase is:  "It's over rover."

Long gone are the motionless baby days... Little man is acting like a complete toddler.

He is totally mobile, vocal, and constantly curious.

In other words... he is the cutest form of trouble you'll ever lay eyes on.

He has been crawling for over a month and now he pulls himself up to his knees and then to his feet.  He's never met a cord he didn't love.  He sits like a fat little bear cub while he plays.  He can be surrounded by baby toys and all he wants is a kitchen utensil.  He still drools incessantly - Smiles constantly - and squawks boisterously. 

He burrows his head into the crib corner to sleep .  He cruises in his walker like he has the need for speed - running over toes and making bloody ankles if you're not watching out.

He has a voracious appetite.  The most expressive eyes.  And the sound of his panting breath in my ear as I hold him close and Daddy rounds the corner is about enough to make my mama heart jump out of my chest.

Boone, You are the surprise baby boy whose smile elicits grins and giggles from my man posse like nothing else.  You make us all feel that a little lovin' from you is all we need to live happily for the rest of our days.

BOONE

Simple Definition of boon (noun) :  Something pleasant or helpful: a benefit or advantage.

Full Definition: A Benefit or Favor:  one that is given in answer to a request.

A timely benefit: a Blessing.

Indeed, little buddy.  Indeed.

Summer Views...

There's something I would like to confess...

I try to act all, "Oh summer, I love you so much for your spontaneity and your long schedule free days", but let's get things clear... I am a planner and organizer at heart.  I plan and organize the crap out of summer.  And I'm not sad about it, not one little bit.

For example, I organize epic pool bags for long pool days.  I bring all the pool toys, all the pool treats, ice cold beverages, & crisp dollar bills for the vending machines because if we're gonna do it - let's REALLY do it, you know?  We stay for hours.  Their swimming endurance rivals that of Michael Phelps.  They're little dolphins with tanned skin instead of gray, and goggle outlines around their eyes for hours after we've finally pried ourselves away from the cool water.  I love soaking in all that Vitamin D and listening to the tales they tell and watching their latest tricks.

I also plan things for as many days as I possibly can on those mystical summer calendar pages called June, July & August.  I am talking days away with friends, weeks away on adventures, and weekends with family.  I love penciling in things like "Rodeo" & "BBQ" and "Amusement Park".  Whether or not we stick to my original outline doesn't matter, as long as we hit some of our most beloved spots together and we get that precious -- no friends, no chores, no distractions -- time.  Which is becoming harder to come by as we manage a household and schedules for six active and busy people.

I organize meet ups at parks and fun centers and front yards and I'm absolutely OK with it.  Sometimes it's the most basic summer activity, like watching sinewy backs run through the sprinklers, while I sip on a Diet Coke with the babe in the shade.  Other times it's a full-day outing at the zoo or the mini-golf course; complete with ice cream cones and sunburns, and failing patience after hours in the sun with little friends.

I plan pancake breakfasts after we sleep in.  I plan donut runs for long Saturday mornings when the sun rays sneak through the shutters to shed light on the sweetest faces I know.  I plan movie nights and fireworks shows and bike rides and camp outs.  All of it to answer summer's invitation to experience adventure and celebrate the annual season of sun.

Have I mentioned that I am so grateful for this window of our life when all four of my boys still think I'm kind of cool and want to hang out with me --AND I actually get to?  It's seriously the most rad thing ever.  I'll say, let's go meet Ash and her girls at the pool, and they all cheer and say little alpha male things like, "Boo-yah!" & "Yah, Baby!"  That freedom to watch their personalities bloom in the summer sun, like wildflowers, is never lost on me and I am so, so grateful for RyGar for being such a supportive and encouraging husband and daddy-o.

I do a lot of this summer planning under the guise of doing it, "for the kids", but I didn't hate childhood and I'm telling you, being able to relive it is the most amazing gift.  It's like packing coloring books, crayons & snacks to church in a special bag o' tricks "for the kids" then ending up "helping" them color for the bulk of the meeting.  I love revisiting the most magical time of my life through my little groms... which ironically, makes this phase, right now, the most ethereal.  I'm so grateful they'll share this season with me.  

So, Summer... I plan the dickens out of you... and just so happens, I can roll with you too.

One thing is for certain.  I will MISS you dearly, until next time.

Retirement Fiesta...

We celebrated a new adventure for Ryan's Dad and Mom this past weekend.  After forty years "professing" the Silver Fox finally called it good and retired!

What's next?

We don't know, but we do know that we all gathered together to celebrate the Patriarch of Ryan's family and this exciting new life phase with a good old Fiesta complete with sombreros and mustaches for good measure.

And wouldn't you know Boone rocked it like the good little photo prop that he is.  :)

My tiny El Guapo... makin' his Mamacita swoon!

And getting his moves from Grandma apparently.  ;)

It was fun to spend a hot summer evening celebrating a guy that hates almost more than anything being celebrated... true story!  :) 

We did it with just his immediate family which includes, ten little gents ages seven and under - plus three older grandkiddos that get to "help" with the other ten and are clearly going straight to Heaven for their services.

So many hugs for this guy.  So many thanks to him.

And so many well wishes for his next chapter - whatever it may be!

Love you, Grandpa Bob!

Lucky Number 7...

For seven years, our Kael has bee the all-important first page, in the best chapter,

of the story of our lives.

He represents our fight when it would have been easy to give up.  He is our faith when it seemed God was silent.  He is the warmth of the sun after a long gray storm in our lives.  He is hope and courage and love - all perfectly packaged in that toe-headed, sweet-faced, sun-tanned little boy body. 

Our story is different than I expected it to be.  It's what was MEANT to be, and it's far better than I could have ever imagined.  It's a story of miracles and love, and it all started with the birth of Big K seven years ago today. 

For his seventh birthday, Kael requested a "Water Baseball Party".  We held "training camp" and had a slip n' slide for sliding practice, a batting tee with water balloons for batting practice, and a dunk tank for pitching practice. 

And some of our cousins and best friends were in town for the main event to make it even sweeter.

I'll let you look at these pictures below, then give you one guess as to which part of the party was the biggest hit.  ;)

 The rest was just "fluff" as they say.  Still fun, but not the main event.  

There has to be some sort of psychology about the level of fun going up exponentially when you get to inflict pain/cold/surprise attack against your friends.  Especially for little boys.

 We grilled up some hot dogs and served chips and watermelon and punch bags for lunch.   

We sang to the birthday boy as he admired his chocolate-chocolate baseball cake that had been long requested.  'Atta boy, Kael.  Chocolate is always a good idea. 

We are so grateful that Grandma & Grandpa Gardner and all of Ryan's sisters were here to help.

They tended babies and cleaned up itsty bitsy water balloon remnants in 100 degree weather.  And generally kept me from totally losing it as the ratio of boys to adults would have been a sorry number without them!

 And we're especially grateful for this sweet kid, who is the best big brother around.

Thanks for kick starting a tribe of wee gents that seemingly can't be shut down. ;)

Love you, buddy.  More than you will ever know.