Twas the Night Before....

With a lump in my throat I read this to him tonight. He is sooooooooo excited. As soon as I walked in the house he came running in and said "Mama I go to school tomorrow!"  I am happy for him. And my heart is breaking all at the same time.

Look At Me Now.....uh

There is no telling what this boy would be up to if school didn't start soon! It's amazing how far he's come.

GERONIMO!!!!!

Doesn't he make this look so much fun? You should get in the water with him. I can hardly believe how far he's come around in a month. When we first moved in, the four of us got in. It was horrible. He wouldn't even sit on the step unless someone was right there. He wanted to hang on your back and don't even think about going to the "deep" end. The first couple of nights that we worked with him he'd scream and cry. I thought for sure the neighbors were going to come out to see who was being hurt.
He knows that he can't get in without his life jacket and that he can't even be outside around the pool without an adult. (Smart boy!) But when he's got that jacket on, there's not a whole lot he won't do.

Killing Me Softly......

Have you ever just watched someone? Or stared at someone and then when they look at you, you pretend you're not staring? That's been me a lot lately but I've been doing it to Braxton. I am having a really hard time with him started school in a few weeks. It's killing me. On one hand I'm so excited for him to make friends and to really begin finding out all that there is in this big world. But on the other I'm devastated that he'll be exposed to all the unkind people and things that are also out there. I've been thinking how next summer I most likely won't be able to tell him that his orange juice doesn't have pulp in it because he'll be able to read that YES IT DOES! I will no longer be able to spell things when he's around that I don't want him to know. And I can't continue to shield him from learning things that I don't think a little boy should know. But all of that is about to change.
I watched him this morning and literally his life just flashed before my eyes. My baby boy. About to start school. I keep asking people if it gets easier and I keep getting the same answer. No, it doesn't. Nobody told me about this.
For years, I've stood in the hallways at my school and watched parents take their babies to class on the first day. I have rolled my eyes before at the blubbery moms and dads that have dropped them off and are now leaving and thought, "Pull it together people". This year I'll be one of those parents. But I'll try to wait until I get back in the car! 

"There are two lasting bequests we can give our children.  One is roots.  The other is wings. " ~Hodding Carter, Jr.

While You Were Workin.....

I HATE to even mention it but my time off is coming to a close. I don't even feel like I have been off with all that we had going on a few weeks back. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the weeks home but we've just been so busy.
 I decided just a couple of weeks ago to write down (didn't you know I was a list girl!) all of the things that I wanted to do this summer. A lot had to do with the kids but there are a couple of things that involve unpacking. I'm trying not to unpack anything else until the room is painted. We're making our way around, rather quickly I think, but I don't want to unpack just to take something down or move it when Brandon gets to that room. I would like to get the office settled before I return to work. We'll see. And the kids and I still have a few things to cross off the list. Today, however, has been designated as laundry, dish washer, blog posting, go through a few boxes day.
I have REALLY enjoyed being with my babies this summer. Our garage only contains a few more things to be put away (and then both cars will actually be parked in it) so I can actually see "things" that were Braxton's that I packed away as he outgrew them. I found his Lightning McQueen car and his John Deere ATV. Mckinley absolutely loves riding on both of them but Braxton acts like he's never seen them before. He even loves them. He couldn't wait to get on the John Deere and then when he did he said, "Uh oh. We have a problem. This thing is too short for my legs!" He's really good about letting Mckinley ride first and will push her around. You can tell by her face that she enjoys it. The little booger will want to get on it and when I put her on and walk away she'll look at me and begin bouncing as if she's saying, "Woman! Don't you realize that putting me on is actually only the first part of this deal!?"
Braxton has loved the pool this summer. He spent about 5 hours in it on Sunday. There's nothing he won't do in there now. As long as he has his life jacket on he'll jump off the side, ask to be flipped over from his float, swim on his back- you name it. It makes it all more enjoyable for everyone. And doesn't cause me to worry about him as much.