This boy absolutely loves.
Which makes my heart sing...since there was a period of time
that I worried he might not truly let himself love...not completely anyway.
But he does.
And he is healing and growing and maturing...and feels empathy..and compassion...
and can say he is sorry.
I am so proud of this little man.
And to be honest I am proud of me (and his Daddy too of course)...it was not always easy.
In fact there were more than a few nights I cried myself to sleep...for him and for me.
And now he is my very tall Kindergartner who is reading sight words and learning addition.
And he is learning to play...and by himself every now and then.
That is a big big deal.
I know it drives his Daddy crazy - but I adore hearing him singing at night
(when he is supposed to be quiet and trying to go to sleep).
He sings and claps and tells himself stories.
(Alec just lays there and listens!)
This girl loves with abandon.
She tells us she loves us all the time.
She is sweet and generous and caring...
(with a little bit of mean in the mix when she needs to stick up for herself with her brothers!)
Just now I was drying her off after her bath...she hugged me close and told me
"I love you Mommy".
As I remember back to her first few months with us...
I can honestly tell you I have never held a baby so much as I held Ava.
She demanded it.
And it was exactly what we both needed.
(even though at the time I believe I shed a few tears of exhaustion and sweatiness)
Not to mention the nights walking (aka sleepwalking) her in the stroller around and around the house.
This is my alltime favorite picture of Ava and her baby Rae....
and the love is unmistakable.
This boy loves too - very intensely.
He is an interesting fellow...so smart...and funny....and takes everything at Alec's pace.
His love for me is huge...
especially if I will read him a book and lay with him till he falls asleep.
Or come downstairs when he wakes in the night - pure love on his face...
no doubt.
He loves his Daddy...but he is definitely his mamma's boy.
He too made me sweat it out - carrying him until my back and arms are probably ruined forever.
I remember all the nights of his Daddy or me laying on the floor in this room...
holding his hand from his crib.
With the occasional peek over the edge to make sure we were still there.
Oh our aching backs.
But it was worth every second.
Our eldest granddaughter loves us all so freely and hugely...
and we love her more than we can even express.
She hugs her "Layden", "Lava" and "Lalec" every day when they arrive at daycare.
She runs full force to hug and hug her Grandpa and me the minute she sees us...
in fact sometimes we can't tear her away.
She adores her Daddy...and he adores her.
It will be fun to watch our two granddaughters as they get older...
right now Korbyn is interested in Rae only momentarily.
I do think they will be the best of friends in years to come...
they are both quite the characters.
We are supremely blessed.
With lots of love.
