She wanted to go outside!

Boo has really taken recently to helping us let the dogs in and out of the backyard.

Even when they don't want to go.

He gives a little helping hand...

Or a pull and a shove...

Poor Lexi.

I'm a lucky woman!

Tonight, when Boo was laying in his bed getting ready to go to sleep, he grabbed my arm and hugged it tight to his chest, closed his eyes, and whispered oh, so gently:

"I love my mama."

You know, it was almost more than I could do to keep the tears from flowing down my face.  What a sweet, sweet boy.  And he's mine.  THIS is worth everything.  THIS is what I longed for two years ago when we boarded that plane.  I am so very fortunate.  I love my life!

2

Two years ago, we boarded a big blue plane to go halfway around the world and pick up the most special little boy in the whole world!

The best. trip. ever.

Can't believe it's been two years already.

Wow.

Movie Monday - Working Out

Mother's Day weekend

We spent Mother's Day weekend camping on our land again this year...seems to be a trend that we have had for the last few years.  The weekend before Mother's Day in 2010, Chris and I were up at our site where we planted a bunch of white pine trees to watch grow over the years, along with our son.  We planted one in a specific spot for Boo, but decided this year that they were all going to be his trees, not just the one!  Anyway, that was a bittersweet Mother's Day because we had thought for sure that he would be home with us at the beginning of that year, but still had yet to receive any news on when he would be coming home!  (That all changed 10 days later with our Travel Call, but we didn't know it at the time.)

Last year was my first Mother's Day celebrating with our little guy and it was soo worth the wait! (scroll to the bottom of that post for the mom's day stuff)

This year was amazing once again.  I had my two guys with me, it was extremely gorgeous weather the whole time we were there, and I got myself to run two out of the three days!  It still got pretty cold at night, but the days were warm enough to be out in short sleeves and light-weight pants.  Amazing for this time of year in the UP.

After one of my runs.  And yes, I probably had him a little overdressed, but it was still a bit cool out and I didn't want him getting sick.

"Put your head in my shoulder, Mommy."

HE got tired of walking. This was my weight training for the day!

Boo up-ended all these logs and was pretending to be on a bus going to school.  Kept him occupied for longer than we thought it would.  I hope this enthusiasm continues once he is actually going to school!

One of my Mother's Day gifts.  I got to pick out the charms:

dolphin (I collect them), a little bling, wine glass, my birthstone, Mom heart, Chris' birthstone, Boo's birthstone in the box, RN charm.

I love it and can't wait to find more charms!!

random photo after we got home. He stated:

"My arms found the pockets!" and proceeded to walk around the driveway like that.

I just had to laugh.

Guess I should start checking his pockets before I do laundry now!

Happy (belated) Nurse's Week!

Nurse's Week was May 6-12.

Look who was celebrating:

"U gotta (heart) a nurse!"

I love these guys.

A Month of Catch-Up

So, yes, I've meant to keep you all up-to-date with what we had going on in April because I knew it was going to be a busy month, but the time just got away from me.  Now I've got a million pictures to post (okay, not quite that many, but still a lot!) and because that's what most of you are here for anyways, I'll just get on with it...

The scene after "nap time" soon after we transitioned him to the toddler bed...haven't had a nap out of him since.  And the toys are now out of his room!

First weekend of April, we went canoeing because it was so nice out!

having a snack

throwing rocks in the lake

Boo's birthday weekend.

I told him to keep an eye out for Grandma and Grandpa, who would be here soon, and he took me pretty literally.  He stood at the door for a good 5 minutes (looong time to stay still for someone his age) until I realized what he was doing!  They showed up soon after I took this picture.

He loved his cake!!

We had his party at a local gymnastics gym and the kids loved it!

Here's cousin C getting ready to drop into the foam pit.

Aunt Brenda and her oldest, J, in the foam pit.

Daddy's under there somewhere!

They actually were having fun...  :)

Working together to help Daddy out of the foam pit.

Very cute.

The youngest one there, Z, on one of the trampolines with Grandma.

I have no clue why he's smiling this way after opening up all his presents...what a lucky little boy.

Sharing his train table with his cousins; it's the first time they've been over since it's been set up.

He got his penguins!

(He also got a penguin shirt from two of his cousins.)

Probably the gift that's been used the most since we opened it.

Scooooore!!

He would do everything in it if we let him!

Storytime with his new football.

Another story with Aunt Becky.

Z is ready to roll!

Four of the cousins trying to use the tractor all at once...and only one is small enough to fit in the bucket!

Grandma stayed for the week and was able to keep Boo completely occupied.  They had so much fun together doing puzzles, buying and planting flowers,

climbing to new heights at McDonald's,

building bridges, playing with play-doh, and way more things that I don't have pictures of.

Thanks, Grandma, for being his playmate for the week!!

Grandpa came back at the end of the week to pick Grandma up and we took them to a new(er) BBQ restaurant that's close to us.  Boo ate well, which he always seems to do for Grandma, and loved being the center of attention for the entire meal!

Helping Grandpa wipe his hands after dinner.

We kicked off the camping season with a short overnight trip with friends after G & G left.

Boo pitched in and helped carry some wood to start a "bonfire."  I promise, it wasn't that big, but that's what he likes to call it!

Getting a ride from Sarah...wheee!!

Again, I don't know what's up with the smile, but he was in the middle of eating his brat.

The next week, we joined a few friends at a local indoor playground and he really showed me that he's growing up, becoming more independent and a little less cautious (remember the video of him climbing the ladder?  that's from here).  Hanging from some of the equipment.  He was also climbing those curved ladders over and over; no pictures because I was too nervous about him falling through and knocking his other front tooth out to think about the camera!!

Train ride down the slide.

He likes to put Vaseline on his lips because Mommy does it every night, so he knows that I keep it in a drawer in the bathroom.  Well, after I got out of the shower one day, he was laying on my bed just opening and closing his hands and when I got closer I saw this:

and this:

He had taken a handful(!) of Vaseline out and rubbed it over his lips and hands!  I couldn't help but laugh and obviously ran to get the camera.  He just had gobs of it all over.  Do you know how hard it is to try to get your skin clean of a substance that is water-repellant?!?!  I just stuck him in the tub since it was bath night anyway.

I have since hidden the Vaseline out of sight and reach.

His new ball cap.

At his 3-year check-up (the day G&G got here), he weighed 27 lbs 4 oz and was 35 inches tall...still my little peanut!  After a week of eating for Grandma and the rest of the month, I weighed him again at the gym a couple days ago...28 lbs 4 oz!!!!!  He put on a whole pound!  Considering he only weighed 19 lbs 9 oz when we brought him home almost two years ago, this is incredible.  Maybe he's about to go through a growth spurt??

So that's our month of April.

Let's see if May can top that!!