When you know exactly how they feel....

My little Rocco has timid tendencies...he's what the professionals call, "slow to warm."  He's cautious, self-aware, a little anxious and gets overwhelmed easily by noise and movement.  So....I know EXACTLY how he feels.  We went to a birthday party this weekend at the noisy bowling alley for a little rambunctious friend from the neighborhood.  Rocco hid and refused to join in...Matt tried to encourage him and he refused.  I watched him carefully and wondered how to help.  It took me a few minutes to recognize myself in him and then all I had to do was think about what would have helped me....so I called him over and said, "I know exactly how you feel...it's kinda scary to only know one person at a party huh?  He agreed.  I labeled his feelings and validated them.  We talked about feeling nervous and how it feels weird in your tummy...and then I reminded him how new things can be scary at first and then we get comfortable because it's not so new anymore.  Just like preschool, which he absolutely loves...so off he went to bowl and play.  He never fully immersed himself with the rambunctious crew but he found the courage to play...and relax.  And it did my heart good!  

My sweet boy in his homemade Turkey hat!  Did I mention we LOVE his teacher! :)

Museums and parks and Superheroes...

Where does the time go...?  Here are some pics of our summer adventures...

Museum of Natural History-DC, Cheeto Break.

Science is fun!

Fountain near museum gardens.  

Mommy and baby feet cooling off in the garden fountains on a scorching summer day!

Museum of the American Indian-DC, Skateboarding 

Playing in the Teepee

Weeeeeee!  Park time

Butterfly garden-Elleanor C Lawrence Park

Turtle friends brought lots of giggles!

Superheroes...

pose...

like this...

We fight crime!

Baltimore water front

Baltimore Science Museum

I think he just sprayed water on someone...oops!

I'm a turtle!

Posing...

again...even in underwear!

A prized possession from their beloved Lexi...

Sweetest face...

Halloween 2013

School parade and parties and friends and a silly dad...and trick or treating...and being kinda spooked by all the spookiness of Halloween led to an early end to collecting candy...but the small amount they collected was enough to make them happy!  I love the gratefulness they feel over even one small pile of goodies! I hope they are always so grateful of all the little things in life...

Pre-K Halloween parade..led by Rocco the boxer!

Hi Mom and Dad!

Here come the rainbows...led by Rocco's amazing teacher.  We love her!

A Halloween song!

With dance moves...so darn cute!

No explanation needed

Let the candy collecting begin!

A happy and a grumpy trick or treater...poor Roman wasn't feeling good.

Fall in Virginia

Just when I get so homesick for Arizona...not the seasons...or should I say season as there isn't much variety in Az...but more for the connections with friends and family...the familiarity of the cultural climate...knowing my way around...just the stuff that makes you feel "home"...fall arrives and its beauty is breathtaking.  One tree might reveal 5 colors...and the skyline on some roads gives you tree after tree of various colors...all blending in a gorgeous setting that takes my breath away...and then there is the fun of gathering up all the various leaves that have fallen and jumping in them and throwing them and exploring them...this weekend we played!

Like father like son....

Roman held my hand as we walked down the stairs together.  He looked up at me and said, "Mommy, you are so beautiful."  My heart almost jumped out of my chest...what a sweet thing to say I told him...then I gave him the biggest hug and kiss...as I thought about that moment, the realization hit me that Matt tells me I'm beautiful everyday...every single day...I couldn't be any happier to have such a sweet husband setting a beautiful example to our little boy...I have never felt so beautiful...

Hoping the end...is just the beginning...

So many nights and Saturday mornings for years...waiting for the moment when I would hear his name announced over the speaker during high school games...and here it is.  I reminded him to give it his all and to cherish every moment because this year ends an era.  As weird as this may sound..it is a grieving time for me.  Football has been a way of life for us...for twelve years.  I can't imagine how he must feel...to say goodbye to himself as the football player and work to re-define himself in his eyes...in everyone's eyes.  To me...there is always the high maintenance little boy who couldn't eat generic oatmeal or pop-tarts or macaroni and cheese...the one who climbed in my bed after a scary movie...and slept on the floor in my room after Matt and I got married.  The talking that never stopped, and the singing...and the arguing his point until you just gave up...there was the avoidance of the news because his sensitive heart couldn't take it...and his love of shoes and the joy in his heart...and his smile and the little notes he wrote me telling me I am the best thing in his life and that he loves me so much...he is that same kid, but different because he's a young man now making his own choices and we all adjust to his wishes, even if we had different ideas, because we only want to see the light shining in his eyes...because to see him happy fills us up, all the way...so we mourn an end while we wait patiently for what comes next...and we remind ourselves to cherish every moment of every game, every touchdown, everything about this final year.  My son...