little bud

The thing I do the very most of here in Naples is spend time with Graham. Being away from him for a week made me realize just how much time I spend with him. It's a lot. A whole lot.

With the way time is flying, I figured I better document some things about his personality before he's 6 and I've forgotten what he was like when he was 3.

I say six, because that is the age when his whole world is going to open up, according to him. He will tell people, "I am going to be 4, and then 5, and then 6!" Then he'll tell me, "Mom, maybe when I'm six I can have a motorcycle and a race car. A red one. Or maybe a motorcycle that turns into a race car. Yeah. That is what I want. When I'm six."

His favorite foods are pasta, peanut-butter sandwiches, cheese (all kinds, even super sharp tasting kinds), olives, apples, peas, and chocolate (all kinds, even really bitter tasting kinds). He's been eating us out of house and home, lately. He never used to ask for food between mealtimes, but those days are over. He's asking for food every hour, now. I can't imagine how much food he will consume when he is a teenager.

He is extremely curious about every little thing and asks question upon question upon question until finally I have to throw up my hands and say, "Well, Graham, because that's just the way it is. Please, no more questions about that."

He likes to get his "sillies" out before putting on his pajamas. "Sillies" are when he runs around his bedroom and then Tony or I (usually Tony) catches him with a blanket. Lately, he has been liking one "sinking silly" per night where he sinks to the bottom of his sleeping bag and then gets spun around in circles.

He always has to have two stories before bedtime. I think he's memorized every book on his shelf, but he never gets bored with stories.

He loooves little babies, especially newborns. He even gets a little giddy around them sometimes, but he knows how to be gentle. He loves to pat and rub their heads. It's quite precious.

He is constantly pretending. He pretends to be different animals, and he makes me pretend with him. If he watches a movie, he will pretend to be the characters in the movie til the end of time. For example, from the movie, "Bolt," he says to me, "Mom, you be Penny and I'll be Bolt and I'll be locked in a cage and then you have to come get me out. Okay?" If I do anything slightly out of character, he will say, "No, Mom! You have to be her!" Then, he'll go on directing another scene that I must follow lest I be yelled at. I think he might be a movie director or something when he grows up.

He is a goofball. He's hardly ever serious about anything. He makes everything fun. He is often in his own world and can play really well by himself. 

His face and hair are always messy. He despises wearing coats or jackets, so I make him wear long-sleeved shirts, which he then has to put a tee-shirt over. He also likes to wear shorts, but it is too cold for shorts, so I make him wear pants. So, he puts his shorts over his pants. We got him some pretty nice boots to wear during the colder months, but he refused and would only wear his Converse sneakers. You should see how worn out they are. Someone should tell his mom to get him a new pair...

He's not all that into drawing and coloring. He'll do it for a little while, but then want to start playing. He just likes to play. All the time. I'm working on getting him to learn to write some letters. I've realized that most kids his age know how to write their name, so I've been working on that with him. He really doesn't like it very much, but giving him stickers seems to help him cooperate.

When Tony and I talk about Graham with each other, we refer to him as "Little Bud." We've been doing that since the day he was born.

Hmm, let's see. I feel like I am forgetting something. What could it be? Oh, yes. He is obsessed with Justin Bieber. He loves to watch him dance and then try to do the dance moves himself. He can sing the words to "Baby," but I can never get him to do it on camera. At least once a day, I hear, "Mom, I am just Justin Bieber. Okay? You be his mom."

And that is how I spend my days. Pretending to be Justin Bieber's mom. 

And with that, I bid you goodnight.

my favorite

This is my favorite picture taken while I was in Oklahoma.  I can't be certain that I am the one who took it... Maybe that's why it is my favorite. 

I'm pretty sure I would love this picture even if I didn't know the people in it. It is natural, comfortable, and happy. But let's face it, I really love it because I do know the people in it.

This is Jenna and Drew. I had the pleasure of staying at their house on one of my nights in Sooner Nation. They have made a very cozy home for themselves. A sanctuary where I was able to rest and lay in the sun as they worked in their garden. I was even at ease enough in their home to brave the music studio of Drew the View. First, he had me sing a chorus he wrote, and then he got me to free-style some rap lyrics. I am terrified to sing alone in front of people, and I've never opened up and just free-styled. The fact that I did is a true testament to how warm, inviting, creative, talented, and inspiring this couple is.

Thanks for the hospitality, guys.

I will forever remember and appreciate it.

And you'll always be one of my favorite couples. Ever.

birthdays, weddings, and responsibility

I like birthdays. I think that life is precious and ought to be celebrated, especially Libbey's life. I guess there's not much more to say about that.

It's no surprise to anyone when I say that I looove weddings. I love the events themselves with all the dresses, parties, excitement, tradition, and anticipation,

 

but what I really love about them is what they symbolize. For me, they are proof that life and love continue to go on amidst all the darkness and death in the world. They bring people from two separate worlds together to form a bond and a new family. There's nothing more beautiful than family.



Excuse me while I digress for a moment. We all love seeing a daddy and a daughter on a wedding day, but I couldn't take my eyes off of this father/son combo.


 Don't they both look so proud? Okay, digression complete.

So, when Amy planned her wedding day near the day of Libbey's birth, it didn't take long for me to get myself a ticket to the good 'ol US of A to celebrate. And celebrate is exactly what I did. I might have mentioned here before that I went on this trip without the company of my boys. Of course, I felt a tinge of mother's guilt, but I was determined not to let it get in my way. So it didn't. Never has there been a time in my life where I had zero responsibilities. All I had to do was make sure I was in the right spot to catch my airplanes. I got to read without being interrupted. I got to go to public restrooms and not worry about my three year old falling in the toilet. I got to stay up as late as I wanted. I got to eat whenever and whatever I wanted. I got to go on jogs without a giant stroller. I got to spend lots of time catching up with friends. I laughed a lot. I cried some, too. And I got a little crazy.


Thanks for inviting me to your parties, Libbey and Amy.

I had a really, really good time. 

where have I been?

I'm still trying to figure that out. I'll let you know when the jet-lag and shock from being alone and free from responsibility for a week wear off.

Hang in there.

I promise to return to blogging as soon as my head stops feeling like it is stuck in a cloud.

it's crazy time

In the wee hours of the morning, I am going to board a plane all by myself headed for Chicago so I can celebrate St. Patrick's Day, as well as the birth of this girl.

Then, assuming that I do not drown in Chicago's green river, I will board another plane all by myself to get to the great state of Oklahoma where I will stand in a hot pink dress next to my BFF Amy as she promises to spend the rest of her life with her beloved, Cody.

It's bound to get crazy.

Did I mention that I am going ALL BY MYSELF?

I like reading blogs because

I like to peek into the lives of others and find that, despite the fact that the world can be a bit, well, shaky at times, people are out there working hard to raise families, cook meals, and experience joy in simplicity. I love reading the blogs where, through stories and photos,  people make ordinary life events like going to the grocery store seem extraordinary. Because, life is just that. Extraordinary.

So, a message to all you bloggers, thank you.

And keep on bloggin'.

And, as the Italians like to say, "godersi la vita."

Enjoy life.

in the navy

Hey Mom, I think it would be cool to be in the Navy when I grow up. Just like Dad.




Okay, Son. But, you will have to brush your teeth and shave and get up very early every single day, and you might have to go weeks or months or years without seeing your beautiful family. You'll probably have to move every couple of years, too.




Oh, and you'll have to cut off all your hair.


 

Swim away! Swim away!



*Disclaimer* I am obviously very grateful for the Navy and for all who work in it for many, many reasons. Not least of witch is that it provides for me and my family and allows us to live in Italy.