And Then There Were 2!!!

Sunday, April 24, 2016

This Is The Life

My little Avenger just has me smiling all the time these days! This is such an amazingly fun age! I love hanging out with him, talking to him, playing with him, hugging on him, cuddling with him and just loving him.

I look at him and see this confident little boy who knows what he likes, what he doesn't like and why. He's thriving in school, socially and oh my goodness academically. His teacher is always telling me how impressed she is with his intelligence, especially for being so very young (he's the absolute youngest child in the class). His math skills are off the chart, his reading and spelling pretty close as well. I haven't told him this myself though, for a variety of reasons. I don't want him to stop working, stop trying to learn. I don't want him to know that this stuff is coming easily to him because one day, most likely very soon, academics will not come easily for him. There will be subjects or concepts that stump him, and I want him to not be afraid to try and possibly fail. But he's starting to realize that he's doing a bit better than some of his classmates.

Athleticism doesn't come easy to him, though he loves playing basketball, baseball and soccer. He's begged to go to basketball and soccer camp this summer, and I'm betting that had baseball been sooner he would have asked for baseball camp as well. But though he has to work hard in the sports arena, he does so with gusto and excitement. It's been amazing to watch how much he's grown in just a year in all three sports.

I still think running is going to be his forte. This child is fast, fast, fast. My parents say he's an excellent swimmer as well....I'm looking forward to seeing him in the pool this summer.

It's just mind-boggling that I have this person, a real live person with thoughts, opinions, ideas, likes and dislikes living in my home with me, riding in my car with me. It's only been 6 1/2 years yet it feels like we've been together for 6 1/2 decades. There are times I can't remember him not being here. Then there are the times I want to cry for knowing that in 12 years he won't be here every day. I'll look in my rear-view mirror as I drive to work, see his empty car seat, and my heart ends up in my throat.

I loved having a baby. I loved being pregnant. I fully expected to love those aspects of being a mother. But goodness I am bowled over by how much I'm loving being a mother to this child, this person, this little boy, this gorgeous soul.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Tate's First Communion

Tate celebrated his 1st Communion today. It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony and watching my sweet boy reaffirm his faith and move so much closer to Christ brought me to tears.

He's been attending 1st Communion classes Sunday morning for about 5 weeks and yesterday he attended a 3 1/2 hour 1st Communion Retreat at our church. It's been an amazing journey for both of us; I'm so excited that he now understands the importance of the sacrament of Communion and that we can share this together on Sunday mornings.

Yesterday after the retreat there was a Renewal of Baptismal Vows for the children in the 1st Communion Class. It was just a lovely service, absolutely lovely. Father Doug who baptized Tate performed the Renewal Ceremony. Tate and I were blessed to have my parents and his godmother with us as well.

The children decorated candles during the retreat and each
was lit by Father Reagan for the renewal of baptismal vows.
The newly made candles were a representation of the candles they
received at their baptisms. Tate's is the one on the end on the right!

This morning Tate was able to receive Holy Communion for the first time. We were so blessed to have my parents, Shelley and her daughter attend as well as our closest family friends, our closest church friends and my sister and her family. Sadly, Lindsey was out of town with some girlfriends, so she wasn't able to make it this morning.

It was an absolutely beautiful Spring day in Houston. Tate and I arrived at church and got him lined up with his fellow classmates with his gorgeous stole that he made yesterday at his retreat. The children processed in and sat as a group for the service.

Watching Tate receive his 1st Communion had me in tears again and watching my sweet boy bow his head in prayer after receiving Communion made me so proud and reminded me of what an amazing God we worship.

Ms. Carol has been teaching the 1st Communion
class for 10 years. This cross was made from the
handprints of all the kids in this year's class.

Mommies all dressed up :)

Tate and I had everyone come back to the house for lunch and celebrating!

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Spring Break 2016 - The Week!

Tate's Spring Break festivities did not end with our weekend at the Woodlands Resort. Though I had to work the entire week...all 5 days...I made sure he had some fun during the week! He had really enjoyed a writing camp he had gone to last summer in which they presented a play at the completion of the camp. So I asked him if he'd like to attend a theater camp for the week of Spring Break. He was all about it :). The cool thing about this Spring Break camp is that each day stood as an individual day, so while we signed up for the whole week, each day the kids in the camp presented their plays. Apparently they divided the kids into two groups in their age groups, so Group A presented to Group B and vice versa. The kids got to choose which characters they would be, design/make all their own costumes and write their plays.

Tate LOVED the camp! He was so happy every afternoon when I got home, Even better Stuart came in the mornings to hang out with him, so he had lazy mornings and then Stuart picked him up in the afternoons, so he got to hang out at home as well!! Thursday afternoon Papa picked Tate up and took him back to his house for one day of Camp Grandmommy and Papa!!! I got a night home to myself, so Thursday night I went out with some of my peeps from work to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!!!

Reading books with the much loved Stuart!!

Such a very happy little boy!!!

Iron Man costume!!

Spiderman costume complete with webs!

Darth Moll from Star Wars!
How he knows who this is is beyond me!

Joy from 'Inside Out'

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Friday night I drove down to my parents' to hang out with them and Tate. Saturday bright and early, Tate and I loaded up the car and headed into town to pick up a couple of friends and head to the RODEO!

On the tram to the rodeo!!

Ready for mutton bustin'!

1 day old twin lambs!

Post snocones, horse riding, carnival rides and games, lunch
and cotton candy!!

I convinced Tate to give Mutton Bustin' another try. All year long he has said he did not want to do it again. From the moment he came out of that barn last year until the morning we went to the rodeo this year he has been adamant he didn't want to do it again. I sat him down to try to ascertain why. I knew he was probably a bit scared, but I really wanted him to overcome his fear to try again. I finally was able to get him to tell me all of his concerns. He had been really upset to get an 89 last year since the winner got a 95. Now his favorite number is 95 because that's Lightning McQueen's number (sigh) so that really hurt his feelings. He didn't want to get another 89. I told him he wouldn't get a better score if he didn't try. Another thing was that he was really put out last year when he realized that not everyone got a belt buckle though he really liked his ribbon...for me that just magnifies what is wrong with all this business of everyone getting a prize, everyone being praised for effort and the winners not getting more than the losers. These kids are not learning to lose with grace and win with humility. I can't stand the not keeping score idea. That is not real life. And I told Tate all of that last year...that he lost. Losing is ok as long as you try. Sure it's more fun to win, but unless you try again, you won't win the next time either. That seemed to get through to him. So then he decided to try again! I was so proud of him. I told him I knew he was also scared, so we practiced the night before with him riding me around my parents' living room :). He mentioned that he was not expecting how fast the sheep would run, and I said 'Well now you know, so you'll be able to hang on better.'

And hang on better is what he did...

He was so proud of himself. Well after he cried, had to see the rodeo nurse and get checked out to make sure he hadn't broken his leg after his sheep stepped on him. It was a lot of drama, and he was absolutely fine, though a tad sore when his sheep stepped on his thigh. But goodness the tears. But he was a good sport and went back into the arena to get his blue ribbon. He was a little taken aback to realize he got another 89, but also noted that the highest score this year in his heat was a 92. And I must say myself...these judges were much much more hardcore than the judges last year. They gave some of these kiddos 81s and 82s who fell off immediately. Last year Tate barely got out of the chute before he fell off and made an 89. This year those kids got 81s.

But I was so very proud of him. So proud! He faced his fears and tried again. He was proud of his effort and his score. He's learning that practice and repetition will pay off!! So proud of this little boy!

We stayed at the rodeo grounds for almost 5 hours then took everyone home then came home to relax and have a movie night!

We went to church that Sunday for Palm Sunday then hung out at home for a while!!

I managed to book-end this Spring Break for myself with two trips to the Rodeo to actually see the rodeo and a couple of concerts. Monday night (while Lindsey babysat) Julie and I went to see Kenny Chesney in our chute seats, so we got a fabulous steak dinner, free drinks and seats on the dirt during the concert. We insisted on standing up and dancing while everyone else sat on their keisters and had a blast!!!! Kenny even pointed us out and blew us kisses. Seriously. I know it sounds like I'm making that up, but he did. Julie and I were on our feet almost the entire time and were the only ones. As the stage circled around each time we would blow kisses or make hand motions and he copied them almost every time. Now I'm still in love with Keith Urban, but Kenny sure did make my night :)