Pure Joy

What a wonderful Saturday we have had. Max had a soccer game this morning - I wish it was earlier because it is HOT out there watching him play at noon. We ran to K-Mart beforehand to buy a lawn umbrella for shade. Too bad the ground was so hard that we weren't able to get it into the ground. After soccer we headed to my school for the annual school picnic. Max had fun playing games and daddy had fun bidding on silent auction items. They had some good stuff!

It got pretty hot today so when we got home from the picnic we filled up the kiddie pool in the backyard so the boys could play after dinner.

While neither boy was too keen on the idea of actually getting in the water, they both had a great time splashing around and being silly. Max would run from one end of the yard to the other and slap the water to make the biggest splash possible.

Will just thinks his big brother can do know wrong. He clapped for Max as he ran from around like a crazy man. He even let go of the pool to clap. Little by little he is standing longer and longer. I can't wait until my littlest man is walking!

I just can't get enough of these little guys and their smiles. I'm so glad that school is almost out so I can have all summer to have fun with my boys. Looking at these gorgeouse grins, who wouldn't want to spend every summer day with them?

Backyard Fun

Just because I think my boys are adorable, here are a couple pictures of our fun outside tonight - the weather has been absolutely beautiful!

Will has inherited an old pair of Max's shoes. I actually tried to take him to get a new pair of shoes last weekend and they didn't have anything appropriate in his side. The lady was nice enough to tell me that these hand-me-downs would work for a month or two. After dinner We put Will's shoes on and headed outside for some fun. Little by little he is getting more steady on his feet - in fact I was even able to capture a picture of him standing without holding on to anything.

He does look pretty funny when he tries to push his little hippo though. He steps are huge and he just doesn't quite have it down yet.

Max had a bit of a rough day today. His teacher mentioned an incident at school this morning. He apparently knocked down some block houses two other little boys had made. When the teacher talked to him he just broke down.

Tonight he was a bit weepy. Eventually after bath he told us about knocking down Connor and Grady's blocks. We talked about telling them he was sorry and making sure he didn't do it again. We ended up writing them each a little apology note. I love how sensitive and thoughtful my little guy is. He has a huge heart and while it might make for some tough moments, I know it will serve him well in life.

My goodness, I love these little boys!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms - and almost or just like a moms - out there. This morning Max gave me this little gift that he made at preschool this week. It brought me to tears. My little man is just growing up so fast. I couldn't help but think about the Mother's Days when Brian and I were hoping for a baby and it just wasn't happening. I knew I would become a momma somehow, but those days were still incredibly, unbelievable hard. My heart goes out to anyone in that situation and unless you have been there you cannot possibly understand. Our struggles to conceive make me all the more appreciative of the family we have built. Every day really is my mother's day.

Here I am celebrating my fifth Mother's Day as a mom and I couldn't ask for anything more. My goal this morning was to sleep in, that didn't quite happen, but we did get to enjoy a fun First Watch breakfast together as a family. After breakfast we put Will down for his morning nap and we prepared to head out to the zoo. This was Will's first trip to the zoo and he hung out in the Ergo the whole time.

I love 'wearing' him. I get to look down and see this beautiful smiling face - who wouldn't love that? Will looked to cute in his too big Cardinal's hat, this was the first time he actually wore it. Every other time I put it on him he pulls it off within seconds.

Max, of course, couldn't wait to ride the train. We hopped on and took the train to the River's Edge. The whole time we were walking through and looking at animals Max was on the lookout for the train. He took few minutes out to pose for pictures with daddy and a cobra - I think he was trying to figure out if the snake was real. Lucky for him is wasn't.

He also cracked us up when he busted out the zoo map and tried to find where we could board the train again. The scary thing is he was able to figure it out. Max has a freakishly good sense of direction.

After our last train ride we headed over to Nonna's house to finish the holiday with her. What a wonderful Mother's Day, but as my mom reminds me all the time - everyday is Mother's Day and not a day goes by that I take that honor for granted.