Monday, July 30, 2012

another year

happy birthday to my aidan. 

what does a mom say about the boy that made her a mom?  i love this kid beyond words. 
it is an overwhelming feeling when i stop and let myself feel it.  one that can only be described as joy.  and no, i'm not going to use the 'aidan is a joy to have in class' line like a teacher does when they can't think of anything else to say.  and no, for most of us that really know aidan, joyful is not the first adjective you pick to describe him.  it's not that superficial.  it's not that fluffy.  i'm not even going to pretend its all about him. 

here's where i'm going with this.  you know how people say that only children feel true joy? 
that can't be possible. 
i never felt the kind of deep-rooted, all-encompassing kind of joy i feel when i see aidan accomplish something he has put his mind to.  there are many things that come easy to him.  like memorization.  ask him some random fact about a reptile and take a seat. you'll need it while he reads from his mental encyclopedia.  reading? history? science? rock climbing? forget about it.  easy peasy.  i can't help but smile at those easy things, but it's those times when he struggles, those times when he gives it his all, those times when he works so hard to improve that brings me true joy.  like learning to anticipate someone else's needs.  that gift skipped him, but he has been working toward looking for those ques.  it is quite ridiculous really.  i get all squishy and teary when he simply brings me a glass of water without prompting.  he is was born to live in his own head so much that predicting how he might be helpful has had to be learned.  and the joy comes from him trying. seeing that it is difficult and continuing to work at it anyway.  working at it until it becomes natural. 


i love seeing this develop in him.  it makes looking forward to him being 11, all tweeny and goofy and farther & farther away from being my little boy, just a little bit easier.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

i think we have a problem

like an obsession kinda problem.
a disney obsession. 
like a we-could-go-every-six-months kinda obsession, but show a little restraint and waited eight.

is it because we love to fly a direct flight in the cheap seats?
or is it because 75% of us love the tower of terror?
and 100% of us love to cruise autotopia...
and sort of the smell of orange trees as we soar over california?

or is it because we love looking ridiculous on camera...

or getting so wet you have to wear your hoodie as a skirt?

aidan might say that it is the major gains in personal endurance that get you to come back.
you endure it's a small world for your mom...

and she will endure space mountain for you.
even if that means you have to rub her back while she maintains a fetal position.

nadia might say it is conquering her fear of the ferris wheel...
and tony might say that it is riding california screaming like a stud.

ok. it probably isn't any of those things.

but those things are great... 
and so are monsters...
and awesome grizzly river runs...
and swinging like a maniac...

and shooting the crap out of little light up thingies...

and just being totally cute...

maybe it is the discovering new things that keeps us hooked?

like disneyland's petting zoo! 
which, in case you were wondering, has the cleanest bathroom in all of disneyland.

oh yea,
and things like a dole pineapple whip.
they have some sort of restorative powers that are pretty much unbelievable. 

thank goodness for people like lindsay & karen who let us in on this must have.
but maybe that's it.  the whole shared experience thing.


that magical togetherness of waiting in lines.  not the lines that take an hour and a half in the blazing sun with a whistle blowing kid on one side and a group of ridiculous teens on the other.  but the lines where you people watch and tell stories and play the finger five game and talk about the future and what flavor of ice cream we are going to have for dinner.  those lines that put the four of us in a little pocket of time. 

 and the magical togetherness of brother and sister.
 and daddy-awesomeness. 
 and more togethery-togetherness. 

 sure that familyness can happen anywhere. 


but maybe that is why it's called the happiest place on earth?  because it is lots and lots of families doing that familyness all in the same place and maybe that is what makes it magical and makes us want more the second our feet step back into reality. 







Tuesday, July 10, 2012

we've been living

dear kids,

i know i said i'd write it all down on this little memory keeper, and believe me that i have been trying to keep it all stored up in my noggin...and my phone...but we have just been so busy living;


 living by chasing papa,

 and mel,

 and busy living it up with our friends,


busy rockin' the summer mohawk and working on life skills,

busy devoting 10-11 am every weekday and a beastly four hours to each meet,

 and we've been living the good life too,

 we've been living and loving some sushi and some best friends,

 and holding up tradition celebrating the fourth at the grand 'ol parade,


mixing it up by party hopping,


 and winding it down with the river of fire,

and we have been stealing moments away for just your parents,

 and we have been so busy living it up...

and loving all of this time together that i haven't done my best and getting it all on here. 

sorry kids. but the sun is calling, so let's just pretend that all of these phone pics are kinda the same thing, k?
you're the best.
love,
mom