April Pictures

April was a busy month, so I somehow managed not to post even one of the boys' pictures we had done!  We did spring pictures of both boys in their adorable suits for church.  April was also Ben's birthday, so we had birthday boy pictures done of his as well.  There are about 70 really great shots, but I'm only going to post 2 because the boys will be waking up soon!  Hope you enjoy!

Mother's Day

Here it is, May already.  And time to celebrate another Mother's Day.  I have to say that this is a bittersweet celebration for me every year.  First, I am overjoyed that I am Mommy to 2 amazing sons and Aunt/caregiver to 2 wonderful nephews.  I am blessed beyond measure with a mom that I love dearly and who would do anything for me.  But then I start to think about the fact that my amazing blessings came from someone else's loss and I can't help but feel sad for those other moms.  For my sister, who was a great mom to my 2 nephews because she died far too young and never got to see what handsome, smart, and loving young men her sons have become.  For R, Ben's birthmom, who has never seen his beautiful smile or heard his captivating laugh but who loved him beyond belief and wanted so much for him.  For J, Nico's birthmom, whom I love and who I see in my son's eyes every time he smiles and who loves our son so much that she wanted more for him than she felt she could provide. For my own mom, who lost her daughter and granddaughter when I lost my sister and niece.  And perhaps most of all for my sweet Ariana's birthmom, M, who may not even know about the loss of our mutual daughter.  So many losses wrapped up in our Mother's Day.  Some losses through death, some losses through adoption, all losses and all painful for some or all of us.  So, today on Mother's Day, I want to say thank you to each and every one of these special ladies-Mom, Gayle, M, R, and J.  All of you are amazing moms in your own way.

I read a quote on another adoptive mom's facebook that has really struck a cord with me, so I'd like to share it in honor of M, R, and J on Mother's Day:

He is mine in a way that he will never be hers, yet he is hers in a way that he will never be mine, and so together, we are motherhood. ~desha wood

Without those 3 amazing ladies, I wouldn't be a mother, so I am forever blessed for having their lives touch mine.

Haircuts, again!

Last week the boys got their hair cut-AGAIN!  Their hair grows soooo fast that I joke with our stylist that we could keep her in business just with our haircuts.  You'll have to excuse Nico's dirty face-it's impossible to keep him clean now that he is walking and into EVERYTHING! Also pay no attention to the half naked brother in the background reading a book :-)  LOL

No, Nico's curls haven't disappeared, I just combed it straight and let it dry that way in this picture.  His curls are alive and well with the help of a tiny amount of gel and a water bottle!

Notice that Ben is half naked in this picture?  You can thank my nephews for teaching him to run around with no shirt on.  The funniest part is that when Tony or Drew comes downstairs without a shirt on Ben always says, "I do not want to see you naked!  Go upstairs!" And yet he wants to run around half naked himself.  If the big boys see him, they always tell him they don't want to see him naked either but Ben just laughs and tells them too bad!  This boy cracks me up all day long.

More funny things with Ben...

Conversations overheard between Ben and his cousin:
Ben: (while hanging from the back of the couch) Ayduame!  Ayudame!
Cousin: Ben, there's no ayudemes here.  It's not the rainforest.
Ben: Ayudeme means help me.
Cousin: Oh.

At the playground:
Cousin: Ew!  I am never going down that slide again.  There's a giant bug crawling at the top.
Ben: Hmm...I better go take a look.

If laughter is the best medicine, I should be super healthy around here.

Big Boy Bed

It finally happened.  My sweet boy figured out how to climb out of his crib.  Nothing in this house is safe again and my peaceful sleeping days are done!

Soccer Boy!

Ben is so thrilled that he finally gets to play soccer!  Today was picture day and practice only, but he was still very excited to suit up and play.  Sorry for the poor picture quality-my camera was in the car so all I had was my phone.

Funny Ben Stories

Ben has really been showing his personality-much to my embarrassment most of the time-lately!  Here are 3 stories that all happened within a 24 hour period of time this week.

1. We were having lunch at Steak n' Shake-just Ben, Nico, Belle and I.  The lady at the next table says to Nico, "Oh you are just the cutest thing!" She then turns to Ben and tells him he is cute and Belle and tells her that she is pretty.  This sweet lady then turns to me and says, "Your kids are just beautiful!"  Before I could even say thank you, Ben responded by saying, "Thank you for summing that up."  Luckily the lady only heard the thank you part, so she said, "Oh and such good manners!"  The line is a quote from a cartoon movie, but I was shocked to hear him use it in context like that-and more than a little embarrassed that he was being sassy.

2. My sister, Ben, Nico and I were shopping at JCPenney when Ben decided that he MUST see a hideous orange owl necklace because "Grandma likes owls.  Let's get it for Grandma."  He grabbed the necklace and pulled, and, of course, the entire display of hideous orange necklaces tumbles over.  Necklaces went in ever direction and the post they were hanging on whacked Ben in the nose-which caused him to have a small nose bleed.  So, there I stood in the middle of a store surrounded by necklaces and trying to calm down a crying child who is STILL asking if he can get the necklace for Grandma even as he cries and his nose bleeds.  Ah, the joys of motherhood :-)  Would trade it for the world, though!

3. This morning was Ben's very first soccer practice.  He has been counting down the days until he could wear his cleats and shin guards.  So, when I went in his room to wake him up, he popped up quickly and attempted to climb out of his crib-for the first time!  He got one leg over the railing and pulled himself up on top of it so that he was straddling the rail like a horse.  Then he seemed to realize that he didn't know what to do from there. So, I asked him what he was going to do now that he was halfway out. He looked into the bed, then down at the floor, then up toward the ceiling before looking back and me and saying, with a completely straight face, "Ummm....it looks like I probably better stay up here."  Tony (my nephew) and I were both literally laughing out loud.  Then he says, "Or maybe you could help me."  So, of course I helped him down.  It looks like our days of Ben in a crib are numbered now!

Sometimes with Ben I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or send him to time out, but there is never a dull moment and I love being his Mommy more than life itself!