Summer Loves

We were side by side in a sunshine-y booth at a local fast food joint. My boy, the oldest who happens to have carved out a huge piece of my heart, asked if the drink he just washed down his last bite of rice and beans with was Sprout. He meant Sprite but I thought it was too cute to correct. He has a slew of  things right now that absolutely make me melt. Like the way he requests Gootbeer with his pizza, the way he's into craft time, how he gives it his best shot to calm an upset baby sister. Right now I'm staring at ten pictures he colored and hung in my room as a surprise. They range from a family portrait of stick people to him and his brother on the teeter totter.  He's tender hearted, that one. I love him for it all the more.
Hot summer days at the pool are always a crowd pleaser around here. Gabe is especially fond. It's almost the first thing out of his mouth when he wakes up in the morning and it's his first request if we ask what we should do after nap time. Even it it's like 65 degrees. Let's just say he's a fan. This summer he's not even the least bit afraid of the water. Running and jumping right in. Watch 'dis mommy is a phrase he says nonstop while showing me his different jumps. He will ask if I want him to do a Spiderman jump or a Choo Choo train jump or any other kind he's made up. It's great to hear what's going on in that little head of his. I always knew he was  a really cool kid but now hearing what he has to say really seals the deal.  Swoon.

Selah Christine, she rocks my world. What can I say? I didn't know what to expect when I found out I was having a girl. I was familiar with boys. She blew me away. And every day since.

What I'm loving now? The way she says "Oh" when we talk to her like she really understands, even if what's being explained is something like how to change a tire.

The way she's obsessed with books. The house will witness a rare moment of quiet, all three kids playing nicely in the boys' room, I will go up to check on  the situation and there she is going through the book basket. She's so enthralled with her reading that she doesn't even see me standing there.

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We had the chance to go visit with friends at their lake house. It ended up being the best day EVAH! From the tubing to the delicious grilled food to the S'mores. It was one for the record books.

We were 10 to a boat, 5 of those being kids. Sitting back, soaking up the sun on too pale skin and enjoying the bounce, bounce, bounce of the waves under the boat. The little kids were taking turns on the tube. My boys are timid, unsure. They like to thoroughly assess the situation until they know for sure that it's safe. The other kids, excited and eagerly awaiting the chance to be floating on some water thing being pulled by a fast boat.

I jumped at the chance when Gabe whispered in my ear that he wanted to try tubing. I stood next to him as we listened to the rules and got the hand signals for faster, slower and all done. I wasn't sure he would go through with it as I watched his little limbs slip through the arm holes of the life jacket. But he did it, he jumped in the tube, we started off really slow like he requested and got faster and faster. The smile on his face was the only signal we needed to know that he was loving it.  Isaac, seeing how brave little brother was, decided he wanted a try. As we were pulling him in after his turn was over he said, I know  who's going next, ME! Yeah, he loved it too. I love it when my kids try new things. I love watching the whole process. Going from I'm not sure about this whole thing to I DID IT and I LOVED it! It was great.  Really, really great.  One of those moments when I felt like I've got this whole being a mom thing. I've had enough of those how the heck did I get to be a mama moments to know I should appreciate those times. So drink it up I did.

It's been a great week. Happy Tuesday out there!

XOXO,
Angie