My Boys and Me

Typing this blog, knowing that there are so many different things I want to share, makes me think of the children’s story books that have many different stories all in one book. Here are MY current stories:

-Braeden deserves rights to the first “story.” If you haven’t read my last blog, read it now. After an awesome report card, Braeden was already high on our brag list. Now, he’s tipped over the top. Last Monday, I came home from work to no Braeden (Mike had taken him to the airport as he was headed to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with Daddy Aaron and Nancy), but on the counter was this-

As with the Terrific Kid Awards he’s gotten in past school years in SC, this is a hard award to get and only a handful of kids in the school get one. We are so proud of Braeden. He seems to always have me at a loss for words. Oh I just love that little guy. The Panther is my new car decal. Braeden knows how cool it is and when I talked to him on the phone, he wanted to be sure I knew that I needed to put it on my car.  Speaking of talking to him on the phone, when he called to tell me he’d arrived in Chicago safely; Nancy had an interesting story to share. Turns out, some homeless man that had been lingering around the airport tried to steal Braeden’s bag off the baggage claim. Apparently he grabbed the bag when no one was looking (or so he thought). The Police had been watching him on the surveillance camera and grabbed him as soon as he walked out of the airport. Although it wouldn’t have been ideal for Braeden not to have any clothes for his week in Chicago, I can’t help but chuckle every time I imagine the look on the man’s face had he gotten away, torn into the bag to check out his “loot” and discovered nothing but a bunch of little boys underwear and socks, etc. Too Funny!

-Braeden has been in Chicago since Monday. He comes home tomorrow. It was just Mikey and I for Thanksgiving. Mike worked a double and although I had to eat frozen pizza and fries for dinner since NOTHING was open around here (not even pizza and Chinese), I had a really great day hanging out at home with Mikey. We watched movies, played and I was able to get caught up on a lot. Why have I been behind? Well……I started a new job 2 weeks ago. I am working for Cooper, Ginsberg, Gray Law firm as a Legal Assistant. There are 3 partners and 3 associate attorneys and they all practice domestic law (same as the attorney I worked for in Charleston). I am really enjoying it so much. It took a lot of thought, prayer and contemplation to come to the decision of me going back to work full time. While it will be a huge financial help for our family, it also meant Mikey having to attend full day preschool (fortunately only three days since Mike’s two days off are Monday and Tuesday). I interviewed a couple places, but knew it was going to take the perfect environment, location and salary for me to leave my little guy every day. I have been so spoiled being with him the past 8 months full time and I’d become very attached to him (almost addicted). BUT, everything about this job seemed perfect. Too perfect in fact that I’d decided not to really share the details for fear I’d jinx it. It seems as though every time I think I’ve found the perfect fit for me and my guys, something goes amiss. Hopefully I’m not jinxing things now.  After two weeks of work (each day getting BETTER), I felt I’d go ahead and share. The commute isn’t so great (I have to leave by 7am to get there at 8:30am- well leaving at 7am gets me there at 8am, but if I left after 7am I wouldn’t get there by 8:30). It’s nice having a few minutes once I get into the office to do a few things on the computer before start “work.” Mike’s Mom took Mikey to SC for my first week of work. We thought it would be best to have me get situated first and get used to the drive etc. and then introduce Mikey to his new school. He came back from SC last weekend, but since I was off work Thursday and Friday this week, he only had to go to “school” on Wed. He is going to Chesterbrooke Academy. He is in the Pre-K program and wears a uniform and everything. The preschool program is from 9-4 and if he is there before or after, then it is “fun” or “free time” for him. Thursday and Friday Mike will drop him off around 8am, go home and sleep and then pick him up after getting Braeden at 4pm. Wed will be his longer day. Mike will drop him off at around 9am and I won’t pick him up until around 6pm (since that’s Mike double day). He seemed to do pretty good on his first day this past Wed. I didn’t get much out of him when I asked direct questions, but throughout the evening, he would share bits and pieces of his day. The one thing his teacher did mention was that he got very upset when it was time to eat. He had NO desire to eat macaroni and cheese. Well, of course not- it is not one of the 5 things he eats (peanut butter, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, pancakes or waffles). Hopefully being at school will broaden his taste buds a bit and before he starves. Here is a picture of Mikey on his first day. Sorry for the poor picture quality. Mike forgot to put the flash on.

-Mikey and I are celebrities- well at least when we are out anywhere with this cart of his.

I really think I need to find someone to produce this cart in mass quantities for me. I would be RICH if I sold one to everyone that commented on it when Mikey is pushing it in a store. I am not kidding when I say I think we’ve had 1000’s of people complement. You would think we were famous the way people stare and point it out. “Oh, look at the little boy and his cute cart.” Everyone asks where we bought and where they can find one (we bought it at a little ice cream shop in SC and it is a Melissa and Doug brand cart). It really is so cute and Mikey loves taking it to Target or the grocery store. It entertains him and he enjoys putting the smaller items in his cart or racing down the aisles with it. Every now and then he will get tired of walking and insist I put his cart in my cart (usually when it’s full of groceries or something breakable), but it has been worth every penny we paid for it. 

So, I think that about catches you up for now. I will let you know how Mikey does this week in school. It will be his first week going 3 full days in a row. I really love to hear his version of the day’s events. It makes the time I’m away from him seem OK and the time I am with him something I treasure.

Here is Mikey wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving-

I could just kiss that sweet face of his ALL day!

I think we have a future Black Friday shopper on our hands. Here’s Mikey on Thursday checking out the sale ads (upsidedown)-

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all of you! This blog is already too long and there is not enough space for me to list all the things I am thankful for. I am truly blessed far more than I could ask or imagine.

Have I mentioned lately just how in love I am with this precious little boy we call Braeden? He never ceases to amaze me and there are no words or descriptions to describe exactly the unique child he is. He is and always will be one of God’s greatest accomplishments.

So, he accepted the move from SC (the only “home” he ever knew) to VA without any complaints. Almost as quick as the movers unpacked our stuff, he’d made friends and began thriving socially (even more so than he did in his comfort zone of SC). Then, last week he impressed me more than he ever has (and that says a LOT because he does and says things all the time that really impress me). He brought home his first report card in VA and it was better than any he has ever had. Again, this says a lot. A- It is the first quarter and it’s very hard to get PERFECT remarks in the “behavior” areas since this is usually the trial and error period for both the teacher and the student’s and leaving room for improvement is almost inevitable. B- Third grade is a big change from second grade and C- VA academic standards are higher than SC. Well, he had “perfect” in all behavior areas and all A’s for academics.

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I would be miserable every day and not ever adjust to living in VA if it meant my boys were happy and thriving. Luckily, things are not only going so well for Braeden, Mikey and Mike, but now, it appears things are falling into place for me too……

Stay Tuned……………….

We had SO much fun this Halloween. It was very different Trick-or-treating in VA. I can recall sweating while taking the boys out in SC. This year, I was armed with hot chocolate and layered with warmth. It was COLD! The neat thing about the neighborhood we live in, is it’s mostly town homes so we got like 3 houses to the 1 we would have got in SC- like we would have only been able to hit 1 third of the houses in SC that we visited here since they are so close together. We have SO much candy. I told Braeden that he can pick out 10 pieces of his favorites and today we are heading to a local dentist that will buy the candy for $1 per pound and send it to the troops overseas- GREAT idea and a great way to keep ME out of the stash. We would have a lot more candy if we let Mikey continue on his venture. He didn’t want to quit. After each house, he would say, “K, where are we going next!” He was having a great time. He walked up to one lady and said, “Trick-or-treat” and then after she gave him his candy he said, “Thanks, and YEEE HAWWW!” and NO we didn’t tell him to either.

Now, finally I have proof as to why there are never very many pictures of Braeden on this blog compared to Mikey. The kid is impossible to nail down. After school, he plays outside with his buddies until dark. On the weekends he is outside from 10am (and only not earlier because I say he has to wait till 10am) until we have to go somewhere or until it gets dark. Well, now, he is apparently “too cool” to hang with his Mom. He went trick-or-treating with his neighborhood buddies (and one of their Mom’s- I wouldn’t have let him venture off alone, NO WAY). I have to say I was sad, really sad. It dawned on me that he is truly a BIG kid now. I am not sure what I am going to do when Mikey gets to this age and does the same thing. There will be no “baby” to run to and make me feel better. Two nights ago I told Braeden to come and snuggle with me on the couch. He came over, but had the, “do I have to?” attitude. I said, teasingly “you don’t like to snuggle me anymore!” I thought for sure the response from my always-wanting-to-please little man would be “yes I do Mommy!” Nope, try, “What 8 year olds do you know that actually want to snuggle with their MOMS?” BOOOOO

OK, enough whining, here are the pictures of Halloween 2010-

Our Pumpkin “OCD Mom” style-

Mikey actually loved it. I am not sure he would have liked the pumpkin guts either-

The Pre Trick-or-treating Attire-

I need to find a picture of Braeden at this age. Mikey’s smile is EXACTLY the same as Braeden’s was (and Mikey is even missing his 2 front teeth)-

YEE HAWWWW-

Woody-

Baseball Player-

Braeden and his buddies (and Mikey who HAD to jump in the picture). They were so ready to get going, but I insisted on snapping a quick pic. Yep, I AM that annoying Mom and I always will be-

He got tired a couple times, but as soon as we mentioned going home he jumped down and kept on going-

His loot-

Mikey’s BFF Sayelor. Even from a state away, they had the same idea. She is SO cute dressed up as Jesse. I wish they could have gone out together. They used to get mistaken for twins when Mike’s Mom watched the two of them.