Grant's got moves

My little dude is actually turning into a smooth little operator. Within our immediate family, that is. He has made huge steps in looking at people and responding to questions from other humans, but in the house he's got us all figured out. Like yesterday. He hopped off the bus and walked into to see Avery playing the Wii. He very sweetly and sincerely said "Avery, I've missed you all day. Can I have a hug?" The kid could have asked me for the keys to the car right then and I would have given them right over. Tonight he left a yogurt wrapper on the couch and just as Chris was ready to jump on him about it he says "I'm SO sorry Dad. Let me get that right now. I'll grab a paper towel while I'm in the kitchen to wipe any off of the couch. I'm SO sorry." And he looks you right in the eye with the most amazing look of sincerity that I've ever seen and follows through speedy quick on fixing his error. It's just way too precious. I don't know how we are ever suppose to discipline around that kind of adorable. I guess we don't really need to, right? He's seeing the problem and fixing it and apologizing. Isn't that what we're trying to teach them? I should probably be more concerned about the way that he asks sweetly for something and if I say yes he'll gently put him hand on my leg and give it little pat, look right up into my eyes, and say "Thank you SO much, Mom. You are the best mom in the whole world and I love you. I'm so glad you're my mommy." It seems like a little much when I've only said that he can have some pretzels or watch another cartoon. Better work on avoiding the over-selling.

This is what we've always wanted...right? RIGHT?!

http://bergcircus.blogspot.com/2008/09/flashback-friday.html

Here's a linky to a blog post in which I posted pictures of Mackenzie's first day of Kindergarten. Now, as I attempt to post about DROPPING HER OFF AT FRICKIN COLLEGE, I start to cry all over again. Mostly, the last few weeks have been good. Exciting. Beneficial to my habit of vicarious living. Pride inducing. Jealousy of that fantastic time of life inducing. But on occasion I fully lose it. Occasions like right this minute. I'm gonna be okay though. And I'm going to start posting about our trip to drop her off at college. I can do this. Even though I feel JUST like the lady that wrote this column : http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2010/08/22/bittersweet_song_of_september/?fb_ref=art&fb_source=home_oneline And even though sometimes it feels like they're all going to be gone in about 5 minutes and I'm going to miss them forever. Even though we still accidentally call her to come down to dinner sometimes.  And even though my family will never be the same and my children will never ALL live under my roof again. Even with the missing and sadness, it's still all greatly outweighed by the extreme joy that has come with watching her succeed and excel and grow into an amazing adult. I look forward to many more moments of pride and excitement as she keeps taking these big steps. Even as I watch the rest of my kids following much to quickly in her footsteps and I start crying all over again.