You'd Have Thought He'd Have Noticed by Now...

This has been in my drafts since AUGUST, I guess... Posting it finally:

Nate is in swimming lessons with Colly right now.  He loves it.

 Best buddies!

Why are you kissing me??

There's a 6-year old girl in his class that is quite a little spit fire.  This last week she said to me, "Did you adopt him?"

I said, "Yup... How did you know that?"

She said, 'Because your skins aren't the same color."

I said, "Yup... Nate's from Haiti."

She said, "Nuh-huh.... then how do you know what he's saying??" (picture the snotty look like she's totally just busted me in a blatant lie)

I said, "Because he speaks English."

She scrunched up her nose... "Ooohhh...."

So the best part of that story is that Nate heard me retelling that to someone and I hear him exclaim, "Our SKINS not the same colors???"

I really didn't think I'd have to spell that one out for him, but....

Dear Nate,
The other day you and Mama were snuggled together, watching a movie. 

My cell phone rang, and I picked it up and forwarded the call to voicemail.

You said, "Joo gonna tell 'em that joo snuggling wit joo boy?"

Sweet, sweet child.  Mama loves nothing more than having you home to snuggle with.

I love you.
Mama

Introducing... Mr. Melon

This is Nate pretending to be a potato bug:

He says his "potato bug name" is "Mr. Melon". 

Getting So Excited That You Can't Keep Your Shirt On....

Speaking of birthdays, Mama's was earlier this month.  Daddy took you to pick out something for my birthday.  You picked out something that you "knew I'd like".  You were so excited that you couldn't keep the secret.  The night you picked it out, when Mama got home, you took my hand and said, "Let me show you" and you lead me through the entire house trying to figure out where Daddy had hid the presents (you know... so you wouldn't do what you were NOW doing).

Every single night after that you asked me if it was my "dinosaur birfday" yet.  So much for secrets...

The night of my "birfday" when I came home from work, you met me at the door, so excited.  I had to whip my phone out really quickly to try to record your sweetness.

You were so excited that you were twisting your shirt around while you were telling me. 

Sorry that the video is sideways, but you get the idea....

It's My Birfday Par-tay

Dear Nathan,
You turned 4 yesterday.  All your aunts, uncles and cousins came down to celebrate with you, along with Aunt Titi and your best buddy, Colly.

We had it at a local park where the kids could play on the big toy.  Papa grilled burgers for everyone.

This was your face when you saw the elephant from Brian and Kim.

Just like last year, you weren't expecting the presents.  It surprised you that we were doing that, too.

"It's Thomas!" (Thanks, Trudi)

That's what friends are for!

This was your face when you were opening your first presents.

Bike Helmet from Grandma and Grandpa "Mint"

You're such a sweet, beautiful, wonderful little man.  We love you so very much.

Happy Birthday, Sweetness!
Mama

Manners

Dear Son,

Daddy's taught you that the polite way to ask for something is to say, "May I please....".

That means that when you come up to me and try to order me, "You read that book to me!" then I say, "How do you ask?" and you say, "May I please you read that book to me?".

It makes me laugh every time.

I love you, Mama

How Accurate Are Your Sources?

Dear Nate,
The other night you and I walked to a park in a nearby neighborhood. They have a "big toy" there with several slides. You went down the first one and kinda fell over towards the end of the slide and felt like the slide "grabbed your face" so you weren't too happy about that slide.

I tried to get you to go down the "twisty-tube" slide.  You sat at the top and Mama tried to coax you down.  I showed you how it is such a fun slide that it makes our voices sound funny when you're at the top and Mama's at the bottom. 

You agreed that was awesome and were content to just sit at the top and yell things down the tube to me. 

Then I tried to shimmy UP the tube slide with my 6 feet of body to get around the corner far enough that you could see me and confirm that it was NOT, in fact, a tube of death into the unknown.

You laughed at Mama  wedged in the slide but still weren't gonna move.

I kept trying some positive "You Can Do It!" motivation from the bottom of the slide.

You were trying to gear up, and psych yourself up to go down the slide by yourself. 

That's when I heard your soft little voice say, "Mama.... Joo SURE kids does this??"

Sweet, sweet little man.

I love you,
Mama