Dinner with the Pope's

Dear Cole,

Last night Uncle Derrick and family came over. Dad cooked up a yummy batch of spaghetti, with hot sausages and super slow simmered sauce. It was deliciouso! We finished off with some brownies with strawberries and whipped cream.

You actually played with Eliana and at one point were climbing over the back of the couch and Eliana was trying to copy you. A conversation went something like this:

Aunt V: Elle, please don't do that.
Cole to Elle: it's ok, you can do it when she isn't looking.

Way to teach your cousin the ropes.

Thanks for the company guys. We love you bunches.

The Old Days

Dear Cole,
Daddy is in Virginia working this week. It's just you and me buddy. Tonight, after we finished reading and we were cuddling, I asked you what was the first memory you have. You said it was being at the zoo and peeing in the bushes. I remember that too. Then you took over.

cole: Do you remember what house you grew up in?
me: yes, I grew up in the house that Grandma lives in.
cole: was it in black and white or color?
me: not sure what you mean.
cole: you know, was it back in the old days, like black and white [photos]?
me: I'm not that old Cole. You think I look like I'm a 100 years old?
cole: you do look like an old lady.

Then, I had to tickle you because we have the best conversations. And after you're sound asleep, I grew sad because one of my first memories was when I was probably 5 and it saddens me to know that you won't remember most of our first six years together when you are old like me. We have just had so many wonderful times and watching you grew up and try new things and learn so much ---makes me proud and sad at the same time. I hope this blog and your photo books show you how happy we were...how happy we are.

I love you.
Mom

Skate City

Darling,

Somehow the permission slip for Skate City never made it home so I promised to take you the next day. Here is our day in pictures. Cesar, Sofia and Daddy came too. It was so much fun.

Because I care about people

Dear Cole,
Last week after we got home from school and work, you and I took Estes for a walk. I asked how lunch was because it was pizza day. When school makes pizza for lunch, you don't bring your own. It's one of a few offerings you like. Anyhow, Daddy loves school pizza and he was telling you during breakfast how much he loves school pizza and that you should bring him home a piece - BUT I didn't hear this conversation.

Back to our walk.

me: How was lunch?
cole: AWE, it was sooo good. I got seconds, but I didn't eat the second piece. I wrapped it in tinfoil and saved it for Dad.
me: (heart full of happiness because that is just so thoughtful): That is so thoughtful Cole.
cole: It's because I care about people. I know how much Dad loves school pizza so I wanted to bring him home a piece. It's nice to think about other people.
me: Where is the pizza?
cole: In my backpack.

Then we continued talking about doing things and giving things to people, about not being selfish all the time, and about how he "cares about people".

We finished our hike and I checked your backpack. No pizza!

me: Cole, I don't see the pizza. Are you sure you brought a pizza home?
cole: I must have been mistaken.

So, there you have it. It's the thought that counts I guess.

Love you baby,
mommy

p.s. Funny comment after three hours of playing Halo with Daddy.
me: Cole, why are your eyes so red?
cole: Because I didn't blinked at all today.

ValentiMe's

Dear Cole,

Happy Valentime's Day. That's not a spelling mistaken. You actually say Val-en-times. It's so freakin cute. I made cupcakes for your class and a special heart cake for you. I surprised you with it this morning. Daddy made you lunch and drew a funny face on wrapping to your ding dong and I made you a homemade card. You brought both up while you sitting on the pot tonight and you said, "that face was so cute on my ding dong" and I pointed to your dad because he drew it and you said "he is so special." Awwwww! My sweet baby.

Daddy made his stuffed chicken breasts for dinner. We had twice baked potatoes, asparagus, & champagne. You even toasted and had a shot of champagne with us. We only eat this meal once a year on Valentines Day and it is just so delicious. Thanks for making it with love Daddy. You made this dinner 9 years ago on Valentine's when we first started going out. Awwwww! How romantic.

Sofia brought you a present and a card last night and invited you over for dinner. It was really sweet. Then you made her a card took it over to her tonight and it read:

Valentine Valentine
Won't you be my Valentine
Please be my Valentine
Alright

So, that pretty much sums up our Valentine's Day. Oh, and how cute is the shirt Grandma made you? It says Be My Valentine and then under the girl is says Gma and under the boy it says Cole. Shari, our neighbor, even brought over some treats for us. So thoughtful.

We all love you lots and lots and lots.

XOXO,
Mommy

p.s. you said something funny the other day - Estes was playing around with you and I was in the bathroom getting ready and i heard you say, "She's nibbling my balls!" It was really funny.

Smarties

Dear Cole,

Lets talk about Parent Teacher Conference. But first, we have to go back to October conferences when you were still learning what it meant to behave like a 1st grader, how great your reading was, but how much focus and listening were a problem for you. How hard it was for me to hear these things but how I knew them to be true. Daddy made sure to tell your teacher that it's important to challenge you because boredom is an enemy and make the brightest students seem unruly.

OK, fast forward four months. You've learned what it means to behave like a 1st grader, you are on the fast track with reading, progressing by leaps and bounds, your work with math and numbers and patterns comes easy, and Mrs.O'hara can see glimpses of when you push your skills and knowledge to the absolute max. I wanted to cry in October because I knew you could be more and I wanted to cry last week because I knew you were proving you could be more. She has recommended you for the Gifted and Talented program at Emerald and Daddy and I talked to you about it and you agreed that you'd like to be in the program too. We are so proud of you darling. I mean, center-of-our-soul proud.

Next up, Valentine's Day - you celebrated yesterday at school with a sandwich making party and exchanged cards with your classmates. You made homemade cards - they were awesome; butterflies for the girls and aliens for the boys. The day left you exhausted and you were sound asleep by 6:30.

This morning, you crawled in the bed with me as I woke up and Daddy joined us and we just laid around, giving kisses and hugs, petting Estes, being goofy, and snuggling. It was all ruined after about half an hour when Estes farted and we all fled.

Today, after we went to see Gnomeo and Juliet and run errands with Daddy, you worked on clearing the gutters for the majority of the block so the water could flow to the drains. It was back breaking work, lifting those heavy pieces of ice, but you did it for nearly 2 hours. After a hot bath and some food, you've just been relaxing.

At the movies today, the showtime we wanted was sold out, so we were offered one 10-minutes later with the caveat that it was a special showing for kids with autism so it would be a little different experience. Before we went in, I explained what autism was by talking about your classmate Dakota and that the theater wouldn't be as dark and the movie not as loud as we are use to and that kids may be talking and walking around. You were great....and they were great.

I'm just so proud of the little person you are - your character, your wit, your love, your smarts.

Big hugs,

Mommy

Pacing and ice cream

Cole,
Tonight you went to dinner with Sofia, Cesar, and Dena. I didn't know what to do with myself. After pacing around for a bit I decided to run to the store to get milk and then I made my way to dairy queen. Really? It's zero degrees outside and I'm going to eat ice cream? Yep. That's exactly what I did.

Then I came home, ate it and paced some more before deciding to pick up the house bit. It's too quiet without you. I miss you. Come home so we can argue about getting ready for bed. Mostly, come home so I can snuggle and cuddle with you and read a book together.

I love you,
Mommy

Car ride and deep thoughts

On the way to Grandma's yesterday morning:

mom - "Cole, what's wrong? You seem sad."
cole - "Well, it's just that I miss my fish. You remember Shrek?" (now BIG tears coming down his face
mom- "of course I do. What made you think of Shrek?"
cole - "I was thinking about the movie and then I just thought about my fish."
mom - "do you remember what color he was?"
cole - "gold?"
mom - "purple."
cole - "who gave him to me?"
mom - "remember Mark and Sue? They gave him to you for your second birthday. He lived for two years. Dad cleaned the tank and you fed him. He was a good fish."
cole - "it's just that I miss him." (still big, sad tears)
mom- "Well, it's ok to be sad. Even though he's gone, he still lives in your heart."
cole - "I've lost three things in my life - Shrek, Soft Bunny, and Nilla."
cole - "I keep them alive in my heart."
mom - "not bad for being almost 7."

cole - "how will I find you heaven?" //now, I'm about ready to cry//
mom - "they have a front desk. you just ask for me and they will tell where to go."
cole - "can you find anyone that way?"
mom- "yep and when I get to heaven, I'm going to ask for my grandpa, Virgil."
cole - "I don't want you to die."
mom - "I don't want to die yet either."
cole - "what I am suppose to do when you die. you're my family, we're suppose to stay together."
mom - "well, hopefully I'll die when I'm old and you will be all grown up and have a life of your own."
cole - "But I will miss you."
cole - "will we have our hotel room in heaven?"
mom - "yep. we'll have our hotel room in heaven."

cole - "I don't want to talk about death anymore."
mom - "I agree."
cole - "I know I brought it up and all."

You are my sweet angel.

You were a snuggle bug with grandma which is so special to her. You two played cards and games and watched a movie while I went for a long run. Then we all went to the store and out for lunch. It was nice spending time with grandma. Since the weather was bad, we didn't end up going to Nederland, instead we started your valentine card project and watched a movie together. Then, we snuggled and giggled ourselves to sleep.

Goodnight darling,
Mommy

Sink

You've always loved playing in the sink. Last night, you asked if you could play in the sink with the dishes and some soap. It was cute to watch you wash the dishes and I think you asked me if I wanted a bite of your bubble chili. Yummy!

Today, I saw a movie called Biutiful and I was so touched by the man's love for his children. He was dying but he didn't want to leave them. I thought of you many times during the movie and how much love I have for you, how I can't imagine ever leaving you. I love you so much. Thank you for being my son.

I just laid you down for sleep and you gave me 50 kisses. Pure sweetness.

Good Night,

Mommy

School Closed

Darling,
School was closed yesterday and today because of the cold temperatures. We had adventures in my office yesterday. You love putting in the secret combination to get in the building and then using the secret card key to open the doors. You watched a movie while I was in a very long meeting. At some point, you visited with Nick and somehow made your way out with a yo yo and his plastic gun with darts. I taught you to stand on a chair to yo yo so that the string had room to drop. You practiced a lot yesterday and mastered it. You are now officially a yo yo'er. What else did you do? You helped Daniel with a real work project, interviewed Terre on camera while I tested out our new studio equipment, signed an important document, played hangman with Terre, scored some candy from Whitney and Vikki, and well, for the most part were pretty good....for a six year old.

So, when we heard school was canceled again for today, we invite Fia over for a slumber party. You guys must have been tired because you didn't do the usual late night chatting. In the morning, Cesar took you to the Childrens Museum where you were gone most of the day. Awesome for me because I put in six solid hours of work which was desperately needed.

We survived two canceled days of school and now we're almost ready for the weekend. I need to schedule some playdates...Umple Joe - here we come.

Love you baby doll,
Mama