kellicrowe

This kid is 8 today.

This kid is 8 today.

This kid has his own style.

This kid wants aviator sunglasses.

This kid loves Sponge Bob, monster trucks and will still watch Thomas the Train...you know, if it is already on.

This kid was the easiest baby.

This kid was the sweetest toddler.

This kid is currently making me pull back out all of the parenting books we ever purchased.

And look up whining on line.

And made me consider buying that tape series from the guy on the radio.

But when this kid isn't whining, he is funny and clever and very smart.

This kid pulls his own teeth.

This kid likes to do yoga with me in the mornings.

This kid likes to live on the edge by making jokes about my lack of flexibility as we do yoga in the mornings.

This kid can not do math homework without having to hold up his head as if it weighed 600 pounds.

This kid is super sweet and helpful to younger kids.

This kid has traveled to more places in 8 years than I did in my first 28.

This kid gives the best hugs ever.

This kid is my baby.

And he is 8 today.

 

Lack of photogenicality

I'm not especially photogenic.  And that is ok.

I just like to say my kind of cute doesn't always show up on film.

But my real lack of photogeneticness shows up when I am in the background of a photo.

And no where is it more obvious than at my kids' birthday parties.

My MIL is super sweet and always takes a bazillion pics at the parties.

Here are some of the best of the worst of me in the background:

Cheering the kids on during the relay race / obstacle course.

And being attacked by my bangs.

Looking really ticked as I tell the kids to line up for the pinata.

I wasn't.

Even though it was 1000 degrees.

Me, sans lips.

Me talking to the kids about waiting for the cake to be cut.

And yes, I have been working out.

No explanation for the crazy eyes.

Yeah.

Good stuff.

    

He is 13

He was almost born at 28 weeks.

He arrived 4.5 pounds.

He cried for the first 6 months.

Like...the whole time.

He started drawing perfect circles before he was 1.

He ran at 10 months.

He learned how to stop at 18 months.

He was covered in bruises all the time in between.

He did everything else late.

He was diagnosed with Autism at 2.5 years.

He was re-diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at 5.5 years.

He wakes up during the night and writes story boards.

He loves Legos, action figures and drawing.

And man, can this kid draw.

He wants to be an animator.

He already makes short films, so I guess he already is.

He reads pretty much everything he can get his hands on.

He likes History.

And NY City.

And he is amazing.

Amazing.

He really is one of the most interesting people I have ever met.

And I get to hang out with him every day.

Happy Birthday David!

(Today, once he finds all 13 of his balloons hidden around the house - he gets to open gifts and go on a mystery outing!)

 

Conversations from a marriage: bathing suits

Me: Do you think this bathing suit works for me or does it look too young?

(Clearly, I had a reason for asking...I bought it in the Jr's dept., it was covered in polka dots and had a bright pink trim....)

Him: Silence.  2 seconds go by.

(In my world, 2 seconds is more than ample time to formulate a thought, develop a sentence and have relayed that information.  However, I am married to a thinker and have come to understand not everyone processes at the same speed.  

And just blurting out what gets churned to the top first isn't always best.  However......)

Him: Silence still.  5 more seconds pass.

Him: 15 more seconds.

(I have gone from feeling like his actual thought about my question is endearing to something else entirely.)

Him: More silence.

Me: Ok, never mind.

Him: I think if there weren't pink on it, it would work.  

Me: So I have aged out of pink?

(I understood what he was saying but really couldn't resist.)

Him: Well, I like you in it, I just don't think the pink works.  

2 minutes later

Him: Where are you going?

Me: Taking my old self to return this young person's bathing suit.

Him: I did think you looked good in it.  It is just the pink..... 

(I couldn't help but smile at the growing urgency in his voice to fix whatever it is he might have ruffled, and thus, blowing the fact I knew this was a no win question.

I figure if I have to feel awkward trying on bathing suits, then he might as well get to wade in that water with by having to give an opinion:)