Moon Rising...Finally Seeing the Seasons Change

For the last few years, I haven't enjoyed the change of seasons... Many caring people said "why are you doing this to yourself?" (parent figures, in particular)... I know, believe me. I knew then, and I know now, it was insane. I would never recommend to anyone the stupid human tricks pulled as I worked 2 jobs, went back to school full time, and did research in the lab; let alone layer that with getting married less than 6 weeks after getting engaged, and going thru an adoption process, all in the same joyous years.... And yet, when I'd get lovingly harassed for my insanity, my response was always the same: "This is for the greater goal.... just wait and see"...

I knew then, and I know now, it needed to be done...
And so, it was one recent amazing evening, as I sat on "our" boat with our son in my lap, really nice friends and their daughters riding along, when I found myself unable to stop staring between my amazing husband, our wonderful son, and the fog coming off the river... It couldn't get any better, right? And then, we all looked up -- and saw this amazing glow of an almost full moon hovering in the clouds, blessing us with one more bit of awefilled moment... And, I thought "the greater goal"... And, it truly did get better... just like every single day since a day that feels like a life time ago in April... the day we met our son. This is what we all saw:

...Moon Rising on a Fall Evening Boat Ride...

Yes yes, I know, I am far behind on the blog... so, let me catch you up on the amazing days and nights of our little man... As we watch summer turn to fall, we have watched him change like the leaves -- subtly and yet, in a glance at times he looks just beautiful and totally different... The day after our family gig (home 16 weeks photo) we hit the skies and took LM down to Texas.... Where his "ex" lives...

Cool!! Planes are so Cool!!

He was incredible on the flights to and from!! The people all around us may have been sorry when they saw us get on and sit by them, but by the end of each of our legs of flights, it is not just my biased motherhood when I say, everyone adored him.... He was a total dream on the planes... He played, read books, flirted with everyone, and i mean everyone, around him, and napped... only 1 flight, as we were descending, did he cry and only for a minute.. He is a total world travelign trooper this kid, which makes his Granddad Pete proud and all of us very happy since we are a family who LOVES to travel!! Truly, pn the way home, he was standing on my lap, looking out the window during take off saying "Wow" (ok, his version of wow, but it was clearly wow).... Anyway, so, for the real meat -- we went to Texas for a full week....

We arrived Sunday in Dallas, where our friend Pat picked us up and we headed to her place to meet her fun hubby and their fantastic 6 kiddos.... Their youngest 2 boys recently came home from Kirov, and the older of the 2, Peter, and little man were roommates there..... It was a reunion that we weren't sure how it would go.... But, it was one that I wasn't going to not let happen -- Over this last year, Pat has become a wonderful friend, and it was crazy that we ended up in the same place, with boys who knew each other -- and it is so so so important for LM and Peter to keep connected, as well... They share a history and a life that only they will ever really know about, and so it was really great to meet Pat (IRL) and get our boys together... Peter and his brother and sisters are gorgeous, well behaved, fun little kids -- it was quite the scene for LM, who shares a small quiet home with us and his puppy -- but overall he hung in there well... As for the reunion, who knows what was happening in their heads? But, I know that LM recognized Peter... how do i know for sure? well, we were playing on the driveway, and I said to him "hey, go get peter".. We had been there about an hour at that point.. and he looked at me like "here we go again.. you have 20 heads, and i have no idea what in the world you are talking about"... So, then I said the same exact thing, but i used Peter's Russian name--- well, don't you know LM looked right at him, pointed, said something that i really think was his name in Russian, and then went right over to him.... They had fun hanging together, playing around each other, as 2 under 2 year olds would do....

Cruisin for Chicks... Watch out ladies...

Maestro... Play it again boys...

After great thanks to Pat and Trey for their great hospitality, we decided to tempt Texas rain fate, and head to Austin... Rain? In Texas? let's not talk about it other than to say our first family vacation, we learned many things, including -- never believe it when you go someplace they say rains MAYBE 1 week total a year (it rained 5 of our 7 days there, and we are not talking scattered showers or drizzle)... And, never ever travel without staying in a hotel with an indoor pool! LOL.. but, we made the best of it, put on our ponchos, and ventured out to enjoy Austin before heading to San Antonio.... LM was exhausted in Austin -- but we kept him going, making sure he saw all there was to see....

Here he is at the famous hot springs.... And the famous caves...

Trying out the sleep number bed... After some deep reading (Cookie Monster)

He did incredibly well with all the transitions between places to sleep! Pat/Trey's pack and play? No problem... The hotel in crib 1/ room 1?? no problem.. The hotel in crib 1/ room 2? no problem...(they gave us a room with a view -- i think they felt bad about the rain and their lovely outdoor pool which was completely useless to us! LOL)...The crib at my aunt's in san antonio -- snooze on boy... (yes, my college roommates are laughing right now. See? I told you this kid fits right in with us... I think I even saw him narcing on the bar at one point...ha ha ha ha ha)

Famous Austin Waterfalls - we didn't see them since... His majesty was sleeping..

In Austin, we walked all around, checking out Sixth Street and really loving the Austin Children's Museum.... and hitting the town:

Cheers Papa... Tacos and Milk on the Rocks, please...

Ready to go clubbing... Bring on the Girls....

We then headed to San Antonio, where we hung out with my Aunt Sheila and cousin Chris, his cool wife, Amy, and their son, Gus (also adopted, as a newborn last year)...

Zoo Sleeping...

Walk like an Egyptian... Or a Flamingo...

Cute Kids... Cool Moms...

Hey, you people brush your teeth in texas, too? Cool.

...Sweet Brown Eyed Boys...
We all agree that it is just bizarre, but fantastic, that the two youngest of our family clan could be brothers... It was really fun to get the cousins together, and we know that there is no coincidence in how it all came together, and how they really do look alike... And we have Nana, Granddad, and my PopPop to thank -- we all agree -- they found Chris and Amy their Gus, and then they went and watched over our LM as he made his way to us....

LM with his Big Cuz, Chris

I wanna be a cowboy...

All in all, rain aside, it was a really nice week full of friends, family, and togetherness (and a little bit of work for me in Austin and San Antonio which was fun!).... LM was just simply fabulous. A great traveler, loved the 2:1 time with us, enjoyed seeing his old buddy and meeting his new cousins and his great aunt... he slept well, did phenomenally at restaurants, and picked up his share of flight attendant's phone numbers for his first little black book... We got home in time for sunset that sunday night....

"It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" Home 17 weeks..

The fun continued into the next week.... LM and I re-grouped from some really fun flu that we brought back from Texas, and rallied to have fun with friends by the following weekend...

LM and his "Kittens"...

We had a fun night with Layla and Laura and their parents -- for the last few years we keep saying, "Let's get together" - and I am so glad we finally did just that!! :)

"It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" Home 18 weeks photo! with Aunt Joan!!

I swear he was thinking, "Finally, picking up chicks on the deck... "

And, this past week, quietly settling back into a "routine" --- with me working Friday thru Sunday teaching a course locally, the boys hung out and had all sorts of fun together...

Lounge Lizards...

Cold? Ba-humbag?

We don't let no stinky cold weather to get in the way of our bike rides..

It is so hard to begin to say all the amazing things LM is doing, and how his leaves are changing color and he is growing up... But he is doing just that.. And lucky us, we get to watch it, together, every single day.... He is sweet, smart, gets sillier each day....

"It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" Home 19 weeks photo

The harvest moon has come and gone.... It is such a joy to watch each day come and each day end.... There is nothing like living the dream... the goal we set out for ourselves...
and of our little man?? Just like looking at the moon, when I look at you and all your beauty,
you leave me speechless...