The Boys of Summer

You know how you have that one (or maybe two) friend who is your very close, bestest friend that you haven't really had a long conversation with in so long but you know that if you just set aside an hour or two and picked up the phone you would pick right up where you left off like you had never left each other's side? And you know how you can't just make a quick call to that particular bestie because there is just way too much to catch up on now so you keep putting it off and putting it off until now there is so much to catch up you feel like you need an entire Sunday afternoon to catch her up on all the details except that your afternoon is filled with recording your barely-five-year-old taking his own training wheels off his bike and zipping around the cul-de-sac while the nine month old is popping up tiny teeth and pulling up in his crib?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73102019@N00/7823353802/in/photostream
 and...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73102019@N00/7823296040/in/photostream
and...

Yeah, all that.

That is how I have felt about updating the blog.
August has been tremendous.
Tremendous milestones, tremendous miracles and tremendous heat. September hasn't slowed us either.
Jackson started kindergarten.
 Five for barely a week and he boldy marched down the hall to his new classroom. Swinging his backpack over his shoulder, he wasn't phased by this milestone.
 His parents were.
 We held it together until alone in the parking lot, where our quick hug goodbye turned into a long, tearful embrace.
 Don't let go until I can catch my breath, ok?
 Why do we tear up? There is a mix of joy and sadness on those first days of school. Why the sadness? Is it because he is getting older? But I love every phase and every age. I love seeing him become his own person - so strong and independent. He has taken to kindergarten like a pro. He has become a champion of the under dog. Last week, he came home claiming to have "saved a boy's life" by telling a teacher about some bullying behavior at recess. We are so proud to see our oldest breeze into school. I'm worried for him as he is such a young five year old. In fact, he informs me at night when I tuck him in that he goes back to being four. I ask him why and he always says it was just so fun being four that he isn't quite ready to be five all the time.
Eli has once again been hard at work.
 His body is catching up with himself. He is crawling everywhere and pulling up on anything that will hold still. Elvis is thrilled.
 Eli's heart has also been at work healing itself. The hole in his heart has closed. Closed. Closed!
 I am still in shock over this wonderful news. Closed!
Could I have heard the doctors, right? Did she say closed? Yes. Closed.
 That baby - he is such a good baby. Not just because he closed that hole up. He is a happy boy full of sweet smiles and giggles.
Eli has been a busy baby.
He attended his first Jackson family reunion, he is munching on all kinds of yummy foods, he has passed several medical tests lately and now says mama, dada and uh-oh. Uh-oh is his very favorite word - a response he uses for most conversations. And now Eli has tipped into September cruising along coffee tables. Just one or two steps for now, but he is on his way.
Don't let go, ok?
I still haven't caught my breath.


Comments

Sylvie said…
Beautifully said; I feel it exactly!
For some reason the photos wouldn't open for me, but I know where to find them. ;)
September 7, 2012 at 9:17 AM
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