Letter to my son

Dear Son,

Mommy and Daddy are thinking of ways for you to "help" us to earn your donation for the angel tree gift.  You helped Daddy clean up the front yard and put the Christmas sign up.

One day, you and Daddy kept saying, "Mommy, clean kitty litter!  Cat pooh!"  Mommy said, "Gregory, you help clean kitty litter!"  You didn't hesitate, "Uh Uh, no!" This was one activity you wouldn't earn the donation points.  I can't blame you!

One morning going to school, you saw a little girl walking on the concrete square slabs through the garden at the side of the school building.  You had this look of anticipation, but you also hesitated.  Mommy said, "It's, okay, you can walk there too."  So, this is a new morning habit, which makes Mommy smile.

You also like seeing the scarecrow by the veggie garden by the school.

When Mommy dropped you off to school, your teacher said, "Gregory is going to have a fascinating job in his future!  He played with play dough and when he brought what he made to me, I KNEW it was a dinosaur!  It actually looked like a dinosaur!  Gregory is very creative and a builder."  Mommy was tickled with how appreciative your teacher was of your creativity.  I hope you will always enjoy making things!

You were quick to sit at the class table when you saw play dough!

Mommy found some cute manger scene stickers.  There was enough in the pack to share with your classmates, so Mommy gave your teacher the group of stickers.  I just figured it would be given out, but instead, your teacher turned it into an activity; she said the kids really enjoyed it.  So sweet!

School Art

Recently, Mommy had a class on decorating cookies.  It was fun to learn.  You claimed the cookies as "all mine."  Instead, we shared it with your classroom.  Mrs. Maria told Daddy, "The cookies were the highlight of the day." and they sent home a note - Yeah!

You told Mommy that you ate a Mickey Mouse cookie and a snowflake cookie!

This week, Mommy had some late nights working at the law firm.  It's billing time.  Daddy picked you up from school.  Then Daddy had a phone conference.  Of course, you had to pick the conference time to walk up to Daddy and say, "DADDY!  I POOH!"  Fortunately, the other members of the phone conversation were understanding.  Your timing is something else!

Some pictures from walking in the neighborhood.  You love seeing the outside Christmas decorations!

High Five Santa

Yes, December and you are in shorts!  Typical New Orleans winter.

Two dinosaurs in a neighbors yard - too cute!

You went up to these reindeer and touched the nose, saying, "Red Nose Reindeer."

Garage decorations that you and Daddy put up!

This past week, you and Daddy went to a furniture store to look at sofa sleepers.  Mommy and Daddy talked about getting one, but tabled the idea for a while.  When Mommy came home from work, you said, "No gift for Mommy!  Sorry Mommy."  Daddy explained, "As we were leaving the store, Gregory kept saying, "No leave without gift for Mommy!"  He didn't want to leave."  Too sweet.  I asked you, "Did you buy a gift for Mommy?"  You said, "Yes!  A toy truck!"  You wanted Mommy to have something, aww, we have a thoughtful son.  Daddy told Mommy, "Do not ask our son what I am buying for you!"  

Just recently, Daddy said, "Let's go see how tall you are, Gregory."  You went running into Daddy's office.  You said, "Open door" and pointed to the wall where Daddy has running marks of your height growth.  Daddy was so impressed that you remembered to go there, because we don't measure you but every couple of months.  You are 38 inches tall!

Then you went to Oma and Opa's house and you grabbed a measure stick.  Oma told you turn around to measure your height and then you said, "Measure you too, Oma!"  After you realized that Oma was taller than the measuring stick, you said, "Too tall, Oma."

More fun artwork you did at school:

Melted Snowman

I like the handprints in the mittens and snowflakes and love the fingerprint manger!

This week, the teachers had the students create a gift for their parents.  You even decorated the bag the gift came in.

Clear ornament with your painted fingers - turned into three snowmen - daddy, mommy and you

Mommy asked you, "Who is Santa?"  You replied, "He brings presents."  Mommy asked you, "Who is Jesus?"  You said, "He is a baby."

** SPECIAL ALERT **  This blog post was just interrupted for the Hot Dog Dance.  Anyone who has a child knows this dance and has memorized the words.  Whenever the show ends, the characters do the Hot Dog Dance and you yell out, "Mommy, Daddy, Hot Dog Dance."  The three of us twirl around in circles and smiles.  Daddy said, "This is the life!"  You also love to dance to the Santa that we bought (press the hand and it plays music) and you have worn out the batteries on the "music box" (gift from Kevin and Erica and their family).  Your enjoyment of music makes us so happy, though Daddy says, "Gregory has no rhythm."  You hear the music better than Mommy, so dance sweet boy, like nobody is looking and call everyone to join you to share in the joy!

One late work day, Mommy went to pick you up at Oma and Opa's house.  Just as Mommy walked into their home, you came running out of the hallway, with your diaper and pants on the ground, threatening to trip over your own feet, screaming, "I POOH POOH IN POTTY!"  Then you had to show me!  No diapers from Santa for you!  This year you get toys!  This gingerbread boy made a tootsie roll in the potty!

This past week, as Mommy was bringing you to school, Mommy turned on the radio.  "Jingle Bells" was playing.  You started singing the words to it!  Mommy  joined in too.  It was so much fun to sing together.

I'm pretty sure this is the baby Jesus representation.  It was in the hallway at school.  You immediately went to see it and tucked the baby in.

Too cute - love your wish list for Santa! 

You had a visit from Santa at your classroom.  Okay, I have to admit, I smiled and was delighted to see you sitting on Santa's lap!

The law firm where Mommy works had a Christmas party.  They start off the gift exchange with the "Grinch" tree - gag gift on whoever is the grump in the office, but it's all in jest.  Eric won it this year.  The law firm is a great group of people and Mommy is thrilled to work there - I have other pictures, but just posting this one.  Bridget (left) and Karla (middle) were the gift announcers for the group.  Lots of laughter, but sorry, sweetie, no kids allowed at this party!

Mommy saw the church at the end of Oma and Opa's street and Daddy turned the car around so Mommy could take a picture.  Love the shadow against the side of the church.

While we were at the law firm party, you stayed with Oma and Opa.  We drove up, but you weren't inside.  You and Oma had gone for a walk.  Mommy and Daddy decided to go outside and look for you.  About midway through the block, you came running up to us and insisted that we go see the lights.  Oma knows her neighbors really well.  This house had the million laser lights - which is really cool.  Then you walked into the neighbor's home like you owned the place.  You knew where their HUGE flocked Christmas tree was and even the two and half year old girl's room was with her toys.  The grandmother to the little girl owns the home.  She said, "The love of a grandchild is something so overwhelming.  It's different than the love you have as a parent."  I said, "My mom has told me the same thing."  Oma gave Mommy a hug.  See, sweet boy, you are a gift to so many and are loved so much!

Kevin sent Mommy a text message about Lafreinere Park having their annual "Snow Day."  I'm SO thankful that he told us, because I didn't know about it.  Mommy sent Oma and Opa a text and they were eager to come as well.  Good thing Mommy insisted that we go early.  You were the first one on the ice but about an hour later, it was mayhem with snowballs flying way high in the air and huge chunks of ice piled down on the heads of the older children.

Fortunately, the park separated the older kids from the younger kids and had a fence going around the parameter for the younger kids.

Waiting to play in the snow!

This is how Louisiana makes snow when it's 80 degrees outside in December.

First one on the snow!

Totally loving it!

The minute you saw another child making a snowball and throwing it, you joined in and threw a snowball at anyone within throws reach!  Even Mommy!

Of course, you kind of fussed the first time you were hit with a snowball, but you were okay with it after that.

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

So cool that you had a "snow day" the day after watching "Frozen" at school.

I remember when you didn't play much with children, but now, you run and have fun with children you don't know.  You are part of the "childhood pack" because you allow yourself to be.

Having a snowball fight with Oma!

You didn't want to leave, even though we knew you were getting tired.

Another new experience!  A horse ride.  You stiffened your legs to get on the horse, but the guy just sat you down and you went twice around on the horse.  You did Great!  

The horse's name is Gumdrop.

The girl walking the horse was really sweet.  She told you, "You are riding this horse better than I do and I am older than you!"

Daddy used to love riding horses.  Maybe when you get a little older we can go on family horse rides.  I think they offer horse rides around here :)

After the horse ride, you wanted to go on the carousel horses.  In the past, you refused to get on and screamed.  This time, you did SO much better.  Still a little stiff with the legs, and you started to shake when it started to move, but by the end of the ride you were smiling as we passed up Daddy and saying, "Hi Daddy.  Hi Opa."

After the snow day, we drove to Diamondhead, Mississippi to visit with Daddy's friends, Ray (Daddy's school mate from St. John Vianney Preparatory High School) and Ray's wife, Cathy, their son and daughter and their two big dogs.  You had a blast.  You ran most of the time, sometimes chasing the dogs, sometimes playing tag with their kids, lots of running in the backyard too.

Fussing at Mommy

You picked flowers for Mommy, aw, so sweet!

Mommy gave the flower to Daddy and said, "Do the glamor shot pose."  Hehe

Playing with the iPad

You like to bark like a dog... lick like a dog... but this?!!  The doggie door?!

Ray said, "Gregory wore out the dogs."  

Thank you, Ray and Cathy!  It was great meeting you and your family.

My three guys.

Today we went to your second movie at the theater - The Good Dinosaur.  You watched the entire thing.  The only problem is that the seats are folding and when you moved, sometimes the seat would want to fold in.  Otherwise, you did great!

These weeks before Christmas, there are plenty of family gatherings, Christmas parties and fun stuff going on.  I remember reading an article on how we, as adults, get tired and frustrated with all the things to go to.... sure, it can be fun, but it's also draining because it's in addition to the normal routine of life.  So, as parents, we cannot expect our children to adjust any better than we do - you will be tired and frustrated and yet want to see all that you can, even when you are cranky tired.  We can't get frustrated with you, when the change of routine affects us, of course they will affect you as well.  Patience and understanding, along with the Christmas spirit ~ that will help families come together and enjoy the season.

Daddy says, "Every day is Christmas once you came into our lives."  So true!

Love Always,

Mommy