Incredibly cute....

...if I do say so, myself!

Is he not the most adorable Mr. Incredible you have ever seen? Yep, I am proud! Aron is really starting to grasp the fun of the holidays and I am having a blast watching him enjoy the fun. We are still working out a few kinks, though. The other day, while shopping, he asked for a toy. I told him we had better wait, since he has an upcoming birthday and then Christmas not long after. He got very excited and asked, " Mommy, is Santa Clause coming for my birthday?"

Little Photographer

Ok, so it is not the highest quality portrait, but this is what you get when an almost 3 year-old is behind the camera with his finger over the flash. It is centered nicely, though! And I did not crop it. He took several others...one of Rudy's shoe, a few of the corner of the table...another of Rudy, and he very cleanly cut off his head. But, I thought I'd share his best work!

Sweet Motherhood

I am so grateful to be a mother and do not wish for one second
to have any other job in the world. That being said, there are
days, as we wave good-bye to the terrific two's and head into
the tremendous three's, when my patience is tested and I am forced to take a deep breath and remember that Aron learns from EVERYTHING I do. His new favorite game is to disagree just for the sake of the arguement. If I say, "Oh, it is windy today." He will almost surely say, "No it's not." Or even when I announce that Daddy's home, he'll say, "No he isn't." Yes, lots of deep breathing, folks. But, if I am patient enough and remember to look at things from his perspective, we get through these head-buttings and then my sweet boy is giving me the best of all blessings...his love.
Parenting is the most beautiful and challenging experience of my life, and I pray that it continues to be! I prayed for Aron and God answered that prayer and I want so much to do the best I can with the gift I have been given!

With my prima

Visiting Daddy's side of the family in Bryan, TX is always a blast because Aron has lots of cousins who just think the world of him and they all play together so well. Here he is with cousin Anneliese, "Leesy". She is a lot of fun to play with...especially in Wela's lift chair. Who needs a carousel? Aron was so happy after this visit and talked about his cousins with a big smile on his face for days.

Just Like Old Times!

These two go way back... as in, mom's met in birthing class! That's about as far back as you can go when you have yet to celebrate your third birthday. Zaiden and Aron picked up right where they left off when we went to Austin last week. It was a great time watching them play and imagine. It was a blessing to sit with my friend Kalena and just take them in. We reminisced about days when these two still breathed through their umbilical cords, when they were barely crawling, when walking seemed like the biggest thing they would ever do.... So much life has happened in less than three years, and every day of it is precious.

Choo-Choo!

Aron on the rails

One of the Steamers

Laura, Tom and Sammy

This past Friday we had a great outing in nearby Columbia, TN. The MidSouth Live Steamers is a club whose members build and run these miniature trains and take them to meets all around the country! What a neat hobby! Part of their meets here in Tennessee involve opening up some of the trains for free public rides! We took advantage and the boys had a blast....as did the moms!