Thanksgiving

This year, I didn't bring my camera to Thanksgiving so that I wouldn't be so focused on the photos that I wouldn't enjoy the event.

Hence... no photos. Well, there's one.

But Daniel looks terrified, I look cheesy, Fernando is talking, and Violet looks, well, not pleased.

But here you go... an Amaro Thanksgiving.

(The day was amazing... tons of food... family... games... laughter... and no camera!)

Questions & Portraits

Daniel's "to school" and "from school" commute conversation has shifted recently. He settles into his car seat and declares:

"Mommy, I need to ask you some questions." (The firs time he said, "I need to ask you some Christians" and really threw me for a loop.)

Once he has my undivided attention, he goes through a list of questions and doesn't let me return the favor.

And it always starts the same:

"What's your favorite flower?"

(To which I always say "Orange and Yellow Snapdragons"...)

"Are the punchy?" (He means pinchy.)

(Just a little bit, honey.)

"What's your favorite tree?"

"What's your favorite cloud?"

"What's your favorite house?""

And so on. It's fun having a little interrogator in the backseat!

In other news, we did our family "mini-session" with the kiddos to get a few frame-worthy shots for the grandparents. Here are a few of the favorites of Daniel...

Favoritism

Daniel has started declaring favorites - sometimes it's Mommy and sometimes it's Daddy. And we decided that it's just a little too sassy for us.

So a new family rule: Instead of saying, "Mommy, you're my FAVORITE family!" He now has to this: "I have THREE favorites... and you're one of them!"

He recites the line constantly, with an extra "the" thrown in there. My favorite moments are when he's too sleepy to think clearly (like when he crawls into our bed at 3 am and snuggles close)...

Barely a sleepy, audible whisper: "Mommy, you're my... I have THREE favorites... And you're the one of them..."

Wanna See My Dance Moves?

I think it started with Ava... but I can't be sure. She's in dance class on the weekends so it makes sense.

But wherever it started, the fact is: We have a dancer on our hands.

He busts a move whenever he can. Read: In a public parking lot where there is background music. More often, it's at home. We have begun having lots of family dance parties at home and we all get down with it.

Daniel likes to impress with some fancy footwork and will often ask us, "Hey - Wanna see my cool dance moves?!" He jumps. He spins. He spins while jumping. He tumbles. He shakes it. He waves his arms. He invents new stuff constantly. Honestly, the kid has some pretty good moves.

And the whole time he has this crazy grin on his face, watching his audience, usually saying "Do what I do!" while he lands in some crazy almost-splits position on the ground.

I love that he's a boy and he's not afraid to bust a move. At his age, some boys already classify dancing as "girl stuff".

And I love that as a family we all join in the fun. It might be one of my top ten favorite family activities.

Language Nuances

There are too many precious language nuances to remember in the moment to write down later. But here are three that are beyond cute:

Caterpillar = Calapittar

Watermelon = Walermelon

Serious = Sillious

Too fun.

Be Still My Heart

Daniel is growing up. He is changing daily and becoming the little man I already see inside of him.

This process is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen... and it breaks my heart.

I (will always) live for the moments when...

... he hugs me extra close and says, "I missed you, Mommy."

... he appears at my bedside around 3am and curls up next to me, his head on my chest.

... he gets the giggles about nothing and the two of us can't stop laughing.

... he asks me over and over, "Mommy, can you sit with me and color?"

... he gets scared in a movie and instead of showing fear, comes over and hugs me: "I will protect you, Mommy. You don't have to be scared. I got you."

... he sees appear in his classroom at at the end of the day and shrieks with joy and tackles me.

... he compliments my appearance. It's just started recently... "Mommy, I like your hair."

... he asks to "come up". I know he's big but I will NOT stop carrying him until I physically cannot. He drapes himself on me, resting completely.

... he tells me he doesn't want to go to church or school - he only wants to stay with me.

... he gives me kisses... little ones, medium ones and big, giant ones.

... he tries to make me laugh with silly noises or made up words - it always works.

... he sweetly whispers the same words first thing EVERY morning: "Mommy, can you make me a snack, please?" :)

... he jumps into one of his imaginary worlds and asks me to come along too.

... he spontaneously tells me he loves me. It happens constantly now and every time it does, I pray silently that it will never stop.

Daniel attracts attention wherever we go - for his vocabulary, politeness, obvious intelligence or just being a really good looking kid. It's so easy to be proud of him - and he relishes knowing that we are proud of him.

But deeper than the public Daniel, and even past the "proud of you, son" Daniel, there's a tender sweet Daniel that's currently on the exact same wavelength as my heart. For the moment, for THIS moment, we are directly and completely connected. Be still my heart.

First Bee Sting

Daniel: 0. Bee: 1.

He came in from outside time crying hard, holding his arm. Fernando went outside to see what might have happened, and saw a bee flailing on the ground. (Daniel clinched his suspicion when he angrily pointed at the bee: "HE did it!")

Daddy put the bee in time out, Mommy took care of Daniel and the world was once again at peace.