HUGS

My kids give the best hugs.  Seriously, they are the best, sweetest most genuine things on the planet.  Griffin is a sometime stingy hug giver, but when he does it will melt you away and bring you to the happiest place on earth.  Sometimes its the full on run-from-across-the-room-and-knock-you-over-hug, but its strong as it is full of spirit and as he squeezes the ever living life from your lungs his smile couldn't be bigger.  Other times its the gentle  I'm-sorry-It-was-an-accident-hug, or just the  I-just-did-something-amazing-that-I-didn't-know-was-possible-hug and that one is probably my favorite.  Often its the baby-can-I-give-you-a-hug that he asks Graham when he has fallen or hurt himself.  Lately, its been hugs to and from his buddies at school.  Griff moved up a little early to the older classroom and misses his buds as much as they miss him.  Its pretty great to see them give hugs, hes got a great little group of friends.  I still remember the five minute long hug he gave to Andrea when he was 18 months old, or the first real hug he ever gave me when he was 12 months.

Not surprisingly he has passed down his hugging skills to his little brother.  Graham is on a hugging kick, its his favorite thing to do right now.  He stretches his little arms out to you and says "hug?".  Absolutely kiddo.  Then he lays his head on your shoulder and melts right into your arms, I don't know of any better medicine in life then a hug like that from a 17 month old.  Last night while I was putting him to bed it was time for snuggles and song.  We turned the lights off and turned his star projector on and I usually sing him a couple songs and snuggle then lay him down in his bed.  He is usually awake then I kiss him and say nigh night and he tells me "bye bye" and I leave his room. Last night was different, when I told him it was snuggle time and turned off the lights he said "hug?" and reached up and wrapped his arms around my neck and snuggled his face into my neck.  So I of course hugged him back, then he reached his face up and wanted me to give him a kiss.  So I kissed his sweet face then he said "hug?".  This went on for awhile, he just asked for hug after hug and if I wasn't squeezing him tight enough he let me know by wrapping my hands around him.  Occasionally he would open his eyes and look up at me and smile, then ask for more hugs.  He snuggled in and made sure he was wrapped up in a hug and fell asleep.  I got to literally hug my kiddo to sleep, pretty sure I won't every forget that as long as I live, simply the best!  

Since I can't give you all a real hug, here's my virtual one :).

Grahamy

Celebrating "Smuggler's Day" with Ama

German "bee sting" cake

Sean and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary with crab.  The boys LOVED it!

Every kid needs a mud puddle

love this boy!

We spend many mornings out on our new front yard!

This kiddo is getting a pedal bike for his 4th birthday, he's so excited!

Checking on our flowers

Yep, they are definitely my kids!

Griff giving us silly faces

He calls this one "the old man face"

"mad face"

Painting a bird house from Pop Pop and Wuggie

Graham loves to draw, paint and color.  

I'm a lucky girl!

Griff and his manaformer creation

Summer is here!