Max is 5

In January, Max turned 5. I can hardly believe it. I can't believe it has been 5 years since we got the phone call that changed our lives and our family. 5 years since we started learning about meth babies and 5 years since our lives were completely improved by the presence of this little man. Max was tiny when he came to us at 6 weeks old, weighing a mere 5 pounds. He immediately chose our family as his, when he was placed into my arms he looked up at me and smiled. Truly smiled. The family that he had been with before us said he cried and cried all the time and never stopped. He was fussy and unhappy. Not thriving. Which is why they brought him to us. And he has been thriving ever since. He never was fussy. He had normal crying moments, but they were rare. He was just so happy and calm and loving. And loved. Loved so much. Smothered with love and hugs and kisses every minute of every day. He was a blessing to us in our lives and we recognized how lucky we were to have him. This kid has a HUGE personality. HUGE! He might be small, but he is mighty. He loves his big brother, because his brother will play with him and wrestle and chase and imagine, all things he loves. Max loves to swim. LOVES to swim. He would live in the pool if he had any body fat so he didn't freeze so quickly. He will stay in the pool until he is shaking so bad that he can barely walk, then he will run in the house and sit in a steaming hot bath to try and warm his body back up. He is adventurous and brave. He loves and protects his little sister like she is his personal responsibility. He is loyal. When he loves you, you are his to defend and care for. He does this for all his siblings, and his mommy!  He loves to cuddle. He is only 30 pounds (barely) and so he still can be carried around (by mom and siblings and dad) and that is his preferred method of travel, in someones arms. He is so smart and inventive and creative. I love this son of mine to California and back (he thinks California is the farthest place away from us, so when I would say I love you to the moon and back he would always say that he loves me to California and back and it's a lot farther to California than the moon... I guess to his 5 year old mind he can see the moon every night, but he can't see California.).

Grayson became a teenager!!

So, it's kind of a big deal that we added a new teenager to our house!  This post is several months late in posting.... we have had a lot of activity and excitement in our house lately and blogging has taken a back seat. I am trying to get back into the swing of things because I really like having my blog book printed each year. So, I am going to attempt to post the major events of the past year... like Grayson turning 13!!  His birthday was at the end of December and we happened to be out of the country when he turned 13.  We were in Honduras on his birthday. 

Let me tell you about Grayson. We won the brother and son lottery with this kid. He is awesome! He will tell you he is awesome. He signs his name "Awesome". He is confident in his awesome-ness!  

Grayson likes to call himself "A-1 Jacrispy". He and his friends started a club at school, the A-1 club. They all have A1 names and even printed shirts.... and then people who are not even in their club started ordering shirts, too!  He is super creative and fun, like that. He started some awareness about Harambe at his school. He ordered his friends all Harambe t-shirts for Christmas and they all wrote poems for Harambe. Gray even wrote a song (rap).  

Grayson is our funny guy. At parent teacher conferences his teachers all tell us how much fun he is to have in their classes and how he keeps everyone laughing- so far we have not had any complaints that he is too out of control, so hopefully that means he knows when enough is enough at school... but at home he just keeps going and going and going. He keeps things light here (as I tend to be more on the serious side, he is a good balance for me). 

He is such a great brother. He will play with any of his siblings any time I ask, and even if I don't ask he will initiate play time with all the kids. They all love him and love hanging out with him, he makes everything fun!

Gray is smart. He loves knowledge. He loves learning. He enjoys books and facts. He puts me in my place when it comes to numbers (and I enjoy numbers). 

He loves making music and jokes about being a rapper when he grows us (at least I hope he is joking....). His music makes me CRAZY, but my music makes him crazy- so we agree to disagree, and he wears headphones in the car (c'mon, who doesn't enjoy the 80's classics?!!!). 

I love my boy. My almost man. I enjoy all my time with him and watching him play tennis and soccer and home he continues to play both for a long time. I love that he loves me and still gives me hugs and snuggles. I love Gray. 

Cami's 11th birthday

I knew that Campbell would have the name Campbell when I was just 3 months pregnant. I didn't know if she was a girl or a boy, yet. But I knew. I felt that she would be my Campbell. If she was a boy, we would have called her Camp. But if she was a girl, she would be my Cami. Only 2 of my kids have I been so certain of a name before they were born, and Cami was one of them. It is my Grandma's maiden name and she had passed away. l felt like she was speaking to me and told me that this was my child to give this name to. And it fits her perfectly. She loves being called Campbell or Cami. Both names fit her perfectly. 

Cami turned 11 last week and I can hardly believe it. It doesn't feel like it was 11 years ago that I held her in my arms for the first time, it seems like it was yesterday. And now, here she is, babysitting my other babies and reading and being a little adult. She has now spent 11 years in our home and will likely only spend 7 more, and I get scared wondering how she could only have 7 years left? Where is the time going?

Cami has such a strong and sweet and sensitive personality. She is confident and I hope that is something that never changes.  She is stubborn and resilient. She is the best friend you could ever wish for. She is a giver. She will give you the shirt off her back or the shoes off her feet, or the sewing machine that she saved a year for... if you ask. Or don't ask. If she thinks you want it, it's yours. For Cami, people are so much more important than things. She has always been this way. She thinks of others and loves everyone. She is generous and doesn't judge. She is growing up and I am just so happy that she is mine. This girl is precious. She is a gift to me. I love her so much and my heart bursts with emotion when I think of her and her beautiful smile.