My rough and tough boys

After church and Aiden's nap, we all went for a family walk. Brad and Aiden rolled along on their scooters, while Freckles and I trotted along on foot. Aiden and Brad got their scooters as a "surprise" gift from Mrs. Claus, and although Aiden was a bit clumsy at first (the concept of steering is a difficult one for him!), he is getting better and better every day. Now he's gotten pretty quick--although his favorite thing to do is crash into his daddy! We walked a loop arpund our block and on the sidewalk along the wooded area behind our house, where Aiden had more fun "poop spotting" than anything. "Look mommy, I see poop!" must have come from that boy's mouth 500 times (and I've learned that my neighbors aren't so great about picking up after their dogs!)

After scootering around the neighborhood, Aiden decided to play basketball. Then baseball. Then football. To say I have a young sports fanatic on my hands is an understatement! This kid loves nothing more than to throw around a ball with his daddy. I got some great pics of our little slugger at bat. It is so adorable to see him "put on his game face." He crouches down, screws up his little face into a frown, and growls--as if somehow that will make him a better player!

My little heathen ran around out front for quite a while, until we came in to make dinner, and even then, he begged to go out back to play in his sandbox. By this time, the sun was low in the sky and the chill had crept back into the air, but still, my wild man had pulled his socks and shoes off and was running around barefoot in the yard, squishing toes in the sand and laughing as he dove in and out of his play tent.

I am always amazed at how easily he is entertained. I wonder why on earth we ever buy him toys--his favorite things in the world are a long stick, a cool-looking rock, a cardboard box, some sand or mud, even the gravel in his Gran's driveway can provide hours of entertainment. His imagination never ceases to amaze me. In the picture, he has a basket perched on his head and toy handcuffs, which in his mind area football helmet and "tackling gloves." Last weekend, he took his daddy on a walk through the "forest" behind his grandparents' house to look for "blueberry trees." Yesterday he had the remote to the DVD player and was pretending to navigate a rocket ship through space. In the mornings, he climbs in bed and we "roast smarshmellows" under the blankets on my bed.

I think that is one of the best gifts that a child brings to his parents--the ability to look at this world around us with new eyes; to see more than just the concrete--but to imagine the all of the possibilities. I remember as a child, I could find joy or entertainment in the smallest things. When did I lose that? When did I lose the ability to imagine and dream, laugh and hope and pretend? I am so grateful for this stubborn, willful, silly and sweet child in my life. Just when I thought I'd figured out my life as an adult, he's turned it upside down on me and taught me to see from a new perspective. Just another one of the million reasons that I love my son.