Six. Years. Old.

We celebrated Speed turning six today with a small party, a pinata, a new bike and his two favorite gifts: a spiderman lunchbox and a lanyard/keychain from a friend. The day was a bit chaotic since we celebrated Halloween AND a birthday on the same day, but we managed to eat our weight in junkfood and play as much as we could.

Six things to love about Speed:
6. He still has a vacuum obsession. This is proving to be very handy, especially as he gets older and does a pretty decent job.

5. Speed is a neat freak. He organizes his drawers regularly, will make your bed and arrange your stuffed animals if asked, and can fold a load of laundry as well as a grown up. He likes to be a helper and takes great pride in his chores.

4. Is a basketball pro. I'm not sure where he is learning all these tricks....afterschool care, maybe?...but he understands a free throw line, can do circles around the ball while dribbling, spin (sort of) the ball on his finger, and can shoot quite a few baskets on our Speed sized ball hoop. Occasionally, he will say he wants to play ball when he grows up.

3. Loves chapter books and bookmarks. The dude does not particularly enjoy sitting to read for very long, but the idea of "reading the next chapter" and marking that page with a bookmark is so appealing to him. We have numerous bookmarks made of paper, sticky notes, sticks, etc. floating around the house.

2. Is becoming much more social with his friends. We were trick or treating earlier this evening and ran into a classmate of his. They both shrieked each other's name and gave big hugs. I can't often get him to tell me things about school, but tonight made it obvious that he enjoys his classmates.

1. Is expecting to grow a beard and mustache this year. I jokingly said to him last night: "Tomorrow you will be six. I wonder if you will wake up with a mustache." He actually LOOKED IN THE MIRROR this morning to check. But tonight, as I was leaving his room, said "I might not wake up with a mustache or beard tomorrow. Maybe because I am not that old. Maybe I have to wait till I am 12."

Happy Birthday, Speed. Time to slow down on the growing up part, ok? I love you!

The Great TV Debate

Sunshine was home sick today. Usually she gets to watch my iPad if she is sick but it was charging. I actually turned on the TV for her.

As I opened the cabinet doors to expose the circa 2000 box style TV, I'm pretty sure she gasped. (and not like YOU would gasp...because it's so old. Nope. They had no idea we had a TV!)

Later today:

Sunshine: Speed, I got to watch the TV.
Speed: You watched the iPad?
Sunshine: No, the TV!
Speed: I thought you stayed home. Where did you watch TV?
Sunshine: HERE!! I DID stay home!!!
Speed: Sunshine! We don't have a TV!!
Sunshine: Yes, we do. It's in that box thing in the living room.

Dead silence.

Eyebrows raised.

"Mommy, do we really have a TV in our house?"
-Yes.

Then he turned back to Sunshine.
Him: How did you watch it?
Her: On the floor.
Him: No, I mean like did you put it on the table or bring it to the playroom?
Her: No, it stays in that box thing.

More questions about what she watched, how to turn it on, where she sat.

Never ever: Can we watch it sometime?
(answer would have been yes, sometime.)

If ever there were a conversation I wish I had on video, this would be it.

File This One Under...

"The struggle is real."

I did Chickadee's hair on Thursday night. Purple beads. Many, many, time sucking purple beads.

We were going to a wedding on Saturday.

On Friday, when I was packing for our trip, I realized that she has not one.single.nice.thing. that could match a head of purple.

It was easier to go to the store and hunt down a dress that would match than it would have been to redo her hair.

Waiting for wedding cake

True Story

Speed is going to start taking part in "homework club" in the mornings before school to give him a bit of a boost.

Here's how the "sell" of this new "club" went:

"Ms. (teacher) and I decided that you would be a great kid to go to Homework Club. It's a special club where you get to do HOMEWORK in the morning before school. What do you think about that?"

"Does Sunshine get to go?"

"Nope. You have to be a big kid."

"Will all my friends be there?"

"Nope, only kids that Ms. Teacher thinks should go."

"I get to do it and not everyone else is going?"

"Yup."

"HA!"

And off  he went to gloat to Chickadee. Wonder if I can do this again in middle school...

Eight Years

 WHAAAAAAATTTTT???????

I celebrated 8 years and 30 kids today at a drive thru safari park with my three keepers, the Eagle, and two friends I wouldn't have if it weren't for foster care. It was a perfect day. As Speed said, "It was a most awesome day with most awesome things. It was a special treat!"

We celebrated with 3 kids out of car seats (sorry, Eagle...we're sticking to the rules for you!) driving 5 mph on a sunny Texas day. Chickadee parked herself on my lap and fed any animal that came along. ("EXCEPT THE ZEBRA! I DIDN'T FEED THE ZEBRA, MOMMY, BECAUSE OF HIS YUCKY TEETH!")

Sunshine scooted around between all four windows and the sunroof and was braver than expected when it came to feeding critters. Eagle was very patient from his seat and threw food out the window and Speed told us repeatedly that Eagle was very, very afraid (You sure it's EAGLE who is afraid?). The second time through, Speed loosened up but still only fed a couple animals.

At the end of the road (which we traveled twice), there was a small petting zoo filled with baby goats. The kids were VERY intrigued by goat butts and goats drinking milk.

We ended our journey with Chik fila and a stop at Buc-ees (because we can't set wheels on I-35 without stopping at Buc-ees..)

I wonder what my expectations were 8 years ago. I can't remember if I thought I'd be fostering for a long time or short time or what. I'm sure I didn't realize the number of people, not just the kids who would come through the door, but the number of people who would impact my life over the years. Grateful for all involved.