6 years at the same gig

So the fall is in full swing and the holidays are right around the corner- how can this be?? Being a mom of two has put me so behind on my blog updates.

The boys had a great Halloween. This year we had a Police Officer and a Superman. Again they loved going around to the houses and saying trick or treat..and the candy wasn't so bad either. Aiden has now learned what candy is "safe" for him to eat and what is not.  It is great that he is aware, but it also made him look like "that kid", you  know the one is trying to score their favorite candy.

The boys are doing great. Aiden is still loving school and riding the bus, while I think JP is loving the peace and quiet in the morning. Most days our mornings seem like a nut house with two working parents trying to get out the door and getting a kid on the bus, but I'm sure that's no different in your house too.

Having two boys means there is a lot of...ummm...activity in our house. They wrestle, run around, get very silly, and do some fighting. So we try our best to keep their play time interesting.

We also spend a good amount of time doing arts and crafts, as well as playing school, which they love. It also keeps them calm and still.

This past week, we celebrated our special little guy- Aiden turned 6 on Thursday! So strange to think we have been doing this parenting gig that long.

I took the day off from work. I figure this is the last year I will get to spend the majority of his day with him since he will be in school all day next year. Since Daddy had to work and then play a musical the night if his bday, we went out to dinner the night before to his favorite resturant- Victory in Downingtown. He was so excited and what made his night was when they stuck a candle in his ice cream and they sang to him.

The day of, we let him open one present before school and then off he went. His school honors birthdays by doing non edible celebrations, so he brought his favorite book in to read to his class- Pete the Cat Plays Ball.

When he got off the bus- Mommy and Jonathan greeted him with balloons (Daddy was working). Grammy (my mom) came over and we took the birthday boy out for lunch- pizza of course. Then he came home and open a gift from Grammy & Pop, as well as his Uncle Brian and Aunt Amy who live in NC.

Mommy was a bit mean as she made him wait to open the rest of his gifts from us until Daddy came home. I must say he did really well, asked a few times to open one more, but wasn't bugging and had restraint....unlike his brother.

Then finally Daddy came home and he tore into his gifts. It was another year of Angry Bird things.

And we sang to him (again).

It's hard to believe he's 6! He so loving and sweet and sensitive. I think he also struggles with sharing the spotlight with his brother from time to time that he loved a day about him. Aiden still has another celebration to come (his birthday always feels like it will never end) when the family gets together for Thanksgiving and he gets to enjoy "his" day with his grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.

On Friday I was off as well and got to go in and help Aidens class celebrate Thanksgiving, which he loved. He's getting so big, so fast that I understand why people say enjoy these moments now, even the crazy ones.

JP is doing great as well. He tried to jump in on his brothers birthday action.

But he did great for the most part, well, until the toys were open and now he wants to play with all Aiden's new stuff.

After I got home from spending the morning with Aiden and his class on Friday, JP and I were off to DuPont. He got a new AFO, which we are super excited about!

This AFO came about from an idea Keith had in mind and one that we saw of another FH girl in our support group. It's a (partial) articulating brace which makes him have to control his footing and balance more, as well as give him some range of motion in his ankle. His last AFO restricted his ankle. It worked well and did what it needed to after his surgery last year, but now being healed and all, we want him to have a more "normal" feeling of using his leg/ankle. He is doing so well with it and again we are so excited for him. 

I'm so thankful for the support group we found on Facebook. I feel like I know some of these people so well, but yet we never met or on,he met a few times. I love that we can bounce ideas, ask suggestions, air our frustrations to each other. it has been truly a blessing already to have them in our lives!

JP always does so well during these long hospital visits, whether seeing the doctor or going to the prosthetic and orthotic clinic. This day we spent a few hours down at the hospital, as we had to get him use to the brace and see how he would adjust to it. Jonathan just played and had a good time.

He's defintely an amazing kid and also a ham! He to is growing up fast.

But none the less, I love my boys and spending time with them- crazy or not.