Festivities!

Inhaling Cora's birthday cake!

My "bed" at the baseball game.

I'm an emotional person - this everybody knows. I wear my emotions on my sleeve and am not afraid to cry for what I want. Thankfully I toned it down for Cora's big day. On her birthday I was really excited for her and I took advantage of the new toys, cake, and special activities that were planned for her big four year old birthday! Caaaaaake was one of my favorite things about her birthday, but playing with her dollhouse and taking in a baseball game were other things that I greatly enjoyed. When I was at the game, I got bored and pretended that one of the seats was my bed and I took a nap (thankfully we had an entire section to ourselves). I've also pretended to sleep in the wagon. Mommy wishes I loved sleeping as much as I pretend to so she wouldn't have to wake up in the middle of the night to get me water, or put on my covers.
For the longest time, people have noticed that I speak well and am good at speaking in full sentences (not to toot my own horn or anything). I'm also very polite - I try to remember to use please and thank you, specifically when asking for a sticker at Target or asking one of the kids next door to get off my bicycle. Just the other day, someone asked me my name and I replied perfectly, "I'm Adam!"
Some of my recent phrases are simple, but very direct:

"I want you." - works well when I need a hug
"Don't do that!" - useful when speaking to Cora
"Don't say that!" - I've used it on Daddy quite a bit

My first track of school is almost done and in two weeks I'll be on break. It has been twice now that I went into school without crying. And, today I went pee pee on the potty with Ms Tracey! I don't think it will count until I do it for Mommy though, so I'll report back on that one...

A Well Behaved Student

My "Pooped in the Potty" sticker at school!

It's only taken 6 weeks into the school year for it to happen, but I finally went into school this week without crying! I'm starting to get used to the routine of going to school now, so as long as I know Mommy is coming to pick me up (not one minute too late) I can resist the urge to cry. Since all of the other kids at school use the potty, I decided to try that too. I received a poop in the potty sticker at school! What an exciting day at school I had this week!
Mommy's not quite sure how she managed to forget her camera every single time we've been swimming this summer, but she finally got some shots of me in action in the pool when we went swimming one evening after dinner. It's been so cold this summer we haven't made it to the pool that much. When we go, as long as I've got my horsey in hand, I always have fun!
I have attempted to do many puzzles for as long as I remember, but none are as fun as the castle puzzle. The past few evenings before bed, I've put the puzzle together at least 20 times. I think I may like it more that reading books before bed!

Cora stealing the show from me at the pool!

Visitors from Texas!

Papa and me at the park!

I have no idea where time goes in the summer. Better yet, I'm completely clueless as to why, when people come and visit time flies! Mimi and Papa came to visit us last week! The time it takes for me to get used to Papa has dwindled so much, it's hard to remember there was a time that it would take hours for me to warm up to him. I can't figure out why I would have trouble getting used to Papa, especially considering how much fun we have together. The weather for their visit was perfect for playing outside most of the day. If we weren't playing outside we were entertaining ourselves in the kitchen with some new pans that Mimi brought from Texas. That, or being goofy with strange things that Mimi brought in her suitcase...
We made it to the park a couple of times, went fishing at my favorite spot where Papa caught a dragon fly on his stick. And we got to go out for ice cream cones! All perfect summer activities! It was a great visit - I can't wait for more visitors to come! I think Mommy needs a break from summer!

Ice cream cone!

School and Summer

Phew! I have been busy! Too busy for blogging. Between summer AND school it's hard to keep up with everything that we have been doing! I have been enjoying myself either way.
I am most proud to report that I am getting better reviews from school - I cry less and have started to get used to it even though mornings before school I still tell Mommy that I don't want to go to school and I cry all the way up Ms Tracey's stairs to the classroom. I'll get better, I promise ;)
I've had a great time being home with Cora this summer. We go for lots of walks, spend a ton of time on our bikes in the driveway, watch for trash trucks (and surprise visit from fire trucks), go to story time each week, throw sticks in the water from the bridge, dance, sing, take bubble baths and the best part, visit fun things like ballgames and the beach! I'm just having a blast!