NJ's pic of the day. Not bad, I'm surprised she cooperated. 

NJ wanted to watch me clean the microwave. When I got down to get a wipe he said, "I'll hold your chair so you don't fall because I love you."

Lunch with Ah-gong, how nice to see him!

NJ really wanted to help with baking today too, always trying to get so close. He said, "I like to help you because I love you."

"Mama, can I have some cake?" 

Some arts and crafts and cookie decorating! Added to the fun of playing and running in circles. They were so hyped up from being around each other, being up past their bedtime, and all the cake and cookies. NJ had a lot of fun.

Our second book group family get together. My book group ladies who brought their husbands and kids with them and we all got to hang out. It was also one of the boy's birthdays that just past so we celebrated with some cake and other fun stuff. So blessed to know these women. 

"Red light, red light!"

Helping and watching me bake. I felt like a broken record telling him, "Your face is too close! Too close, too close!" We made sugar cookies (hearts and circles), frosting, and brownies. Tomorrow will be cupcakes. 

"Why there's sun then there's no sun?" 

NJ didn't want me to help him with his puzzle at all, not even to touch the pieces. He just wanted me to watch. When I tried to help he'd say, "Red light, red light!" I had to think about it and realized that was his way of saying stop. He was looking at me and smiling, but this is the moment that the hail started. It was quite loud.

He was excited to watch the hail and rain coming down and asked lots of questions starting with, "What's hail?" Except that it sounded like "hell" when he said it. 

Yesterday while NJ was at school, I got to paint for my friend's son's birthday. Baba helped me cut out the windows of the train car and he and NJ tested it out for me. 

Everyday I get surprise photos when I download my pictures of the day. These three are my favorite NJ photos of the day. This one of Dotty mid-yawn cracked me up. I love that this is the world from his view point. 

"Do kids and girls work?"

NJ swiped my camera this morning while I was still sleeping and took a bunch of pictures. I liked these of Dotty and these cookies. He also snuck these bunny cookies and tried to hide them before I could find that he got any. But he took incriminating evidence all by himself. 

I was cutting coupons and he ran over saying he wanted to help me. I gave him his scissors to cut, but he was much more mesmerized by the pictures of food that he cut those out instead.

So happy over a little hot chocolate.

Had to get this guy out of the house. We went to the closest park and didn't stay long at all. He kept coming over to snuggle me and say, "I'm just a little bit tired." And this is what happens when I check my phone, I look up and he's taken the seats off the swings. I told him to put them back. Crazy kid.

A little family game time. We played memory. We almost all tied, NJ did pretty well. 

NJ asked me to help him with his legos. Sometimes he can't get them apart so he said, "Sorry I made it very hard for you. I'm sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry..." When we finished building the helicopter he wanted he said, "Are we done? The end!"

During lunch, "How much does ketchup money cost?" 

Last week he had some tummy problems and since then he's been needing emotional support in the bathroom. He's been yelling from the bathroom, "Mama, can you bring the stool here to sit down so I can hold your hand?" That's when he also asks me to pray for his tummy.

On our way out to the park, NJ asked if Baba was coming with us. I said that Baba can't go because he has to work. Then he asks me, "Do kids and girls work?" Oh my. 

Special Guest

Oh how I miss this stage, so much fun! Too bad NJ was in school today, they would have loved playing together. Hopefully next time. NJ came home reciting this week's verse which sounded like, "Stop doing wrong and do good." 

We celebrated our anniversary today. We didn't do anything to actually celebrate. We babysat, we did piles and piles of filing catch up, and we went and got some milk tea together. I like that we didn't have to have a fancy meal, get away, or buy each other gifts. It's gift enough that we are together. Sounds cheesy, but it's true. The last couples years haven't been the easiest and it's the simple things that we're really appreciating. We did get ourselves some rings over the weekend. Some cheap ones, a fraction of the price of our actual wedding rings. Baba's was from a mall jewelry cart and mine with a groupon. We're putting our real ones away for safe keeping. 

"Because I love you"

NJ had the treat of eggs and bacon for breakfast. Haven't made anything for breakfast for a long time. Later in the morning he begged for the jello he helped me make yesterday. He proudly showed us his blue tongue and blue teeth. He had a lot to say today...

During breakfast he said, "Mama, sit next to me." When I asked him why he said, "Because I love you." Awww! How could I refuse? 

After lunch NJ asked, "Why the other day Ah-gim said she's going to beat me?"

I had to figure out what he was talking about. I realized that he was talking about the soup that she made for us. Baba laughed and said, "Auntie was saying that she was going to finish before you, not beat you!" 

I'm sure it's because he doesn't understand the word beat and not because he actually thought his auntie was going to beat him.

Baba had to go out and NJ asks, "Where's Baba going? 

M- "He's going to the bank."

NJ- "Why Baba needs to go to the bank?"

M- "Because we have to pay for our place."

NJ- "Why we have to pay for the house?" 

Before I could say anything he continued, "Or we have to live in a garage or sleep in a car?"

M- "Well, not everyone is as blessed as we are to have a home to sleep in."

NJ- "Like some people don't have parents?"

M- "Yes, not everyone has parents. Aren't you blessed to have a Mama and Baba? And we are very blessed to have you."

NJ- "Yes!"