For Leo

It's been almost 4 years (vacations and summertime not included) since I've spent at least 1 day a week with you, Leo.

And now that very special time has ended.  And now I am so so so sad.  

I TOLD you to stop growing.  I TOLD you not to turn 5.  But you did.  And you had to.

And that's OK.  Because watching you grow has been a pure delight.

Summer is here and you're headed for Kindergarten in the Fall.  No more set "Ma's house days" for us, my Superhero.

But GOSH!  You waved your hands in the car and announced to me, 

"But it's VACATION so we have lots and lots of days for me to go to your house!" 

And I'm here to tell you that I will never respond to that with:

"What you talkin' about, Willis?"

We were a team, you and I, from day one:)   Remember I told you that I brought you to sleep with me on the cot in your Mommy's room the first night you were born?

And then Paul was born and Mommy and Daddy needed me to spend time with you while Mommy was at the hospital with Paul and Daddy was at work.

Our official "Ma's house days" started after Paul came home, but this time with you (and Luca) ~ 3-4 days a week for weeks and weeks ~ was the beginning of a very special time for the 2 of us. 

We've had lots of fun, haven't we, Leo?   For a while there (until I couldn't use my camera) I posted our very own "Wednesdays with Leo"  because I just couldn't keep you to myself; I had to share you.

I went back to those posts and copied some of the pictures I took.  Do you remember how often you used to say to me, "Please stop taking pictures of me!"  

Well, I'm glad I didn't listen to you, Willis!

Mailing a letter to Uncle Brent.  You just thought it was soooo cool that one mailman would take your letter to another mailman in Colorado.

Walking in the rain.   What could be more fun!

THIS!  Your superhero moves :)

We did lots of playing indoors, in good weather and bad.  

And spent many mornings at "Ma's park" when the weather was nice. 

Poppi's first strawberry last summer and he promised it to you.  For 3 wks. we watched it grow.  And then a very cold snap came and the berries were ruined ):

Fun on the hammock with Poppi.  

I think you went through 3 coloring books during your "Ma's house days".  

You followed us through our kitchen renovation, even putting the first nail in the new floor.

"I can't BELIEVE this is going to be a REAL kitchen!"

My sweet boy:  Our  official "Ma's house days" are behind us, but I know there is still plenty of you and me ahead of us. 


I can't forget to mention all the "Ma's house days" we spent at Martha's this past year ~ you and Lucia having become fast friends.   We played, we went to the park, we went to Ash Wed. Mass together, and to the Library and even to McDonald's!   You learned from Martha that Clark Kent was Superman and said that maybe you'd like to be a reporter too, just like him.  


During our time together we played lots of silly games and made up a lot of names for each other.  You probably remember all of these more than I do but here's a few for the whole in your brain that you call your memory :)

Mailbox
Ghost in the back seat of my car
Our personal Wacky Wednesday's
Timbuktu
Timbuk-a-million
Eyeball
Let's get this show on the road
Wonder Woman
Get it?

We have a "date" for Chess and swimming at your house this summer, right?    

And finally, for those of you who have missed my weekly posts, had I kept them up, I would have added this last bit of "Leo".

Last Sunday Dad took Leo out to garden to inspect the strawberries.  A few times during these past few months Dad picked up Leo for me, for one reason or another.  It became their "thing" to stop by a convenience store and get a smoothie ~ one for each of them. 

Investigating the strawberries, Dad told Leo that next time he came to see us, Dad and he would concoct the BEST smoothies EVER, using the strawberries, of course.  Leo beamed!
This is the only explanation Dad could come up with when he rec'd this text from Annie, just minutes after I  set out to get Leo this past week: 

"Can't wait to see MY man, Poppi.  He's so cool! He has my brain!"

And, finally, on our way to school the other day ~ our last trip to school ~ I told Leo I thought we were running late but I wasn't too worried because I could just walk him in.

He immediately replied, calm and non-chalantly, 

"Well, maybe I'm worried."

I was floored!  How to respond to that?  

"I'm sorry, Leo.  I don't mean to worry you but it really is OK, you know"

To which he answered,

"No fuss" 

...and smiled at me :)