{Five on Friday}

Woohoo! Today marks my 50th blog post! (Lots are completed drafts in the queue, waiting to be published…!)

Linking up with The Good Life Blog and her friends for Five on Friday! I’ve enjoyed visiting others’ posts on these link-up days – they give me great encouragement and inspiration throughout the week! Thanks for stopping by my little link today!

{one}

I am seriously considering starting the Girls on the Run program for girls in grades 3-5 at the school where I’m a School Counselor! So if you’ve been a part of it (ERIN!), I’ll take any feedback I can get! I am so blessed that when I sent out a poll to just a handful of the teachers and a parent in my school, a bunch replied immediately, wanting to help out! Several years ago, I co-wrote a grant to start this, but didn’t get it. I’ve been praying about a way I can give back. Maybe this is it?? I’m amazed at the tremendous support I’ve received just in the last couple days thinking about it.

{two}

I made two visits this week to the place my little brother and I jokingly refer to as “Panera’s.” On the first visit, my husband and I took our 14-month-old and treated my little brother, who was in town visiting, using a giftcard from our new church. I was in awe at the children’s play area, though we didn’t partake this time. I went back the next day to redeem my receipt freebie and was very satisfied with my huge iced Caramel Latte (totally free!). And holy moly that straw could accommodate some viscosity. Nothing was getting jammed in that bad boy.

{three}

My school participated in “See You at the Pole” on Wednesday. It took a little extra effort to drop my son off at daycare earlier than normal, but it was worth it as we all prayed for our school community. This is a student-led annual initiative.

{four}

Remember last week when I said it was School Picture Day for my 14-month-old’s school? Here are the results! Since we’re allowed to keep the proofs, I’m putting them in the baby book for sure! We thought “2013 Proof” would make a good street name:

{five}

Lately there have been lots of signs that my baby (pictured above) is a toddler and not so much a baby anymore! He’s solidly in size 18-month clothes (and has been since the spring!) and wearing size 5 shoes. On Wednesday evening, he chased the big kids all over the neighborhood (after feeding himself tuna casserole for dinner), wanting so badly to keep up with them, hug them, and wave “hi” and “bye bye” to them. I love how they (very gently) dote on him. I told him to ask Daddy if we could go on walk, and he walked over and said “Go, go, go!” to him. I asked him to bring me his favorite book, Peedie, off his shelf, and he plunked the exact book right off the shelf, among (hundreds?) of other books. He reaches up and takes things off of shelves and tables that he could never reach before. He can flip through a photo album and identify (some) family members by name. He even pooped once in the potty! (He was going in the bathtub and we pulled him out just in time for him to finish his business while sitting on the potty!) This isn’t a process we’re starting yet, however. But he’s also still my little baby – nursing when he wakes up, when we get home, and at bedtime. He loves to curl up with me, bringing me books from his shelf and plopping himself into my lap with them. His Wubbanub pacifier remains his very best friend, probably tied with our dog. Love this kid so much!

Happy Friday/Happy Weekend!