Kind of a doctor

We were driving to preschool this morning and Elliot saw a garbage truck driver as we were getting on the highway.
"Mommy, look, a garbage man -- he's a community helper, you know."
"Yes, he is."
"You are a community helper, too."
"I am?"
"You're kind of a doctor."
"I am?  Wha ...?  No, Elliot, I am not a doctor."
"Yes, you are Mommy.  You raise money for kids with cancer."
"I do do that."
"So you are a doctor.  You make them feel better."
"I'm not really a --"
"Yes, you are.  You are kind of a doctor."

If I am a doctor, why doesn't my bank account show it?

Swimming with the sharks ... I mean, watching the sharks swim

We scored some free passes to Underwater Adventures and decided to take advantage on a typical Minnesota muggy Sunday ... Definitely not worth paying $20 a piece (ticket value), but VERY cool for free!

Watching the snapping turtle ... Dustin is such a science geek; he would be so happy hanging out here all day, just him, the reptiles and the fish.  Elliot and I moved a little too fast for him.

 Libbi was more interested in her sticker it seemed ...

Elliot and Sharky, with Libbi watching from afar ... even painted sharks are scary, I guess.

This is just a cool pic, but clearly I wasn't understanding that the flash was not a good idea in an underground tunnel GLASS aquarium.

Not many places you can go where a 7 ft. sawfish swims over your head.

Or sharks ...

Or giant stingrays ... COOL!

Elliot loved these fish because there were like a hundred "Nemos".

"Mom, look a seahorse!"
"Do I see that horse?"
"No, SEAHORSE!"
"What horse?"
"No, Mom!  SEAHORSE!!!"
"I don't see a horse."
"Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ... Sometimes it is too easy.

If we cannot be in the AC to get away from the muggyness, we must get WET!

Libbi was rockin' the ruffles and polka dots at North Mississippi Regional Park.

Sometimes I just want bottle up this sweetness and curiosity and save it for later!

Elliot and Trey, yet another child of another previous daycare provider. :) (Shawna)  We had a great time with the kids on Saturday and held out the weather.  The boys got along great the first 3 hours ... then, we ALL needed a nap.

Mr. July enjoying Sprinkler Day at preschool.  Again, why can't I bottle this up and save it.  I want him to be 4 forever.

Elliot and his best friend and worst enemy (depending on the day), Brennan.  This was obviously a best friend day.  How cute!  Brennan came up to me and said, "You know what, Jackie, I like you."

Ah, to be 4 again, and be thrilled at a sprinkler spraying straight up in your face.  Good times!

Reunited!

It had been 6 months since Libbi and Baby Gavin were together, so you can imagine how thrilled she was to have a lunch date on Friday.  After canceling multiple times due to Gavin being sick, Libbi being sick and, oh yeah, I had MONO for 6 weeks ... we finally were all together again.  Libbi was so excited to see him that she actually climbed right up into the car and didn't want to get out.  (But Libbi, we are at YUM!  We must go inside!)

For those of you who don't know about Gavin, you should read the blog alongside this post in my reading list, titled "Haiti's Given Son." Rachel (Libbi's previous caregiver) is an excellent writer and provides some of the most ADORABLE photos I have ever seen.  I know we are all biased about our own cute kids, but you cannot deny this baby's magic.

Gavin, here giving a big ole' smooch to his new sister Nadia, has been through more in his short life than most people could ever imagine.  Our friends Rachel and Jason rescued Gavin following the earthquake in Haiti, after he had an emergency colostomy and was transported to the U.S.  They came to find, shortly after his arrival, that the colostomy was only one of this sweet baby's issues.  They also discovered a tethered spine, ill-functioning heart, only one functioning kidney, and he is deaf, among other things.  However ... you look at this baby, and he is just the most content little cupcake.  But all of these ailments (and then scheduled surgeries) made it too difficult for Rachel to continue watching Libbi, and we had to part ways.  A VERY sad day for the Family Stone indeed, but a fresh start for little Gavin.  Six months later, colostomy-free, and cute as a button, we FINALLY got to reunite!

And once we got past Libbi trying to feed him oversized grapes, we had so much fun!

Libbi was SO HAPPY to have her playdate Nadia with her again!  Two peas in a pod - like no time had passed.  I didn't even find a problem with the fact that they were chasing each other around the restaurant ... do you think the other restaurant patrons did?  Ha!  I don't care!

We also snuck in as many kisses as we could ...

 And hugs!  I ♥ this baby!

One last squeeze of the giraffe and we're out!  Get well, Gavin ... we love you!