Guess who lost a tooth?

Yesterday, Grady's 1st tooth came out and it was a true sign that she is really growing up faster than I would like. She handled it like a champ and the tooth-fairy brought her two-dollars.

The Four of Us

Here are photos of all of us in our youth, so to speak

Thank You Susan

Today we saw Susan Pope who was instrumental in making our family complete. She was the social worker / director of the foster care agency that placed Grady in our home and helped us to navigate the waters when they were rough. She also did our home study, pro-bono, so that we could adopt Cyrus. We haven't seen her for more than 2 years and it was like going home. Thank you Susan for blessing our lives with your being. We love you.

Dancing with the Stars. Well kind of.

The kids and I watched one of my favorite documentaries "Mad Hot Ballroom" about ballroom dance and competition amongst New York City 5th graders. The film makes you laugh, dream, hope and even cry and most importantly want to move your feet. A must see for all families.

Inspired by these children and the dancing, here are Grady & Cyrus doing a little bit of dancing themselves. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iZ3byHtO5I

All this for ME!!!!

Just a quick note to tell the kids and Tim how thankful I am to have all of them in my life. Each of them tug at my heart strings more and more each day. Tim's kindness. Grady's strength. Cyrus' soul.

I'm a very lucky man.

cw 

Oh Happy Day......

Guess what all of my fellow parents out there.....we're out of diapers. Oh Happy Day, Oh Happy Day....

Never did I think the day would come when both of the kids would be diaper-free. Each and every time that I bought them, I groaned under my breath, that this diaper thing is a rip-off. Pampers sure made a mint on dirty butts.

As I stood at the register, with the knowledge that I was making my last purchase of diapers, I was filled with glee. We had done it; trained two kids to use the potty, sometimes with more success than at other times. 

There have been some wet sheets and pj's, but nothing that can't be wiped out quickly and with ease. I am beyond happy.

cw

early mornings

why do the mornings come so early and the screams of the kids sound like fire engines blaring through the house? it's 10am and i already need a nap.

cw

A Major Case of SENIORITIS

Papi has a major case of SENIORITIS. With just 9 more weeks until graduation, I think that he may lose it. I don't know why since he is the hardest working student ever. His senior year of college is much different than mine. 

So are his grades (lol).

Keep up the hard work boo... I love you....Daddy Calvin

Fun Times

We had a fun evening tonight before bed taking photos and making videos. Here are a few.

Another Funny Cyrus Tale

This weekend Cyrus got his first introduction to Michael Jackson. We grew up on Michael and although he has certainly changed over time, he turned it out and his music is amazing.

Anyway, we put some music videos on and up pops MJ. Flashback to the 80's and Papi & I are screaming, moonwalking and looking for jeweled gloves. Cyrus is rocking to the music and imitating us imitating MJ.

He is really getting his groove on, so we continue with the jam fest.

Thriller, BAD, Beat It, videos, music, all MJ all the time. Cyrus was living for the Thriller video, because he loves good music and scary creatures. A few more videos and we got to "Keep it in the Closet" starring MJ & Naomi Campbell. He saw MJ in a letter jacket (Thriller), rockin the red leather studded motorcycle jacket circa Le Chateau/Chess King 1984 (Beat It), making color blocks along the road (Billie Jean), MJ channeling The Warriors (BAD), etc. The many incarnations of MJ. So, I wanted to show him "Keep it in the Closet" because it was so amazing. Anyway, the video starts and there is Naomi and MJ, poppin and groovin and.......... 

Daddy (D): there's Michael Jackson.

Cyrus (C): where?

D: I point to the screen and put my finger on MJ.........

and like clockwork...Cyrus replies......

C: uh huh? That's a lady. A white lady.

I swear to you. I tried to explain to him that it was MJ, which he would have none of. I even thought of showing him MJ's pictures, but in the bottom of my screen, was a photo of MJ at age 14-15 and he didn't even look close to anything that Cyrus had seen before, so I just left it alone and pretended that Naomi was singing & dancing with some "white lady".

He is a funny bird.