Some days ... (ok a lot of days, but a lot today...)

I'm overwhelmingly glad that I'm a mother (especially the stay at home type).  I woke up feeling incredibly joyous and grateful over the fact that I get to spend my day with the people I love most in the world.  It's wonderful.  I love being a mom and I love watching my children grow.

Levi and I have some time together during the day just to ourselves while Seth is at school and Raya is taking a nap.  I love my time with Levi ... we don't do much, it's just quiet time but he's such a cuddly little guy! I love my Levi, I had to take a picture of him he was so cute.

His cherubic chubby body is starting to stretch out and he's looking so grown up lately.  He's writing his name and tracing letters, sounding out words. His vocabulary is immense. He's such a bright boy!

Seth is growing up so fast and I'm constantly in awe of that boy too!  Today at swimming lessons I watched him swim with perfect ease on his back, impressing his instructor (and if you know his instructor that's saying a lot).  I watched as he playfully splashed into the water touch the bottom of the pool, tread water and then turn on his back to swim to the other side of the pool.  When did he get so big?

Jeff went to parent/teacher conference for Seth today and came home with radiant reviews of Seth's progress.  Seth's teacher wrote up a three page paper of basically how great he is.  Some excerpts I just beam at:

"Seth is kind and respectful of his friends, and their feelings.  He works through social conflict, he shows empathy for other children.  Seth demonstrates good friendship by being patient and kind.  He gives space to those who need it, he is concerned when people are upset, and he is good at taking a turn to listen." ... "He is a good friend."

"Seth writes beautifully."

"At work, Seth is an excellent problem-solver.  He looks at a problem from many different angles, with an objective eye, eager to learn new things.  Seth enjoys challenging himself."

"Seth has a tremendous amount of inner discipline.  He chooses challenging works, completes work cycles day in and day out."

"Seth is a true gift in our classroom."

I am a very biased mom and I think the world of my kids -- and I always wonder if my kids seem as wonderful to others as they do to me, and I'm glad to find that Sethy's teacher has similar reflections.

-- I didn't intend this post to be so long!  Well I guess I should make some comments of Raya... but really anyone who has seen me with that little girl knows I adore her!