Another Friend in Heaven

Alexa has a new friend in heaven with her now. Connor Cruse - a handsome boy we know from our NB circle left this world today. Although we did not know his family well, we have met Connor and have shared a dinner table with his parents at fundraisers and have followed each other's journeys along the way.

What struck me most as I read the words on his caringbridge site today was how much I hate knowing how his family feels. Another incredibly bereaved mother is feeling the intense loss of her child. Another father, another sibling, another cousin, another granparent, another friend. More lives shattered, never to mend.

Another child has died and the killer is still out there. When will this end? Enough. Please don't take another one of our children.

I hate you, Neuroblastoma. I hate you!!!!!

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Alexa, take good care of our sweet friend. Show him around and maybe you can teach him how to talk to his mommy like you talk to me in my heart. Give him a hug for all of us.

Precious Individuals

People that know my family laugh at how totally GIRL and BOY my children are. Alexa was all about pink, princesses, ponies and rainbows. Zachary has come to show that he is all about blue "boo", bugs "bee" and sports. Check out these videos of them- both the same age looking at pictures of their favorite things and pointing to them on command.

One of my favorite things about being a mother is watching my children's likes and dislikes develop- watching them grow into their own person. I had the boy's room decorated in cars and in the past 2 weeks it has become clear how much more he loves sports! We were in Target the other day and he pointed to a sheet set covered in sports balls and screamed, "bay-ball! baa-ball! boo-ball!" You know I had to buy them.

So, sports it is. He has come upon this all by himself. Zack is not a huge sports fan and I am not either, of course, but our boy is in love!

I moved the cars stuff to his play area and got busy redecorating in sports. Still waiting on some stuff that I ordered online, but in the meantime, I made these cool sports ball cut-outs that I hung above his bed. I stuck them up there in the middle of the night and the next morning he noticed them right away and squealed with delight. It was so cute.

But just as they are as quenticential (sp?) as can be, they still have a bit of their sibling in them. Alexa loved baseball too and ZJ (Zack Jr.) gets a hold of his sister's babies and feeds them. I tell Zack he's a "senso". Ha-ha.

Oh! Another grand moment in the Aigner household this week. As my friend Jenny said, "Tear Down That Wall!" We finally were confident enough to take down the baby gate at the top of the stairs!! Oh man, I almost cried. Another baby thing gone and one step further into the wonderous journey of childhood. Good boy!