Fort In The Living Room!

I awoke yesterday morning a little earlier than I wanted (Spring break), but it was Wednesday, meaning nursing home visit morning. So...I appeared from behind the bedroom door in my pj's, dragging my feet, still very much asleep, and when I got into the living room, this is what greeted me:

Alex, my baby, there in the brown tee, had his best friend sleep over, pretty much a weekly event. Because the basement TV room with the big TV was already spoken for (teenagers), they needed to up the cool in their area. I declare a mission accomplished.

Alex is an almost only child--Niki and Cody being teenagers, don't mean to leave him out, they just don't play spies anymore! John and I recognize this and let him have many many sleepovers. It's our best solution so far. Alex is turning ten next month, and while it's hard to believe my baby will be ten, it's equally hard to imagine a time when I didn't have him in my life. He came along so much later than Niki and Cody and we were, well...surprised! Imagine all that worry for nothing! I'd give a lot to take back that month or so of disbelief and panic (when we first learned of my pregnancy) and fill it with laughter, hugs and happiness, because that's what Alex has given us.

This is almost a year ago, this shot of me with Alex, on his ninth birthday. Won't miss the loud boy parties (I don't think I will) but I'll miss his hugs, him standing on a chair because he cannot reach me yet. When Cody shot past me last year, it was hard to handle. Niki, the jury is out on here, I don't think she'll catch me.