I love that my son...

• told a five-year-old playmate over the weekend, "But puzzles are fun," when she seemed completely uninterested in putting one together with him.
• thinks his green Wal-Mart wading pool (with built-in slide) is still the "coolest" thing on a hot summer day, even though neighboring kids have big pools that require noodles and floaties and constant adult supervision.
• brought home a box of Skittles from the grocery store (Memaw B.'s treat) and went straight to the drawer with the zipper bags, pulled out a bag, and poured in some Skittles and set it aside, "for Dada to take to work".
• has almost completely black feet at the end of the day, from wandering around barefoot outside, crushing wild cherries on our black-topped driveway with feet that are always bigger than I think they should be these days.
• is so dirty from head to foot at the end of every day that bathtime is not optional and that a fine layer of silt is left at the bottom of the tub in his wake.
• is liable to say "hi" to just about anyone who crosses our path, especially adults, and that most people - even the previously grumpy- or simply unengaged-looking ones - respond to him with a smile and a "Hey, buddy!"
• still loves lying flat on the floor and pushing around cars at eye level - as he has since he was first able to crawl, around 9-months-old - more than anything else.
• that it's almost impossible for him to eat a slice of watermelon or a popsicle alone.  Anyone within hearing range will be offered one to share with him.
• usually breaks into a smile within a few seconds of being woken from his afternoon nap, since I've wussed out of no nap completely and have changed to waking him by a certain time instead (which seems to be working well enough).

This last week, we've been distracted from the hard work of settling in by a visit from my parents, which we'd been eagerly anticipating for a couple of months.  As the regular occupants of the household continue to work on cooperating with, respecting, and teaching each other - with the help of books, sticker charts, and more kind words - we've enjoyed being able to share our new home and new routine with visitors.  Point Lookout State Park.  JumpBunch and downtown Leonardtown.  Maryland's Amish country and Charlotte Hall's Amish Farmers' Market.  Historic St. Mary's City.

The break from the transition period continues tomorrow when, after sending off my parents back to Texas, Gideon and I will take our own plane ride to visit my sister, her husband, her 2-year-old son and 5-month-old twins in Montana for a week.  

We're looking forward to returning home for the last week of summer re-energized and bolstered for the challenge of the unknown adventures awaiting us the first fall in our new home - preschool, serious attention to endeavors long procrastinated, long work hours as a program under fire scrambles to prove its worthiness before the short days and inclement weather of winter set in.

We'll keep you posted on it all...