A Little Bit of Bruce

This cat.  And this boy.  Still totally in love with each other.  They have a very special connection!

This is the red pop up fire truck tent from his birthday.  He and Bruce are both in it (often).  Or on the couch under blankets and pillows.  Or in Caelan's room. 

Friday Night Live and Downtown TC (August 2013)

We usually try to hit this a couple of times each summer.... 

Matt working on a cool craft-  Caelan enjoyed the pounding of the nail initially, but then lost interest.  Which I realized as I glanced around us at other families, was a common occurrence.

Ice cream time, of course!  

Checking out the fire truck...

and the antique cars 

He even got to sit in one! 

 

then the fishing game... to get a toy.  This was actually what he talked about the most all night! 

Bonfire at Mr. Dim's (late August 2013)

This was in one of the last weeks of summer- before Danielle and crew moved to Hawaii but after Jeremy was home. 
Most of these are dark but still some cool pictures of the fire.  Just hanging out. 

sparklers 

some sky lanterns 

 

see what happens when you put sparklers in the fire?  It's pretty cool!

Sky lantern

The next two pictures-  I LOVE.  Dan is so awesome to Caelan.  Such a deep and genuine love for our son.  And the two of them were sitting side by side on buckets, deep in conversation.  And Dan is intently listening to everything Caelan is telling him.   

Catholic Human Services Picnic- August 2013

CHS has an annual picnic for the previous and current families in the program.  It's always neat to see the other kids and couples who were in the program the same time we were. 

This year was out on Elk Lake... like most of the water around here, this lake was really pretty.  We ate, chatted, played with bubbles...

I do not remember these two boys' names- they are both adopted to families in the program.  One is about 2 years younger than Caelan, the other one is about 3 years younger. 

These two pictures are so, so significant.  Caelan typically avoids swings because of his sensory problems.  His brain misinterprets the motion.  He has made a lot of progress but rarely gets on an actual swing like this... definitely not on his own!  So I was thrilled to tears as I saw him over there- not only on the swing- but lifting his feet off the ground so it would move!

Yes! 

Back to the bubbles 

NW Michigan Fair- 8/2013

We didn't spend as much time at the fair this year as we usually do-  there was a lot of miscommunication or poor advertising or something- so we didn't know what night was Family Night where kids ride for a dollar.  And they didn't have the rides open yet on the day we did go.  Not sure what was up with all that this year. 

But we did go- and had some food and saw animals.  And that made him happy- he had a good time!  As you will see- he was still pretty into the bunnies. And ducks.  And tractors.

This was a huge tractor that was right in the entrance 

Then he got super excited about the cement mixer... and he was pointing to the cylinder part telling us that's where it turns to mix the cement....

And then (going around to the back)... he comes out this chute! 

Above-  he was more interested in the water running through the grass than seeing whatever animal section we were in at the time.  He loves motion. 

We usually check out the sheep because the Ansorges have always had one there

Then.... into the Rabbit Barn!

He loves the bunnies 

and was very interested in watching the ducks for a long time

...... then of course we absolutely MUST have lemonade!  

and hot dogs.  And Gibby's fries! yumm! 

more big tractors and farm equipment... and yep, he was steadily telling us exactly what all the parts of each one are and what they do.  He knows his stuff! 

"driving" this one

 

Now he is driving it backwards- silly boy!