This boy...

Bath time Mohawk. (I think it's HILARIOUS when people take naked pictures and toss the washcloth over the boy or girl parts. hmm...wonder what's under there?! I prefer to do it this way...simply crop it out if you don't want it showing. Less ridiculous looking. Just my less than humble opinion. This can also be done by lowering your camera so a leg or whatever is covering the body parts. The washcloth thing just looks silly people.)

The sleeper.

I was in the kitchen and came back into the living room to find him feeding Cayde.

Like his smile? We were trying to get pictures of each of the kids with the leaf background for the blocks we were making for Christmas. we took maybe 20 pics of Port. We came up with one or two...ok....ones. Such a nut. Cute anyway though, no? (This was not one of the best but i love his silly expression--so porter!!!)

I do not remember taking a picture of him in a shopping cart so not sure how we ended with this, but alas here it is. My brown eyed boy!!!!!

Holding his sisters hand. We are a hand holding family. I love when the kids start doing it on their own. So sweet to show love to one another.

During the summer the kids often chose to sleep without jammies on. With a swamp cooler and no central air, I easily allow this. Taya (dog) sleeps with porter. i thought this was funny and took a picture because Porter was put to bed on his duck pillow but made it all the way to the other side of the bed, taking Taya's spot...but not to worry-Taya is happy to accommodate and take the pillow. (Lovely!) Porter looks awfully comfy, doesn't he?

Daddy's boy...from the zoo in the spring i think.

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This boy was hand delivered to our home 18 months ago. Hand delivered. It sounds so simple but the labor I (we) have had with him was not 12 hours like it was with Allori, I did not carry him in my tummy for 9 months, or 6 months, as it was in Cayde's case. He was not delivered naturally or by c-section but hand delivered with a 17 month labor. We knew the very first week...we hoped that first week that he would be a part of our forever family. (We did not start foster care with the intent to adopt, but with the intent to provide a safe home for children who needed it temporarily.) It wasn't part of our plan. He is a daddy's boy. He is athletic and insanely cute! He is oppositional but makes everyone else follow the rules. (He once yelled at Oswald on tv because he was "throwing' food.) He is all boy with a touch of tender. He gets all sorts of mad at the drop of a hat but is quick to say sorry. He challenges me. He frustrates me. He pleases me. He brings me joy. He says, "Oh mom!" instead of "Ah man!" (This makes me smile every time, he says it very silly not with blame.) He is incredibly soft and loving to his new baby brother. He bugs the daylights out of his big sister.

He is funny and smart and stubborn and dramatic. He is Porter and he is my son.

We officially adopted him on November 21, 2009.

Thank you Heavenly Father for the gift that Porter is to our family...to me.