His very favorite gift:

Carrie, Jason, and Jacob gave Michael this Lightning McQueen camping set for his birthday, and he is in absolute heaven!  The little backpack has not left his back ALL day!  As soon as Michael wakes from a nap, he grabs his backpack!  Josh took Michael out to do some shopping this afternoon, and Michael wore his backpack into every single shop. 

 And, the sleeping bag?  Michael pretended like the sleeping bag was his nap mat from the sitter's.  He took his afternoon nap on the sleeping bag, on the floor.  How incredibly comfortable, right?! The sleeping bag is on his bed this evening, instead of the floor.  Michael has also taken great pride in carrying around the water bottle all afternoon.  He's so proud, and it's clear that this gift made him feel like a real, big boy!  

Watching him walk around with a backpack on his back makes me want to cry, though!  He really does look like a big boy!  And, in just a few years he'll be walking into the doors of an actual school, with a backpack on his back.  At least, he's giving us a little practice with watching him carrying a backpack.  Maybe I won't cry as much on his first day of kindergarten?  (Yeah, right!)

Only ten and a half days of teaching middle school students for a year!  YIIIIKES!  I'm so ready for summer break! My house, particularly my closets, desperately need to be organized.