All Things Garrett

Here is Garrett showing off his latest hobby: collecting snails. You read that right. He (and his buddy across the street) are very much into collecting snails. And, yes, I realize it's totally icky that we have snails around our home right now. I'd ask if anyone knows how to get rid of them but doing so might break this little man's heart. And, I can't be the one to do that! Because, ouch, if loving him hurts sometimes (because he's just THAT lovable), then I don't even want to think about how hurting him would feel.

But that's a philosophical debate in my mind for another day, right? I really jumped on the blog to jot down just a few reasons why I am so smitten with this character so that I could look back on them in the days, months and years to come.

So, here are some reasons why, at age 5 years and 2 months, I adore Garritto-Burrito:

1. He loves the color orange. Has since he learned the word "orange". ALWAYS been his favorite. And over the past few months, every day he insists on wearing some form of orange on his body.

Last spring/summer I bought his wardrobe (with him in tow, knowing I better let him pick out what he liked or else it wouldn't get worn) with very little orange. He wasn't full blown into his orange obsession. Which means we only purchased 3 shirts that have orange on them.

And, that means, since the warm weather has stuck around into fall and I'm not buying more short sleeve shirts, he wears the SAME THREE SHIRTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I'm not one to balk at originality or quirkiness but wearing the same things day in and day out really bug me. Can you say, "Get over yourself, Jill" ? I'm trying, I'm trying! And, for the record, we have purchased PLENTY of orange variety winter clothing.

2. Garrett loves to be outdoors collecting leaves, rocks and snails. With the exception of the latter, he has loved to collect all those things since the time he could toddle. I love that he still loves the same things with the passing of each season.

3. I loved when he prayed the other night that he said "God, thank you for making people in humor" and that I have no clue where he got that from. What I wouldn't give to know what he meant.

4. I'm tickled every time he talks about private things so matter-of-factly (like bathroom talk, people - nothing really weird). Because that means he is still so innocent. And, I'd love to freeze him just like this.

5. I adore (no hate, no adore, no hate) that he has some pack rat tendencies to him. Little man loves to save EVERYTHING. He loves to have all of his belongings spread out all over his room without an ounce of order. And I think I love this the most because it is so opposite of me (think "Container Store" people - that's my happy place).

I love my little man. I love that he has graced my life with his joy and caused me to break free from the mundane, vanilla way of my thinking and living.