Gearing up for Christmas

It's not a bad life being Ryan M...

About a year ago I started the nightly bedtime ritual of telling Ryan the next day's schedule.  It not only put a smile on his face and filled with him anticipation, but more importantly, I thought it helped prepare him for what to expect the next day.  However, over time, I've come to notice that whenever a day's planned events do not sound enticing enough, he sighs with disappointment and then prods me to add to the day's activities, even offering a few "helpful suggestions". Say what, kid?!  (If I were to have told my father that our day sounded, well...rather lackluster, and that what we really should be doing is going to the beach and then out for ice cream...well, I would still be lisping from the loss of my two front teeth.)

Nonetheless, this week Ryan had so much fun that not even he could complain about it, since he got to see friends every single day of the week.  :-)  A definite rarity, but let me tell you- there is nothing little Ryan M. loves more than playing with his friends.  A few shots from the week:

Making his first ever gingerbread house at Aunty Suki's park playgroup (which we both partially consumed moments later)...  Should we have preserved it to take home, coo over and admire until Christmas?  (Whoops.)

Rockin' his new haircut...complete with a little flipped up, gelled section of hair in the front.   Gotta keep those ladies happy.

My little baller...he sunk exactly one basket (out of maybe 50).  Good enough for the Asian NBA!

Being a scary 'brown ghost' (or unless they converted without me knowing...wearing a burqa) with his future bride...