Higher

(Evan just waking up)

Evan is always trying to get a leg up on Nathan. And on the sofa, on the bed, on the chair... He's really into climbing things. He was trying to climb onto a storage bin this week, and I was busy across the room. He kept throwing his leg up, trying to leverage his knee on the edge and pull up. Grunting, falling over, fussing... I was just letting him work at it, not expecting him to succeed. Moments later, I heard a triumphant, "Yesss...Haaaa!!" I looked over, and there he was, dancing on the container. I clapped and congratulated him as I moved toward him. I wanted to get him down before he took a dive. He knew what I was after, so he lunged for the bed next to the container. He almost made it right over the other side of the bed as I caught his foot and pulled him back while he giggled delightfully. He is definitely fearless! Just last night he turned over a small storage bucket from he and Nathan's room and climbed up on it with hands up to the sky, yelling, "Aaaaaaa..." Look out, trees!

The Recycler

Have I mentioned that Nathan loves to help? One thing he likes to do is place recyclables in our recycle container. He is quickly learning what is and what is not recyclable. He is always asking if this or that is recyclable. "Can we recycle ________, Daddy?" is a daily (and often recycled) question. A few mornings back, we were all eating breakfast and Nathan was helping to clean up the kitchen. Having finished his cereal, he brought his bowl and spoon to the sink and threw away his napkin. I was trying to get Evan to eat some more oatmeal, when I noticed Nathan throwing the morning's paper into the recycle bin. "What are you doing with the paper, Nathan?" "We have to recycle it, Daddy!" "Ok, but how about letting me read it first, pal?!"

The Bouncer

So, yeah, continuing Evan's pudding-induced adventures...

Nathan used to spend a lot of time in his "bouncy seat". Naps, general hanging out, etc. Evan would rather have his tonsils removed with no anesthesia. Unless it's in a moving vehicle, or there is food on a tray in front of him, he HATES confinement. Nevertheless, I had to strap him into the old bouncy recently so I could shower. He squirmed, screamed, and scratched at that thing (and at me) until I got him out of it. It was ten minutes of absolute insanity!

It was later that same evening that someone lost their mind and gave the boy AN ENTIRE CHOCOLATE PUDDING CUP just before bed time. In our bedroom, the bouncy seat sat waiting. Evan must have heard me call it a "bouncy" seat. He just doesn't understand the "seat" part yet. He climbed up into the seat, facing the back. It was backed up against the footboard of our bed. He grabbed the back of it, stood up, and began bouncing up and down like some rodeo cowboy, laughing so hard that he fell right off! Before I could get to him, he was back on, riding off into the sunset as Nathan encouraged him with his own laughter. I decided to rescue him from his own madness, when he let go of the back and put his hands up in the air, bouncing and laughing. I'm planning a trip to Six Flags for his two-year birthday!

No Pudding After 8!

Our boys go to bed a little later than other kids. They do this because they get up later, too. It works best for our schedule not to have them awake at 6AM. That said, there are certain things we try to avoid. Feeding Evan an ENTIRE cup of CHOCOLATE, sugary pudding at 10 PM is one of those things. Laura now understands this. (I've seen Tigger bounce like that on TV!)

Snuggly Soft

Evan is a little helper, like his big brother. He often brings us things - sometimes random, sometimes very appropriate. He really likes to share (unless it's a banana - more on that another time). This past Saturday, I had gone to the grocery store while Laura and the boys slept in. When I returned, everyone was in the kitchen. I placed several of the grocery bags on the floor as I unloaded the car. Evan eagerly and excitedly (arms waving up and down) started to help me unpack. He pulled a can of beans out of one bag and walked over to the slightly open pantry door. He opened the door, raised the can over his head toward the shelf, and said something that sounded like "THIS!" as he looked back for my approval. I helped him with the cans before any toes were smashed (remember that, mom?), and continued with another bag. Laura was at the sink, Nathan was at the table, eating, and no one saw Evan helping with the Snuggle fabric softener. I heard his excited voice along with the "glug, glug..." sound of liquid leaving a bottle, the heavy aroma of "blue sparkle" filling the room, while Nathan exclaimed, "Oh, MAN! Look at all that MESS!"...

(Yes, the camera was right there on the counter, as I had just shot some footage of his helping with the groceries.)

About 50 of the 60 loads in the bottle were all over the kitchen floor (better than the living room floor!). I know he unscrewed the bottle cap. I just don't know if it was already loose (from some weak-wristed, sniffing shopper?) or if he just man-handled it. He is very strong - just try changing his diaper by yourself!

Mini-Wheat Monster

Nathan loves mini-wheats (the frosted ones, of course). Recently, there were only a few left in the box along with a small pile of shreds in the bottom. Nathan was willing to eat the shreds, so we fixed his bowl with milk and set him up at the table. I was in the living room with Evan (or so I thought). I suddenly realized that Nathan was in the living room playing where Evan had just been, and there was a curious silence from Evan. I called to him as I headed for the kitchen. There he was, with Nathan's spoon lifted up over his head as milk and shredded wheat ran down his arm. A small trail of milk and (sticky) shredded wheat lead back to a large pile just under the table's edge. (Did I mention that Evan can reach table and counter tops?) I turned back to realize Evan still had the bowl in his left hand, waving it (and dripping sticky goo) across the kitchen. I went to pick him up and prevent the further spread of stickiness, when he darted away like Reggie Bush in the Dallas Cowboys' Secondary! I used to wonder why some parents placed hard-soled shoes on babies who are just learning to walk, as they limit their mobility. Suddenly, I was trying to remember where Evan's new shoes were, and how quickly I might get them on his feet. (You know, they limit his mobility!) That boy moves as fast as his big brother talks!

Not For The Squeamish!

If you are easily disturbed or sickened by the thought of sick baby emissions, just skip this one! (FOR THE SAKE OF EVERYONE AROUND YOU, STOP READING, PAW-PAW LEW!!)

Ok, so Evan had some little virus that had him sick for about six days. He wasn't feverish. He wasn't whiney. He was just as happy and hungry as ever. But, when he had to go... he had to BLOW! Yep, thankfully his little bout with diarrhea was limited to him alone! (Well, there were quite a few incidences involving his clothing, and that one big leak on the carpet, but no other people caught the bug.) Along with other diet adjustments, we were steadily giving him Gerber LiquiLytes - an electrolyte solution to help keep him hydrated (it tastes better than Pedialyte, and costs a little less). Nathan wanted to know why he couldn't drink Evan's juice. I explained to him that it was a special juice for when you are sick. He coughed a little and claimed that he, too, was sick and needed some of that juice. "Nice try, buddy!" I told him, as I explained this juice was especially for babies/kids who have been throwing up a lot or have diarrhea. He was cool with that.

Two nights later, while while the boys and I were lying on the bed, Nathan passed gas rather loudly. "Oh, MAN!" I exclaimed, "WHAT was THAT?!" He laughed and informed me he had "tooted". "Whew, buddy! That sure is stinky!" I teased. He thought for a moment, then asked, "Do I need to drink some of Evan's diarrhea juice?"

"No, son. No you don't. And let's just call that juice "LiquiLytes" from now on, ok?"

Birthday Boy

Evan's birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day, and we couldn't be more thankful that he is a part of our family! Enjoy the pic's...


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Simple Pleasures

I always enjoy seeing the boys light up with excitement over simple things. For example, one day this week I bought some Dixie Cups for the bathroom - with the characters from "CARS" (the movie) on them. Nathan was so excited! He ran around singing about them and proceeded to take ALL of them out of the box to examine the variety of characters listed. (DIXIE CUPS!! I could have wrapped them for Christmas!) Evan had his own moment of simple pleasure... I was helping Nathan with something in his room, when I suddenly realized I had left the bathroom door open. I realized this fact when I heard the sound of the toilet seat clang open followed by giggling and SPLASHING! I made sure to splash those hands in some warm, anti-bacterial soapy water right afterward. (I wonder if there's a connection there to Evan's recent bout with diarrhea)

Dangerous

Nathan is dangerous! I mean that in a good way. Actually, he's much more cautious than Evan, but he still attempts some stunts that are more dangerous than safe. Case in point: I walked into his room the other day to see this...

Baby, It's Co-o-old Outside!

(You have to sing the title in a Dean Martin style voice for effect!)

It was finally cold enough (40's) yesterday to bundle the boys up. The sun was out, countering the chilly wind, and we headed out into the great big world of our front yard/drive. Throwing the football, wrestling in the leaves (and acorns - ouch!), shooting hoops, having a pic-nic in Nathan's wagon, laughing at Evan walking in real shoes for the first time (high-stepping with curious frustration), the boys battling over who would be "king of the road" (Nathan on his trike, or Evan with his walk-behind walker), laying on our backs while admiring the bright blue sky through the oak branches, and all of this infused with much laughter. Days like that make great memories!

Mad Lips

Dinner was served. It was taco salad night. Nathan, Evan and I were all chowing down on our meaty meal while someone was playing football on the TV in the background. It was an all-boy moment. Then, all of a sudden Nathan's expression changed. He had several Mission Tortilla Chips in a row with his meal, and they were a little salty. He looked at me with his serious face and said, "Daddy! These chips are making my lips mad!"

COMMENTS

Ok, so some of you have attempted to leave comments in the past, never to see them appear on the blog. Just recently, I converted the blog from the "old" version of blogger to the "new and improved" beta version. (yada, yada, yada...) When I did this, about FIFTEEN comments appeared for approval which I had never seen before! I was so happy to see them that I approved all of them - although most were months old. Anyway, please feel free to comment, and make your own contribution to the boys' blog. I'm sure one day, when I turn their little stories into personalized books, they will read them with enjoyment!

User Error

Nathan deleted an e-mail draft I was almost finished with - when asked what he was doing, he said he was trying to find "Switchfoot" - one of his (our) favorite bands. I'm sure one day we might not share the same musical taste, but for now it saves on music purchases!