Sneaky Little Suckers

The other day while the boys were playing outside, Hagen came running inside and told me, “Mason is in front.” 

I came outside to find Mason on the other side of the fence.  Apparently, two minds are really better than one.  They discovered if they stand on the lower board that runs across the fence, they can reach the handle to open the fence.  It will now be sporting a new lock. 

Today, the boys were playing outside again, soaking up as much good weather as possible before the cold front tomorrow.  Hagen came in and wanted me to fill up their Sand and Water table with water.  I came outside and helped them set it up sans water.  I told them they could put dirt in it, but it was too cold for water.  We would do water this summer when it is warmer.  I went inside and then I heard lots of giggles and a weird noise.  I came outside to see them both with cups by the outside water faucet.  Stinkers!! 

I told them, ‘No, no water now.  We will do water with the dirt another day.’  ‘Yes, Momma.’  (probably looking at each other and winking as I walked away!)

I was in the office paying some bills just a few minutes later and I heard the backdoor slam, little feet running, running again and the backdoor slam again.  Okay… a few minutes later the same thing, backdoor slam, little feet running – this time I came out to see what they were doing.  As I came into the living room, two little boys come running out of the bathroom with their mouths FULL of water.  AAHH!  Little stinkers!  Gotta give them credit for creativity, right??

Shower Time

I can’t remember when we first started letting the boys take showers… but I remember one time Daddy was taking a shower and Hagen wanted to get in, too.  He was totally fine with the water splashing in his face.  Mason on the other hand would have nothing to do with it.

Fast forward several weeks and Mason began to be okay with the water near his face.  They discovered a few lids/cups and call it a party in the shower.  We haven’t had a bath since.  I wanted to mark this on the blog with a few pictures.

I also show you these pictures for you to notice the height difference!  They are standing side-by-side.  Isn’t that crazy?  We go to our 4 year check up in a month and a half and I can’t wait to see what their height is.

A Bird’s Nest and the Park

I’m sure I have shared my fear of lizards in an earlier post.  Last fall I was taking down one of my wreaths that hang on the front door.  I carried it inside, put it on the dining room table and started putting some fall leaves on it.  I stopped a few times to redirect, play with, etc. the boys.  After a good 30 minutes or so, I went back to continue putting leaves on it – then a leaf moved.  I fReAkEd out!!!!  It was a lizard, I’m sure it was there the whole time.  I had to stay as calm as possible, so the boys wouldn’t freak out.  I don’t even remember what happened, Jeremy came home?  Anyway, my point is, when it was time to take my Christmas wreath off the front door, I was a little cautious.  After shaking it quite a bit and giving any lizards ample time to scramble, I brought it inside.  When I flipped it over and saw this – I about jumped out of my skin.  I was relieved to see it was just an empty bird’s nest. 

Hagen came to see it and wanted to know where the bird was?

Mason, still my absolutely no fear at all child, came up and immediately started touching it and asking where the eggs are?  (His pictures are a little blurring because he was moving so much!

It has been a little cold here, so the first somewhat decent day – we jumped at the chance to bundle up and go to the park.

We decided to ride our tricycles to the park – they love doing that.

They were clearing away some brush on the other side of the park and the boys were cracking me up – ‘Look Momma, a skid steer!’  I know the names of more construction equipment than I ever thought I would!!

Drawing 101

The boys love to color and draw.  I have noticed some improvements from their scribbling.  They love to draw with my (left over from teaching days) dry erase markers.

Hagen with his drawing of daddy.  (He later drew another leg on Daddy, I just didn’t get a picture of it.)

Mason drew a picture of me.  Yep – I’m in there (somewhere).  He was getting kind of silly, so the picture is not the ‘quality’ of what I have seen before…. ah well, he is a strong-willed 3 year old.  He pointed out my eyes and mouth.  Can you find them?

Did you find them?  Did you see the cut under Mason’s eye?  Yep, another little scuff with brother.

The Stock Show and Rodeo are going on in our area and I’m getting tickets tomorrow.  Can’t wait to see how the boys react to the rodeo!  I’ll make a blog post as soon as we go.  Hagen always points out random people that have boots on like him.  I think he is going to go NuTs when he sees so many people with boots on

Sappy Post

Tonight I was finishing up lunches for tomorrow while Jeremy got the boys ready for bed.  Normally I read the bedtime stories and Jeremy just stays in there with us, every now and then he will read one and I will read one – but for the most part, I read them.

Tonight, when I finished the lunches, they had already picked out their books and were waiting on me to get in there… so Jeremy was in my usual spot (up under the bed with the lantern lights above them) H on one side and M on the other.  I sat where Jeremy usually sits and I watched….

I have to admit, I was so disappointed I didn’t have my video camera or at least my digital camera.  But, after watching it all and soaking in every minute, I’m glad I didn’t run to get it.  Yes, I would have LOVED getting all this on camera… but to be there in the moment watching it and not having to snap a camera or see it from the tiny screen of the video camera, but just watching every facial expression and comment was heaven.

They read a book about different kinds of trucks, cement trucks, fire trucks, car transporters (a favorite), tow trucks, etc.  (Hagen’s pick)  Each page provoked big eyes full of curiosity and M bit his lip several times as he concentrated on what Jeremy said.  He chose his timing to ask questions or comment.  Hagen, with his huge eyes kept going from Jeremy to the book, then to me.  Mason has gotten into this, ‘Which one do you like?’  asking everyone which vehicle (one each page) they like.  Mason always picks his first and then asks each of us.  Hagen always goes last and usually picks one that Jeremy or I pick.  At the end of the book, it has a small picture of each vehicle featured throughout the book.  Mason pointed to each picture as Jeremy said the name of each vehicle.  At the end, Mason said, ‘Good job, Daddy!’

When we got to the Thomas book, it was a sing along book.  (Mason’s pick)  Jeremy sang along, as best he could, to each song.  After each song, Hagen would clap with gusto and say, ‘Good job, Daddy!’ 

As we approach the big 4, I can’t believe we are saying good-bye to 3.  At the start of 3, we were getting them tested for speech.  Their speech was still taking off and they still spoke in 2-4 word phrases… here we are approaching 4 and we are on another planet.  Complete thoughts and conversations.  How are we here?  Don’t get me wrong, I love it.  The 3’s were not my favorite, but as we approach 4 – I am seeing all this growth and my babies are getting older.

We got in the car the other day and as I was pulling out of the driveway, Mason said, ‘Momma – don’t speed because a policeman will pull you over and give you a ticket.’  ‘Thanks for the reminder, Buddy!’

(Just for the record, I think he got that from Cars and a book that we have read… the only time I got pulled over with them in the car was when they were infants!! )

I also had to share a Hagen story.  After the mud hole incident, with all the rain we have had – every time they want to play outside I have to say, ‘NO playing in the mud!’  I repeat it often and make them look at me and repeat, ‘No playing in the mud!’  So today, they were playing outside and I had repeated my warning several times.  At one point, Mason came in to go to the bathroom, Hagen came in to wait.  As they both went back outside, Hagen stopped before he got all the way out and looked at me, ‘NO mud, Momma!’ 

1st Night at Gran’s

The boys have already stayed over at Grammy and Grampa’s, so we were waiting (with excited anticipation) to be invited to Gran and Paucci’s.  Gran and Paucci came over for a visit the other day and told the boys they were going to come spend the next night with them.  Gran told them that they were going to ‘Party, Party, Party’. 

The next day, when I dropped the boys off at school, I told their teacher that Gran would be picking them up.  I told Hagen to tell Ms. C what they would be doing with Gran – and he started to dance and said, ‘Party, Party, Party!’  She cracked up!

What was really fun (besides having a kid-free night), we got text/picture messages throughout the evening and into the next day of all their activities.

They went to a pet store and saw birds.

Hamsters

Then the boys picked out fish for Gran’s fish tank.  Bubblebee sickleds (sp?)Then they went back to Gran’s and put the fish in the fish tank.  The frog and Hagen’s fish did not like each other at first – I bet that was fun to watch!

Forget bedtime stories, let’s read Jeep magazines with Paucci before we go to bed

Hagen was so excited that Gran loves boots as much as he does.

One last check on the fish before going to bed.

They slept on cots in Gran and Paucci’s room.  Gran didn’t see their security blankets in their pillows… Hagen had no problem falling asleep, but Mason had a harder time with it (because it was dark, I tried to lighten it… of course it came from a camera phone… so this is as good as it gets).

The next day, they went to visit Dorothy.  She was one of my Mamaw’s very good friends.  She still lives at the senior community where Mamaw was.  Dorothy was very excited to see the boys.

She let them play with these cars that were her brother’s when he was a child.  (Dorothy is 97 years old, so imagine how old those cars are!!)

Then they went to visit Aunt Ruth, Mamaw’s sister.  She, too, was very happy to see the boys.  They were introduced to Long John Silver’s and hush puppies.  They didn’t believe Gran when she called them hush puppies… they said they were donuts

Bicycles

Daddy accidently broke the garage door, so while he was fixing it, we gave him lots of support while riding around in circles in the garage as he fixed the door

‘Fixing’ our bikes.

Cute smiles – getting so big – really?

Daddy finished fixing the garage (yea!!), so we took to the streets!