Chameleon

WHS and I were home alone a couple weeks ago.  I was walking briskly through the house and truly by accident (God saved me) looked down before I stepped on this little critter...IN MY HOUSE.  For anyone in The Woodlands, you know we have lizards of all kinds everywhere.  I am not sure if it has to do with the sandstone, but they are all over my stone on my house.  The boys love them.  I don't.

Another night around 11pm, I scared Babe out of his mind when I screamed and had a near miss stepping on a chameleon, hopefully this exact one.  Of course, when Babe finally opened his eyes and got with the program, the thing escaped his grasp and scrambled into a crack under my stairs.  I simply had to put it out of my mind if I was ever to rest again.

This time, however, he played dead.  It was truly the funniest thing I had ever seen.  When I saw it, I gasped {or screamed} making WHS stop in his tracks. WHS stared at me and I stared at him debating asking my 2 year-old to pick it up.  I sure wasn't going to.  I told WHS not to move and to watch him while I ran to get a cup.  In a split second, I was back and the chameleon was upright again...until I put a cup over it.  He thrashed and rolled ever so dramatically into this dead-lizard position.  I moved the cup, he thrashed again.  It was so DRAMATIC!

So, we had fun with it for a bit.  Then, I got a another cup and we deposited the drama queen {or king} into our front garden.  I am hoping that will be the end of the lizards INSIDE my house for good.  Had I stepped on him either of those times, I am not sure either of us would have lived to tell about it....

Nemo

Nemo how we love thee!  WHS' started swim lessons in January and his darling swim instructor was Nemo, kid-version for Nehemiah.  When I talked to him, I had a hard time calling him "Nemo" ...shouldn't I call him Nehemiah?  He was so sweet and the kids L.O.V.E. him.

The first two sessions, WHS screamed.  And screamed...  And screamed.  He still did what he was told, but he boo-hoo'ed the whole time.  I couldn't figure it out, as WHS loved to swim in our own pool, so it wasn't the water he was afraid of.  So during the week, I talked it up.  We talked about swimming, we talked about Nemo, we talked and talked. By the time we made it to the actual lesson, he was prepped and braced.  He did well.  After a few lessons, he was begging for Nemo.  We got there early and he ran to the window to watch Nemo give his earlier lesson.  When it was WHS' turn, Nemo would come to the window and point at him and WHS lost himself in giggles and ran to the door to the pool knowing it was his turn.

For a young college kid, Nemo was so good with the kids, especially little WHS.  He was definitely the youngest child I saw him with. AND, in a few short months he taught this little 2 year-old how to swim!

I think the feelings were mutual.


For the record, WHS just saw this post on my computer screen and yelled, "Dat Nemo!" and gave the screen a slobbery kiss.  The kid loves Nemo.

Rock You!

I am amazed daily at what this little rugrat knows and understands.  I know that I am going to get lots of calls from his teachers in the future.  With this one, I KNOW I am raising Babe.  He is smart and witty and thrives on making us laugh.  And laugh we do.

I often sit and bed and get lots of giggles as I occasionally eavesdrop on WHS as he goes to bed at night.  He is FULL of words and sometimes it is just unavoidable.  He often outlasts me and I fall asleep in my quiet room listening to his funny conversations with his animals or the sounds of his toys going off over the monitor.  But one night, I heard a familiar sound, a song rather.  I song that came from left field and I had NO idea he had even HEARD the song.  As I laid in bed, I heard the little toot singing, "Weee wiiilll, Weee wiiillll WOCK YOU!  Weee wiiilll, Weee wiiillll WOCK YOU!"

The very perfect example that everything he learns at age two is definitely NOT from his mother.  

Fridays

I don't know where to begin!  The past couple weeks have been jam-packed with activities.  We have been so busy with baseball, end-of-school parties, lots of business with Tippie Toads {yeah!} and just living a day in our life.  But I HAVE been taking pictures, so there are many blog posts to come.  

I'll start with Fridays.  How I love Fridays.  JLS and WHS are both home with me on Fridays.  In fact, if I think about it, today is our last official Friday together.  Then summer, then JLS goes to Kindergarten!  He is SO excited and SO ready to go to the big school with JBS.  He was just WHS' age when we moved here and it seems time has flown!

One Friday couple weeks ago, we decided to go on a bike ride and picnic. We have a park right next door, but that would defeat the purpose of the bike ride.  So, we rode to the big park about a mile away.  I was certain WHS would give up and ride in my trailer, but he forged ahead!  He drove round trip (2 miles) all by himself!

And we ate. Remember the Elizabeth Arden picnic baskets Grammy gave us?  Well, they are still a hit.  When we mentioned "picnic", JLS ran to the closet and produced his favorite picnic  basket.

Take note that JLS so cooly lays on his side to eat...

And the little toot looked right at him and copied him...not so smoothly :)

As any Big Daddy trained child would have noticed... We watched a pair of Woodpeckers fly from tree to tree.  They were beautiful!

And...some sort of egg on our bike ride...

A beautiful day with the boys.  I just feel like these days are fleeting!  Must enjoy them while I have them!

Float Fun

 It's so much fun having a pool.  Despite all my fears and digging my heels in when buying a house (I refused to buy a house with a pool.), we love it.  The boys are  old enough now that I don't worry...as much.  And they love playing together.  I bought a float so I could float in the pool.  I was hoping to float one day while the boys were in school and have a nice relaxing day.  Somehow, that has yet to happen.

The 3 amigos...

WHS is one of the big boys now!

They love to have JBS pull them around the pool.  I'd say that's a pretty good life for WHS and JLS!  JBS needs to re-think it!

Cutie-patootie.

Of course, my wonderful float is falling apart at the seams due to all the "fun" and momma is left without.  Such is the life with three boys!  I'd trade my relaxing for their fun any day.

Mother's Day

We had such a fun and relaxing Mother's Day.  The boys were so good to me!  We went to church and relaxed all day, played in the pool.  I even squeaked a nap in. Then, we all went on a LONG bike ride and another picnic.  We had great time!

Love my boys!

Pig Pen

It is a fact that WHS falls into the typical third child role.  We just studied birth order in Sunday School last week and I hate to assign a label to him, but he fits it to a T!  He is a total mess because he tries to model his big brothers way before he has the motor skills to keep up.  The kicker is that messes don't bother him.  He will rub his hands in a plate full of syrup and then rub his head...on purpose.  He will drop food on the ground and then jump on it to make smaller crumbs.  I especially love that trick {ugh!}

Another of his fabulous traits is that he will walk into the house and take one shoe off in the utility and walk with one shoe on until he decides to take it off...maybe in my room, maybe upstairs, but you just never know where.  Of course, I try to control this as much as possible, but some days I just forget to stare him down until both shoes are removed.  He also does this with OUR shoes.  Currently, my left tennis shoe is missing, Jakes' right tennis shoe, and my left flip flop.  It's true and it could drive me to the nuthouse.  I like to know where my things are and be able to get them when I need them.  I DON'T like disorder.  Disorder defines WHS' life.

Yesterday morning was Splish-Splash Day at our small preschool.  WHS and JLS were PUMPED to say the least.  It was a bit crazy getting their swimsuits and towels, lunches, and extra clothes ready to go with a sick JBS at home as well.  WHS was dressed with water shoes on and ready to go.  So, I moved to JLS to help get his things together and out the door.  I told the boys to get in the car as they got ready so I could pick up loose ends as we all got out the door.  Success! We were out the door.  I opened the back door of the car to buckle WHS.  No shoes.  "WHS. Where are yours shoes?"  "I dunno."  "You JUST had them on!"  "I dunno."

This can't be happening...again. I spent 25 minutes searching the car, the house, the garage, trying to find the crocs that were JUST on his feet and they were NO WHERE to be found.  Finally, when I decided he was going to be so late that he would MISS his Splish Splash day, I grabbed is ever-faithful spiderman rain boots.

We got to school, I apologized to his sweet teachers, explained our desperate search for his Crocs...that were, at one time, attached to his body and now missing.  And I realized he left his lunchbox at home. {ugh}  I deposited JLS in his classroom, ran a few errands with a sick JBS in my car and returned to school to deliver WHS his lunch that I found on the ground in the garage, yet no shoes.

When I returned to school, WHS was just moving his with his tiny 2 year-old class to the Snow Cone truck to partake and I saw a sight for sore eyes.  While he will be 3 in August, he is so thin that his swim suit is still 12-18 months....which makes it SHORT on his long legs, but perfect fit for his waist.  Otherwise, he can't hold up his swim suit!  I also packed his superhero cape towel.  Its a red beach towel shaped like a cape that has his name on the back and velcros around his neck.  SO...I spot WHS walking/sloshing in his Spiderman rain boots (full of water, no less), his shorty froggy swimsuit, curls going everywhere with wet hair and his bright red cape attached to his neck.  It was precious and hilarious all at the same time.

If only I had a camera...

He's a Wolf!

While baseball takes up the majority of our free time, I am very supportive of my boys being Cub Scouts and really encourage it.  Not only do they love it, but they are learning practical life skills.  My Dad was an Eagle Scout and, as we all know, he is ALWAYS prepared...the Cub Scout Mantra!  What a dream to have a child who is always prepared...ha!  We are still growing in that department :)

This week JBS completed his first year of Cub Scouts as a Tiger Cub and "crossed over" to being a Wolf Cub.  We have had a lot of fun this year and love our den.  We are one of many dens in our pack through our church.  And I am pretty sure our Pack is the largest in the area.  Nothing is small in The Woodlands!

The Cross Over...

 Getting his new Handkerchief...

So proud of you sweet boy!

The Up and Comer

If the thought ever crossed our mind to NOT play WHS in baseball, it is now unavoidable.

I was outside with WHS the other day and when I turned around, he had gone to the garage to retrieve the cone (his version of a Tee), bat (which could possibly be a light saber in this picture) and JLS' batting helmet.

Pretty soon, JBS was involved and coaching him.  And dare I say, this kid can already hit?

Yes, he is still 2 and a little disorganized at times...

But he knows how to play the game.

 
I guess that should be expected with the number of ball games and practices he has logged.  Not to mention watching the boys play catch at home for hours on end.

Unfortunately, he has already picked up the bossiness, too.

Watch out ORWALL...#3 is coming up the ranks soon!

When They Don't Know You're Watching...

I have been slaving away all day making the 179 stamps that Tippie Toads sold last week.  It was really fun watching the number grow until I really thought about sitting down to make 179 custom stamps!  It's still fun and I am so grateful.  But I am tired :)

Babe and the boys were outside swimming and it got strangely quiet.  So,  I hopped up for a break and looked out the window to find this.

Cute JLS snuggling and talking with WHS poolside...  

I wonder what they were saying?

WHS snuggled into get closer...

 I love seeing how WHS looks at JLS.  He ADORES his big brothers...

JLS couldn't get enough of WHS.  He kept putting his arm around WHS and pointing at the birds and pointing at things and talking in his ear to tell him what they were.

Man, I love those boys.  And I love watching their relationship grow together as brothers.  Few things make this Momma more proud than watching them love each other and defend each other.

{Like yesterday when I had JLS pinned on the ground and WHS came from nowhere pouncing and kicking me to let go of his brudder! Love.}

Baseball JLS

It is impossible for him to have pants as short as he wants when
he already wears an Extra Small!

This year we chose to play JLS up to T-ball.  In our league, we have "K-ball" for 4 and 5 year-olds and T-ball starts at 6.  I, for one, don't like to push him, but he was begging to play "on da big field."  The K-ball field is tiny, they don't keep score, the play through the whole team and no outs are kept.  Nothing more boring for JLS.

We actually had two very good coaches in our  3 seasons of K-ball.  One coach really emphasized getting outs.  He told them that since they didn't keep score, he was keeping count of all the outs.  He was told that no K-ball team had ever made more than 4 outs in one inning.  Thus, he was there to prove them wrong.  So, that is what they practiced.  I will tell you what, his team made outs!  Last season, JLS made out after out after out.  One inning he even made 5 outs.  It was hilarious.  He was playing third,  and the ball was repeatedly hit between him and the pitcher.  He ran to get the ball and stepped on third.  Over and again.  Everyone laughed or was in awe, but JLS was just doing what he was told by his previous coach.  We loved that coach, but in hindsight he was REALLY good to emphasize the outs and not the runs with the little guys.

Always in the dirt...

This year, JLS is the baby of the team, but one of the above favorite coaches helps with his team.  That put us at ease because in Texas, even T-ball is competitive.  Gratefully, JLS has thrived on this team and has wonderful team mates...and wonderful parents to go along with those team mates.  We have had a great team and a great season.  Out of 23 teams, the mighty Milwaukee Brewers are #1 in the league and thus, the #1 seed for the end-of-season tournament.   Their games are nothing short of exciting and nothing thrills me more than to watch JLS play ball.  He is focused, he is serious, and he wants to win.  It helps that he runs like the wind, too.

As usual, when JLS runs to a base, he takes his time if he sees he has plenty of time.  Babe or I will yell,  "Run FAST, JLS!" and it is like his after-burners kick in and all of a sudden he is on base.  It's hysterical.

The after-burners were on in this shot!

JLS also likes to dive...more than he should.  He plays pitcher a lot and the ball is often hit near him.  One particular hit, I looked at the batter and I looked at JLS and I saw it in his eyes.  He was ready to dive.  "Oh no!" I thought, as he spends more time diving to the ground than he does on his feet.  The ball was hit and it was hit at least two body lengths to the right of the pitchers mound.  I kid you not, JLS dove through the air for the ball and his little 5 year-old glove reached and CAUGHT THE BALL for the out.  Then the showmanship.  He fell on the ground as he caught it and jumped up as fast as he could and showed the crowd the ball like he had just won the World Series.

Keep your eye on this one.  If we could just get him to eat, he might turn out to be a great ball player!