Just Another Day in Paradise

1) I thought the boys looked so cute this morning that I took these pictures. No stories to tell about them other than that.

2) Freddie is OBSESSED with flushing the toilet for Jones. As soon as Jones sits down on his "duckie potty" seat embedded in my seat on the "big, giant potty," Freddie will squeeze in beside him and put his arm around Jones and on to the flush. Generally, he doesn't wait for Jones to finish his business before he pushes it. 

3) As we usually do, we had lunch with Jeremy today. Freddie took a sip of Jeremy's milkshake and said, "TASTY!" Jones started this - stealing it from Goofy - and Freddie has caught on. After "TASTY!" Freddie added, "I won (want) some!" He proceeded to very nearly finish Jeremy's vanilla shake. Then, he and Jones started taking turns with it, passing it back and forth across the table until I finally had to take the lid off and start feeding them the little that was left with a spoon. 

I've also had to start ordering Freddie his own "sal-dy" (salad), because I got so fed up with his eating most of mine!

4) I completely love the boys' outfits today, but every time I look at Freddie's, I feel like Fraulien Maria made it out of her old curtains. Still, you can expect to see it a LOT this summer. 

Woody pretty much goes where we go.
ANNNNNDDDDD, the boys pretty much
constantly fight over who gets to hold him.

5) As we often do, the boys and I went to the Pressleys' after their naps. Let me back up a minute. Jones almost never goes to sleep anymore. Several months ago, he went through several weeks where he didn't sleep, but then he started sleeping again. Well, he's back in a day-sleep dry spell, and I'm thinking this may be the end of his naps. He'll still stay in his bed, reading and talking to himself for two hours, but he's no longer turning into a bear by dinnertime on the days that he doesn't sleep, so I'm thinking the days of afternoon naps are done. Unlike the last time he stopped sleeping, I am VERY ready for no-more-naps. Now, if we can just get Freddie on board. 

ANYWAY, after today's rest, we went to the Pressleys' for the boys to ride their tractors and motorcycles, which they did. 

After awhile, we made our way to the front yard. Freddie said he wanted to go see the neighbors' dogs (Heidi and Tasha). Jones, not surprisingly, did not. He stayed up on the hill, while Freddie and I went down to the fence. 

Jones then cupped his hands to put around his mouth and said, "Is everyone okay down dare?"

Later, Jones, who's back in love with "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" (just in time for their Pirate Adventure at Murrells Inlet next month!) told his Nan and me to "Come on, Mateys!" Also in love with "Stooby Stoo," he followed footsteps and searched for other clues. When it was time to put up their ride-ons and go, Jones said to me, "Yessam, Cap'n Mama!" ("Yessam" = Jones and Freddie speak for "Yes, Ma'am").

Finally, as I put him in the car, the other neighbors' black weiner dog ran down the hill. Jones and I were talking to him, and as we pulled away, I said, "Would you like to have a doggy to come live at our house?" Jones responded, "How 'bout Stooby Stoo can? Not a little black dog. How 'bout a BROWN dog?"

6) After playing at the Pressleys', we went to Food Lion. I prefer to go there, because it's a little closer than Ingles, and their "car buggy" is EXPONENTIALLY easier to steer. Well, the last time we went, the car buggy was already in use, so today, Jones prayed before we got out of our car that we'd get the car buggy. But when we got back in the store, it was nowhere to be found. I braced for meltdowns, but none came. Instead, I said, "I'm sorry, Boys, but sometimes, God says, 'No.' We'll get it next time." 

They were SO sweet about it. They got in an ordinary buggy with no questions asked and rode around as if they were completely okay with it. When we ran into one of Mrs. Pressleys' friends, Jones said, "We lookin' for the car buggy. It's not our turn."

I could not even believe how well they behaved after not getting their way. I've seen this in my sister's kids - but they're perfect! To see that, somehow, trickle down to my boys may be one of my proudest moments as a parent (though I'm the first to admit I had nothing to do with it!).

I was so proud that I bought them some Easter bunny cookies to make tonite, so that's what we did when we went home. Before we baked them, though, I was on the phone with Brooke when Jones came up behind Freddie and started pounding the heck out of his back ... and not in a nice way.

So if you were thinking I'm trying to say my boys are perfect, I'm NOT. I AM trying to say, however, how proud I was of their response to not getting their way. 

7) Baking the cookies was the boys' first time to cook. They were so excited. While the cookies baked, the boys took a bath, and after their baths, they ate the cookies, while watching "Springtime for Roo."

A few minutes later when I put Jones to bed, I asked him what he was thankful for today. "Easter bunny cookies," he said. 

Me, too, Buddy. Me, too.