They're growing up.

Ry is 13 months old now and he's becoming a thinking and interactive little boy. For months now, it's been practically impossible to change his diaper... he bucks and rolls and is just a little brat. Well, today at school he was getting his diaper changed and his teacher, Ruth, said, "Ryan you lay still and look into my eyes". Ryan put his little finger in Ruth's face and said, "no! no! no!". Little stinker! I think he's going to be more of a character than Andrew. Ryan and that little finger of his are quite bossy. Yesterday morning he came into a group of kids at school and started wagging that finger at the kids. They all looked at him like he might be a little crazy. Ryan also barks at Andrew and points that finger at him. It's so funny. I guess nobody intimidates Ryan. He's not speaking many real words but he definitely knows how to get his point across.

Andrew has become quite the little singer. He came home from pre-school singing a new song and he signs it ALL THE TIME....

Oh the Lord is good to me
I thank the Lord
He brings me the things I need
Sunshine and apple trees
Oh the Lord is good to me.

It's so sweet to hear his little voice singing that song. He loves his brother now too. He thinks of him and asks where he is, he likes to play with Ryan, and he shares with him when he has good snacks. It melts my heart to see them together.

I love my boys!

Mom, Dad, I dropped a poop!

I've been thinking that potty training is NEVER going to happen with Andrew. He's only so-so at school and sometimes, at home, he has an absolute hissy fit when we suggest sitting on the potty.

So, tonight Andrew told me that he wanted to pee on the potty. I wasn't even going to let him because it's always a waste of time. But, he's gotta learn eventually so I let him. I don't even bother sitting in there anymore, I ran downstairs. Suddenly, Andrew yelled "Mom, Dad, I dropped a poop!" It was so funny. We both go running to find a tiny little turd in the toilet. That was exciting, but what was more exciting was how thrilled Andrew was. He stood up, pumped his fist in the air and said "yes". He had the hugest smile on his face. Then he had to give us "five". Then he gave us the double thumbs up. He was so excited. Of course, we then gave him ice cream. At almost 3 yrs. old, poop = ice cream. We'll do anything to get him trained. I just wish I had a picture of Andrew's face. I've never seen him so excited.

Andrew's on a roll...

He's absolutely killing me tonight. This kid is becoming a smart little man overnight.

First, we were out to buy dog food. Andrew was running ahead of us. He ran straight to the brand of dog food we buy, and pulled the bag out to put on the cart. How in the world the world did this kid remember what brand we buy? I think that's pretty impressive. Also, how did he move a 40 lb. bag??

Next, we were checking out at Home Depot in the self scan aisle. I scanned our stuff, bagged it, and paid. As I was loading our bags into the cart, I hear "beep". Andrew had grabbed a bag of M&Ms and scanned them. Mike & I noticed and told Andrew no, he couldn't have them. As we're looking at the screen trying to figure out how to cancel what he scanned, Andrew walked behind our backs and threw his M&M's into the bagging area. That kid is smart!! How could we not buy the M&Ms after that? Fortunately, Andrew forgot about the whole thing so Mommy scored some M&Ms :)

Lastly, tonight is garbage night. Mike went out the back door to take out trash and told Andrew to meet him out front. Andrew walks out the front door and yells, "Michael... Michael... Mike!" What happened to Daddy?? Andrew is such a little commedian.

Perseverance

They should make a Perseverance motivational poster with Andrew's face on it. We put him up in bed a little after 8. Since he hasn't been staying in bed, Mike locked all of the doors up there (except Andrew's) and he closed the gate at the top of the steps. Andrew cried for a little while but eventually got quiet. We assumed he went to bed. A little bit ago - about 2 hrs.after we laid him down - Mike went up to go to bed. Andrew somehow found a metal hanger and unlocked all the doors. He also changed his own diaper. There was a dirty diaper lieing open on the floor and Andrew was wearing a clean size 4 diaper (he's in 5's now). I don't think Andrew needs us anymore. He seems to take care of himself just fine. Also, he was completely quiet when he did all of this. We didn't hear a sound downstairs... and our house isn't very soundproof.

When I think that this kid couldn't surprise me any more, he does something like this. My boy is too smart for his own good.

What's that light?

Tonight Andrew pointed at the sky and said, "what's that light on right there?" So cute. He was talking about the moon. What the heck is that light? This kid just kills me on a daily basis. He loves his brother so much and he's so smart. He gave Ryan the cutest hugs while we were grocery shopping tonight. For the first time, Andrew and Ryan rode in the car shopping cart together. Now I know why I'm so happy to have boys 2 year apart. They both adore eachother so much. Andrew hugged Ryan so tightly and Ryan gave Andrew about a thousand hugs. I'm pretty sure that these boys are going to be very good friends in a few years.

Friends, soon enough.

I really can't wait until Ryan is a few months older so he's a decent playmate for Andrew. Andrew was so cute today, he wanted to play with Ryan so badly. Ryan was sitting in his bouncy seat watching a little TV when Andrew walked over, crossed his arms and rested them on the bouncy seat, then said "Ryan, please come color with me, pleeeaaaasssse." It was the cutest thing ever. This was the first time that Andrew has actually talked to Ryan like he was a person. Andrew was so adorable. I ended up picking Ryan up and holding him at the table while Andrew colored. Andrew kept offering Ryan crayons but Ryan really had no interest in holding them. I'd take Ry's hand and make him scribble a few lines. Andrew was also coloring with the crayon held between his teeth and he kept trying to have Ryan do the same. It was really the cutest thing I've ever witnessed. I'm so happy to see that Andrew is finally seeing Ryan as a little friend.

This evening Andrew wanted to lie on the floor with Ryan. He had a huge pile of blankets and pillows and he wanted to make a little fort under one of Ryan's little arched toys. I was holding Ryan and Andrew kept directing me to lie Ryan here or there. Ryan is just so fascinated with Andrew. He gets the biggest smile when he watches what Andrew is doing. This is such a fun time with my babies.

Also, a new development on the Ryan front...

On the night of Jan 15th, like usual, Ryan woke me up at 3:30am for a bottle. Most nights, Ryan is still half asleep, wailing in his crib, waiting for me to come. This night when I walked in, Ryan's eyes were wide open and he was lieing there with both of his little feet in his hands. This was the first time he found his feet. Of course, the little stinker had to do it at 3:30 in the morning.

A final note - Ryan is working on cutting his first tooth. It's the lower left tooth. He's been a beast to deal with. Ry's teething process is definitely nothing like Andrew's. Hope this little sucker hurries up and pops through. Can't handle too many crabby evenings like we've been having.

A Banner Day

Andrew, you blow me away. We started the day off with a showcase of your vocabulary. When I came into the room to wake you this morning, I turned off your fan. Still lying in bed, you turned your head toward me and said, "fan on, asshole". Gee thanks. Do you realize you're two?

Later in the day, you filled me with pride when you again showcased your vocabulary... this time, for the ladies at daycare. It was reported to us that you were unhappy with your serving size of applesauce so you told the daycare worker, "more applesauce, asshole". Where in the world do you come up with this? I know many two year olds test out the foul language but I don't know of many that use the words so appropriately. Apparently, there were more of those fabulous words throughout the day and our friends at daycare were not too impressed.

Finally, we come home this evening and you displayed your handman skills. Your Daddy bought you a cute little battery operated drill. We heard the drill going on and on this evening and just assumed you were pushing the buttons like usual. After a few minutes, I actually looked at your work - you were disassembling the changing table. What two year old knows how to do that? I walked over to find a pile of screws and a very wobbly table. Two or three more screws and we would have had a pile of wood in the middle of the floor. You definitely take after your Daddy.

You were on quite a roll today. Although you're such a little challenge, I'm so glad we have you in our lives.

Today was a typical day for Ryan... eat, sleep, poop. Not much else happening in the day of the life of a four month old. You were a little cranky but that probably has something to do with the gallons of slobber coming from your mouth and the teeth that are working their way through your gums. We can't feel them yet but I'm sure they'll be popping through any day now.

I can't wait til you boys can play together. I can only imagine the chaos you'll cause.

Two Little Nuts

These guys definitely keep us hopping. This morning Andrew decided that he had no interest in leaving the house. I stood at the top of the basement steps telling him that we needed to leave NOW. He decided to take off for the stairs. He ran up the steps and into our bedroom. SLAM the bedroom door, then SLAM the bathroom door. I catch up to him and find him laying flat in the bottom of the bathtub. I guess he thought I couldn't reach him there. I asked him what he was doing. He told me that he was swimming. What a little stinker.

He's also has quite a little vocabulary. He was at Mimi's house today while we worked. Mimi dropped something and yelled out "oh Jesus". Andrew yells "Christ". So nice of my kid to compete Mimi's sentence.

For four months old, Ryan is already on a roll too... literally. This kid uses rolling as a mode of transportation. I laid him on his back in the middle of the livingroom this evening. Less than three minutes later I looked in on him to find that he had somehow relocated himself to the corner of the livingroom - a good 8 feet away. He was so happy with himself too. He had the most enormous smile on his face. I can't believe how big this kid is getting already. Before I know it, he's going to be running away and slamming doors too.