Tool Belt

Before I left for Nashville Eli made a "tool belt". He was quite proud of it. I told him I was taking a picture of it because he did such a great job.

But, I was actually taking a picture of it because it kind of looks like a "my first" athletic cup.

Tired

Tuesdays are not fun. Isaac gets a 45 minute nap at school, Eli doesn't take one. Last Tuesday was nuts - nuts enough for John and I to declare that we must make the kids sleep next Tuesday, which is today. And it didn't work.
I tried for one hour to get the boys to lay down. It turns out during that hour each boy had to both poop and pee. Eli moved everything from the floor to his bed (not sure where he was supposed to sleep). Isaac decided it would be funny to cover his head with his bed sheet and walk around his bed (he hit his head twice on the headboard, resulting in tears).
The ultimate low was when Eli snuck out of his room and into Isaac's and Isaac started saying "We're not sleeping, we're not sleeping."
I had warned them three times that I would give them a spanking if they didn't lay down - after three warnings it was time to make good on that promise. I spanked Eli and sent him to bed, he was relatively unphased. I spanked Isaac and a good ten minutes of crying ensued - along with a long list of loud, declarative statements like:
"I didn't want a spanking"
"I not tired"
"Don't spank me"
"It hurts, Kiss my butt"
What to do next Tuesday....

Love-Hate

Brothers being brothers...




As a side note... can anyone tell me why our "new" couches are falling apart?

Head-Stand

It looks so painful, but they were really having fun.

Skillz

So I am not sure if this new skill set is a demonstration of his developing agility and foot-eye coordination - or if Eli is reverting to his ape-like tendencies...

These days

I am of the opinion that the boys are getting funnier each day. It is amazing to see their personalities emerge out of these little, active bodies. Eli is very much a right brain thinker. He is creative and has quite the imagination. He loves food network (praise the Lord) and these days stacks his toys into three foot "cakes" (perhaps I watch too much Ace of Cakes). We have to wait until they cool off, but they pretend taste amazing. His toys serve more than just their designed purpose. Trucks stack and become machines, blocks and toys combine to make new items. His world is limitless.

Isaac is very left brain. He loves to read, loves books. He is quite intelligent, if I don't say so myself. He knows his numbers and can identify them even out of order. His day and life has to be very structured. For instance, things have to happen in a particular order, and if that order is disrupted we have to start from scratch. At bed time he goes to the bathroom, sings a song, climbs into bed, grabs and animal, I cover him up and off to sleep. If I happen to try to put him into bed, rather than letting him climb in - drama ensues and the process must begin again!

Despite their differences they really enjoy each other. Recently they are starting to pick up what annoys the other and exploiting that. The other night Eli stole a book from Isaac and Isaac angrily (yet trying not to laugh) said, "I'm mad at you" and just started to wail on Eli. Funnily enough he doesn't hit very hard so Eli thought he was playing and a spontaneous wrestling match ensued. Fun times!

Cheating

So I have now been officially sick for an entire week. I started feeling crappy last Wednesday, and here it is, Wednesday again and I still feel yucky. The original diagnosis was strep throat. I had some tests done yesterday and signs seem to be pointing to mono. I am 90% sure that my 30 year old life is not exciting enough to include mono. Isn't that something you get when you are 16 and stupid? We'll see. Where would I have even picked that up?
Anyway, I will tell you, though, it is a heck of a weight loss plan. Have a few pesky pounds you can't get rid of? Try not being able to swallow for a week - the weight will just melt off. As of last week I had lost 14 pounds since December. I have been on a year long quest to get into shape and loose the baby weight that has lingered for two years. I have been doing it slowly and methodically so I would be more likely to keep it off. After this week I am down a total of 19 pounds! That is right - I have lost 5 pounds this week. I fully expect to gain a bit of it back, until I can muster up the energy to get back on the treadmill, but it feels nice to be back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. It is kind of like cheating.

Update:
As I suspected, I am not exciting enough to develop "late life" mono. It appears that my issue of the throat was indeed a wicked case of strep! I went grocery shopping yesterday and bought food like I hadn't eaten in the week, because I hadn't. Me want food.

Sharing

I understand that for a three year old the lesson of sharing is really an impossibility. The very idea that something doesn't exist for their pleasure is unheard of. As a mom I would say 50% of my "parenting" is refereeing the division of goods and services between Isaac (2) and Eli (3). But I had to chuckle when I got Eli's daily report from Mother's Day Out.
The topic of the day: Share with Others - Hebrews 13:16.
Teacher's Comments" took a couple of toys from others today"
I mean if you can't demonstrate sharing on the day it is taught, you are kind of a lost cause, right?

Two Minds are "Better" than One

So I have been pretty sick for the past two (going on three days). I have had strep for the first time in a long time and have been miserable. This morning I was trying to catch up on some zzz's. Luckily the kids slept in until 7:00 AM!!!! This is actually a feat - they have been waking up at 5:30 - 6:00. In fact both of them have been in "trouble" this week for wandering out of bed prior to us getting them out of their room. At 7:00 Eli went into Isaac's room and played toys for a good 20 minutes. Then they decided to pay John and I a visit in our room - "to check on us". I think they wanted to know if they would be in trouble for playing outside of their rooms. Eli said "Come on Isaac" and out they went. John and I got a little laugh out of it talking about what a blessing it was that they played so well together.
And then I heard it. Call it a 10th sense, but as a parent you know normal play noises and "out of the ordinary" noises and this was certainly an "out of the ordinary" noise. I wasn't sure what it was, but it sounded like glasses hitting and it was coming from the kitchen - I knew nothing good could come from any of the possible scenarios. So I jumped out of bed and ran into the kitchen (I wish I had the camera) - the refrigerator door wass open, the boys had a chair pulled up to the refrigerator, they were both standing on the chair, Eli had horseradish in his hand and was educating Isaac on cooking. I think I startled them, when I said "What are you two doing?" It turns out they were trying to pour a glass a milk. Luckily, they didn't make it that far in their plan or we would have had a real mess on our hands. Two and Three going on Eleven and Twelve. Oh My!

Therapy Terms

Tonight was a pretty uneventful dinner for a Tuesday. The boys go to Mom's Day Out on Tuesdays, so by dinner time they are typically napless and nuts. Tuesday nights are usually for the birds. But tonight had been relatively quite and peaceful.
At the end of dinner Eli looked up and John and I and said in the sweetest voice you can imagine.

Mommy I love you
Daddy, I love you
Sometimes you guys make me so mad

Mom's Day Out must have a nice therapy program...