The boys...right now.

I haven't given an update of the boys current "happenings" lately so here goes.

They are (big sigh) 3 years and 8 months! Where did the last 8 months go?! It was hard enough in church on Sunday watching them go up front with the "big" kids. I guess it took that to realize that they are one of the "big" kids now. At their doctor appointment about a month ago they weighed exactly the same: 32 lbs (40th percentile at 3 1/2 years) and J is 37 1/2 inches and W is 36 1/2 inches (both 20th percentile). Their eczema is improving as they get older...but we are still dealing with it and food allergies and asthma. J and W are very good about asking "is there eggs in it?" and if there is nuts in something...they say "when I'm older, I can have this?"

A list of favorites:

Foods: Cereal..."what do you want for dinner?" "Cereal." Although they have only had cereal for dinner once or twice mind you...they will ask for cereal anytime you ask them what they would like to eat. They also love fruit, applesauce, crackers, bread, yogurt and of course anytime they have a "special treat" they love it before they even taste it. Lollipops too.

Toys: Trains

Activities: Playing outdooors, going to the park, being chased, doing puzzles, and building elaborate train tracks:

Comfort item:

J-"Pin Pin" (his baby penguin) and his "giraffe blanket". Here is J tucking in "Pin Pin":

W-"Mama" - not me...but Pin Pin's mama. W's stuffed penguin. And his "hole" blankets...W pretending to sleep with Mama and his hole blankets.

Expression to strangers: Spitting sound with lips and saying "poo poo" and bursting out laughing. For example "Bye Bye (pause) POO POO!"

Books: They like all books but especially anything with trains in it.

As for dislikes, they do not like the idea of taking naps. But they are in good napping phase now. I feel as if I can write a book on the stages and phases of naptime. You know what I mean! Getting them to sleep in first place, getting them to take one without you, going from three naps to two, and two naps to one...and taking one at all! And taking one at the same time as the other kiddos. We are on the every-other-day-nap phase. I don't even try to put them down every day. Every other day one sleeps in our bed and the other in their bed downstairs. Here is W sleeping in our bed (please notice that "Mama" and a train book are close by:

And two days later, here is J sleeping in our bed:

At the new church we tried, the teacher did a bible study and the class did a craft. When I went to pick them up after church...everyone was working on their craft and wearing their crowns...except J and W. They were both on the floor playing with trucks. At least J had a crown. I could tell that the teach wrote his name on it and drew a couple of shapes to encourage him...and that was about it. W didn't even have a crown. He told me that he told her "I don't want to make a crown. I just want to play with trucks." And when I asked them what the bible story was about J said “She didn’t read the butterfly book. She talked about God. And a giant. And God had a rubberband and threw a rock at the giant.”
Wyatt later said the same story but added…. “and then the giant turned into a princess.”

They are not so into crafts and coloring quite yet. It is funny ho w everything we try to make turns into trains.

I gave them colored pencils and crayons to color with the other day...and they got on the floor and lined up the pencils and crayons to make a train:

But here is a rare glimpse at their artistic side (take a good look, for there are trains and trucks nearby so it won't last long):

They are both such energetic, animated, creative, sweet and such loveable (my favorite) boys--throughout the day I will ask them for hugs and they run over and give me a big cuddle. And several days J will just walk up and squeeze me leg and kiss it. Or just tell me he wants a kiss and a hug. Those are the moments that make being their mommy SO worthwhile. That, and of course, seeing them sleep! I think every parent loves to look at their kiddos sleeping. When they can REALLY look at them. I think that is why I have so many pictures of them sleeping.

On a different note...if I can just get through the book "I'll Love You Forever" once without crying...I have attempted reading that book aloud to the boys probably three times. Once every six months or so...and of course the boys dug it out this afternoon for me to read. And by page three I was a crying boo hooing mess. And I try to look at the funny cat on each page as a distraction and to compose myself and the boys scream "Read it mommy!" and I just can't. I told them I couldn't and we started the next book. And J said "The book makes you sad?" And I couldn't even explain to him why bc I was crying so much. Then they started laughing at me. Such such boys.