Just for fun

Things are have been crazy around here - life with two boys under two has proven to be very interesting, time consuming, and at times, overwhelming.  In the mist of all this adapting I've been delinquent in my blogging duties.  This is a shame since both boys have been highly entertaining these days.  Here are some highlights...

Charlie is now giggling and smiling all the time.  He is super ticklish, much to Beau's delight!  Beau still loves kissing and patting Charlie, but now he can also tickle his little brother and get an honest to goodness giggly, happy response from him. 

While Beau still seems fairly smitten with Charlie, a little bit of jealousy has reared its ugly head.  Last week Beau was out of school sick with a fever and ear infection.  Normally he gets to stay home and have my attention all to himself.  Well, not this time.  The horror!  Seriously, Beau has always been independent, but when he gets sick, all bets are off (it's the ONLY time he refers to me as "Mama" - said in a sad, pitiful voice).  One day as I was nursing Charlie and reading a book to Beau I turned my head to check the clock.  All of the sudden Charlie let out a blood curdling scream and Beau lept off the sofa and ran.  I looked down and found on Charlie's ankle very familiar teeth marks.  Sheesh. 

When he is not nibbling on his brother's ankle, Beau has been very articulate and demanding lately.  He;s become quite the little parrot.  Some of his new words include "please," "red," "blue," "green," "chicken," and "E-I-E-I-O!"  And while he's always been fascinated with phones now he places the phone next to his ear and says, "Holla!"  His new favorite command? "GO!!"  This is usually uttered as we sit idly waiting for the light to change or when Murphy is in his way.  And lately his simple command of, "No" has turned into, "No, no, no, no, no..."  Hey I guess he knows what he wants and isn't afraid to tell you.

Speaking of not being afraid, Beau has learned that there is strength in numbers.  He has joined a gang at school.  I know you just reread that last sentence thinking surely you misread it.  You didn't.  Beau and three other bigger boys in his class were constantly picking on each other.  Well, someone got smart and the four boys apparently formed an alliance and now spend their day striking fear into the hearts of the smaller kids in class.  I should be ashamed of this, but part of me is very proud of his problem solving skills at such a young age.  (Ok, so this last paragraph will likely come back to haunt me one day.) 

Charlie has been growing like a weed...probably something to do with his healthy appetite.  He recently had his two month appointment, but I'll do a separate post on that.  Beau, yep, he's still a healthy eater too.  Seriously, I don't know where he puts the copious amounts of food he eats!  For example, one night last week his dinner consisted of SIX chicken tenders, one cup (8 oz.) of corn, one cup of diced pears, one bowl of goldfish crackers, and one bowl of teddy grahams.  At the end of this he actually had the nerve to ask for, "more?"  The next morning he woke up and ate two pieces of raisin toast and one whole banana...before I dropped him off at school...to eat breakfast with his class.  He is an endless pit. 

Yesterday I had both boys in the bathroom with me as I finished getting ready.  I looked down to find Beau with his finger in Charlie's eye.  Yes, IN Charlie's eye.  I panicked but Charlie didn't seem to mind too much.  (Note to self - don't turn you head for even a second.) 

Turns out that the boys have one more thing in common, they LOVE the umbrella stroller.  Beau has loved the stroller since day one.  We would prop him in it with two or three blankets and take off.  (Yes, I got looks from Nosey Nellies and comments about him being too young for it.  Whatever, he loved it.)  While watching Charlie the other day, in the middle of one of his crying spells, Paw Paw tried the stroller as a last resort.  Immediately Charlie settled and started smiling.  Again, we have to prop him up with blankets, but it's worth it.