Hey Guys!

Hey everyone. My growing boys are all doing wonderfully with stories of their own to share. I will try to keep this one to a storytelling post because I think those are the most interesting! B has his first little crush at school. The girls name is Hanna and apparently he is smitten! The Monday he talked about her all day. Wed he took a major fall on the playground when trying to get a basketball for her and now Friday I showed up to get him, I am standing at the door and tell him hello. He briefly looked up from the reading corner where he had a book in his lap and said "hi, mom....your gonna have to wait. I am reading Hanna a story". His teachers not only laughed at the 'shrug off' I got but mentioned that it has been like this all week and that he is inviting her to join him in every activity he does. So everyone. Note to self: when B is grown and introducing us to his serious girlfriends we can alway bring "Hanna" up as an icebreaker with the new girls. Beyond having a crush B is getting more and more handsome and independent. Since the family photo shoot we have been spraying his hair to the side (at his request) and I must say he is very good lookin! Independence and looks are both on the rise....hey, come to think of it maybe he is wanting his hair done to impress Hanna...Hugh....I will have to ask him. Anyway. Independence....Jess was in town and introduced some well welcomed ideas about letting the kids get to more things in the house. For example we now keep pull-ups in their room. Cereal, bowls and milk in places they can reach so that breakfast can be started when they want. It is going really well and the boys love it! I have to say it really free's up my mornings as well. They are pouring and eating while I drink coffee and help Austin! I love this...Thanks Jess. Caleb is a COWBOY...oh, but at this point I guess we all knew that. Boots are still being worn everyday. Belt very often but depends on the outfit, and horses are still the toy of choice. He has taken to keeping all of his horses in a backpack (horse backpack) and wearing it all over the house. When he finds a good play spot he stops...puts the bag down and unpacks his prized possessions. It is really cute. The other..not so cute thing he has started doing is repeating things just for the sake of repeating. Example: "I love horses, porses, gorses, gorses, gorses, gorses, gorses, gorses, gorses, gorses, gorses, gorses, gorses etc." Now repeat what you have just read at top volume and you have some perspective on Caleb's new hobby. Austin is a MESS! Literally! The other day all the boys were in the backyard playing and I look out the window to smile at Austin for his cute singing and I see him elbow deep in the (cold) fire-pit. He had taken the top off and right when I looked up dug his arms into the soot. As I shake my head and start drying my hands to head out he pats his cheeks and rubs his tired eyes, then hair. He was Covered! So I put my hands back into the dish water and figure that if he is already this dirty why make him stop. I watch with amazement for the next 7minutes while without any purpose Austin proceeds to get himself completely black (minus calves and feet). His lips look florescent next against all the soot and his eyes an amazing blue. I am glad he had fun because it was not all that easy to get off and the tub needed a scrub once it was all said and done. Along the lines of Messy Austin has stared protesting when he gets his diaper changed. He arches his back, screams and squirms. This has been met but some significant effort to enforce the "correct behavior" and just when I thought I had won the battle he has found my weakness. He no longer squirms when the diaper is getting changes he now waits till the diaper is undone and then reaches down and grabs his dirty bum/package. Oh, but it gets worse....the process of stopping this has been moving along nicely but just this morning he reaches to the side (didn't see this coming) and grabs the diaper (in one AMAZING ninja move) by the velcro and slings is...poop and all across the kitchen.........Seriously?? One more glimpse of a day in the life of singing, repeating, poop flinging, flirting boys. Love you all.