A few days in Plymoth, MA

We enjoyed a few days with extended family down in Plymoth, MA at my aunt's cottage. Mom and Dad came with Jackson and my sister Amy came with her family from Ontario. We had cool days but spent lots of time digging in the sand and throwing rocks into the ocean.

Thomas has started drawing me pictures and informing me what they are. It used to be just scribble, scribble, but now it's scribble, "look Mom, Doodle!". I definitely need to be told what it is.

I've been doing some painting which the boys have wanted to join in on. So, we donned old clothes and went to work on the garage doors. It's fun to teach them how to. Like don't dip the entire brush in....of course I didn't think of that bit of advice until a moment too late. They really are good at trying to follow my directions. They seem to find it more difficult to go do something, like go upstairs and get a pair of shorts. I'm not sure if they get distracted just by walking out of the room or maybe they don't like to leave the scene of activity. Anyway, it's neat to teach them, like how to take their shirt off by themselves and then you see them trying to do it the way you said a few days later. You can tell they were listening.

The boys love the four wheeler. The routine is for them to ride with their dad when he gets home from work either when I'm getting dinner ready or when I'm cleaning up after. We have quite a wooded hill on our property. Whenever, the ATV is pointed downhill, they say "Whee, Daddy" which translates to, turn it off and lets coast. Even when I drive them, I get the Whee command....I haven't the guts to try it yet. For some reason lately, no matter how long Thomas has ridden, he cries when it's all over so we are working on "say thank you to Daddy for the ride you did have!" It's a new concept, but I think he's getting it.

It's been so neat to listen to them progress with their words and sentences. Thomas' words aren't as clear, but I would say I can get about 80% of it. He's a good boy about repeating for me until I do get it. Sometimes, I have to ask him to take me to it or point to what he's talking about. Nathan is so funny about repeating what I tell him. He repeats everything I say! Must be his way of learning and he's practicing new words. For the longest time, he referred to himself as Nathan not using I and me. Just the other day, I heard him carefully and slowly tell Annie "don't bite me" so he's picking up on the use of what are they possessive nouns?

They are so incredibly cute and I feel thankful for these two precious lives that I've been trusted with for a short time.