In the Mud

Just playing trucks in the mud. They've created a pond with bridges and Thomas is demonstrating that one of the bridges is actually a drawbridge. The boys have been playing so well today, it just gives a different feeling to the day. I set up our new tent and they have been playing that they are in the wilderness roughing it.

5 Year Well-Child

Matt reading to the boys: aren't Saturday's great?
Favorite pastimes: Thomas figuring out Legos and Nathan on the phone.
Nathan keeps my grocery list up!

The boys had their 5 year well-child checkup this week. Nathan especially was dreading it. I think it was the shots that worried him. I told him he needed shots to go to school. He said that he would just not get the shots, stay home and be home-schooled. He came up with that all on his own. He went as far as to say he wished I had never married Daddy! He must understand that he wouldn't be if we weren't married. Poor guy. The doctor looked at Nathan after Thomas and noticed immediately that Nathan's tonsils are much bigger than Thomas' which led us down the adenoid path. He noticed Nathan's breathing (which is always loud), asked if he snored (which he always does) and if he sleeps with his head in an odd position (yes!). The short story is we're going to the ENT mid-June to get his adnoids checked. Apparently large adnoids lead to sleep apnea which leads to poor performance in school, etc. So, we'll just get them checked. The shots were an ordeal (only two each)! Thomas cried his eyes out which Nathan witnessed. Nathan actually fought us! I thought my kids were braver than this! They did have their hearing tested also. They wear earphones and are directed to point at objects on a board starting at 25dB and decreasing to 15 dB. Thomas heard the 25 and 20dB but was unable to understand at 15dB. Nathan couldn't understand any of the settings but could hear a voice down to 20dB which means he passed. Apparently he has fluid his right ear though not infected but it could of impaired him some. At lunch today he said his ear popped and that he could hear better so I don't know how often he deals with that. Matt says he remembers that happening to him as a kid for long spells.

A few weeks ago, I showed Thomas a man wearing a pink dress shirt thinking that Thomas would like it. He wrinkled his nose and said that was for girls! I think the age of pink is over!

The other day when Matt was leaving, I was noticing his shirt was fitting him better. Thomas pipes up that he noticed too....he thought Matt's feet looked smaller!

Nathanisms

The first picture is of the boys listening to a story by their grandpa...the phone is sitting on the counter between them. The others from our special meeting visits.

Nathan has been saying and doing some really cute things lately. He often puts his boots on the wrong feet and when we tell him they are wrong, he crosses his feet. Not that he can walk like that, but the boots look right. We were at a restaurant for Matt's birthday and I was waiting in the stall with Nathan while he did his business. He told me soon enough he would marry me. I guess it was a proposal of sorts! I hope he doesn't try that line on a girl someday...she might not like the presumption. It was really complicated to him that he couldn't marry his mother....I mentioned too that I happened to already be married! Awhile ago and then again today he mentioned that when he dies and goes back into my belly...today he said maybe he would come out a girl next time. I forget what he said last time of what would happen back in my belly. We often tell Nathan to eat up so that he will grow and he is quite aware that Thomas is bigger and heavier. He came into the kitchen and told me how he could catch up to Thomas. He told me that we could just not give the good food to Thomas. I started to laugh until I saw the tears in his eyes and realized how earnest he was. He told me that he wished he could of been firstborn and bigger. We had a little talk and a little snuggle to let him know he is just right how he is.

Today, we stopped at the Wayside Inn grist mill on our way home from meeting. The miller was there and let the boys open the water gate to the wheel. It was fascinating to watch the process. If you come between April and November on the weekends, we would love to take you! Unfortunately, I never thought to bring my camera as it was a spur of the moment happening!

Birthday Fun

The boys turned 5 this month...these pictures are from their day. It was special and I think they enjoyed it. Tried something new this year....we had two cakes, two sets of candles and two birthday songs. I liked the idea that weren't lumped together though perhaps it bothered me more than it bothered them.

From lips of Babes

Nathan told me yesterday at the grocery store that he wishes I was still a little girl because he wants me to be his girlfriend. Then Thomas told me last night that I was his sweetest girl. Wow! Hope this lasts awhile longer!

Singing and Sleeping

Last week, I tried to upload a clip of Nathan singing but it never finished loading no matter how long I tried (hours!). So you'll have to ask him to sing for you. It is Nathan who is really singing right now. Thomas hums songs but Nathan says the words. He totally took me by surprise the other day when he did the entire alphabet song. For some reason both boys sing the song skipping from G to Q every time, so I was impressed to hear all the letters! Nathan also loves Yankee Doodle, Twinkle Twinkle and Jack and Jill. I'm so not a memorizer so I'm glad to hear Nathan able to do this.

We rehung the children's guitar in a location that the boys can reach, so we are often serenaded by young Nathan. It's great. Both boys express a desire to learn this instrument. The other pictures are from the Children's museum in Easton. Second time there in less than a year...but just wanted to give Nathan a chance to play with Isabelle without Thomas around. Probably the best part of the day was finding a playground after lunch and just letting the kids do their thing. We are all just loving these mild days. I can't say enough good things about these public playgrounds. Not only are they free, they are exercise, fresh air, learning to take turns, etc....love them! Have a great one in Sudbury across the street from where we swim.

Thomas the last few weeks has taken up this crazy joy of hiding every time he hears Nathan coming. It's hilarious as his hiding places are usually the same every time....like under my bed. Nathan plays along too....where's Thomas....I point under the bed and Nathan grins and dives under.

Nathan has had major issues with sleeping in his bed the last month or two. He wakes up as early as 11:30 and hikes to our room, pulls out his mat and curls up there. All would be fine other than the horrid teeth grinding he does when he stirs in his sleep. So, Matt conjures up this story at the table last week that he plans to stop at Target to get a monster for the office (the room in between theirs and ours) to keep little boys from traversing the hallway at night! Ugh, I couldn't believe he was suggesting this! But! that very night and the following, Nathan stayed in his bed! This week while Thomas has been with his grandparents, we have let Nathan sleep in with us at his request. So, we bought him a mouth guard at the hockey store which he really doesn't want to use (he'll only use it when he is wide awake) but wierdly enough, I noticed he wasn't grinding his teeth as much! How can this be? Is his subconscious telling him to stop grinding? The saga continues!

Goggle Brothers

We had terrific rain last week and weekend so we have a stream that runs down from our garage, across our driveway, across the side lawn and down a small ravine. This stream has provided many hours of little boy entertainment. The pictures show them playing just before the stream goes off the side into the ravine. They love it! We also have "new" goggles for swimming which during their novelty were worn around the house. I say "new" because we went to buy them at Sudbury pool (they have a small reasonably priced display) and the receptionist told us to raid the lost and found bucket. So, we did and they are new to us. Nathan's is so funny because they are so big and blue! They are demonstrating that the goggles also work for any eyes found on the back of one's head. Thomas can carry Nathan around! Go figure! Nathan is 34 pounds and Thomas is 42 pounds with lots of muscle!

Thomas is so aware of what goes on that I really must be careful not to alarm him. Last Sunday when we arrived home in the evening, Thomas (who always accompanies me) and I went up to the chicken coop to close it up for the night. I noticed large tire marks that went clear up to the garage that hadn't been there before we went to meeting. I pointed them out to Thomas and wondered out loud who had been at our house while we were gone. Of course, there was a bit of concern in my voice. He worried right along with me. I felt bad that this concern would go on his small shoulders. It isn't right for a child to feel this. They should only know of safety with their parents and in their home. Here is another example, we have several times limped into the gas station with the wonder how did we make it? The other day we were getting on the highway and he pipes up from the backseat, do you have enough gas? By the way, I figured the tire marks was the tree company coming to get a rope they left here.