Ladies' Man

I wish that there was some way I could have music playing in the background for particular posts. The song I'd pick for this one would have a definite "bow-chi-chi-bow-bow" theme.

First, I must start by thanking my brother, David or "Uncie Dave", for imparting such valuable nuggets of life knowledge to my Caleb. He is, I'm sure, the only four-year-old that knows what it means to drop a deuce. He's also got a killer handshake. He can "bump-it, pound-it and lock-it-down" with more enthusiasm and skill than the average Joe. All of these character defining abilities are due to Dave's influence. (Thank you, again.)

Yesterday, Dave taught Caleb how to wink. Not "just wink", though. He specifically taught him how to wink AT GIRLS. He told him, for instance, that he could wink at Nycole (Dave's girlfriend) and at Faerl. He told them that it'd make them feel really special and nice. So, he practiced his new skill for a few minutes and that was the end of that. When I picked him up from school, though, I was getting him into his car seat and he kept making the weirdest looking face at me. It was then that I realized I was on the receiving end of one of his special winks. Not wanting to fail in my responsibility to provide him with an appropriate reaction, I told him that I missed it and asked if he'd mind doing it again. He was happy to oblige. But first, he said, "Okay. I'll wink and then you say: 'Oohhh! I LOVE HIM!'" (Imagine Caleb with eyes rolled back and a swoony voice...) Yes. He's figured out how this winking thing works and, apparently, he's prepared to use it on unsuspecting females, so watch out!

Then...

This afternoon we were chatting while he was having a snack. He asked if we could have a baby girl some time. I told him that I'd LOVE to have a baby girl and I asked if he'd like to have a baby sister. He said, "Yeah! And I can kiss her, because girls are BEAUTIFUL!"

Yikes! I know most parents don't threaten/need to lock their kids in a closet until they hit puberty, but can we go ahead and throw him in now?

Oh, Boy(s)!

Last night, Caleb asked for a corn dog for dinner. Ordinarily, he'd eat two, but his appetite has been a little sketchy lately so I only made him one. On the way back from the freezer, though, I decided I should make one for Owen, too. He's only had hot dog once, but he loved it. I figured the corn dog would probably go over pretty well. Once it was warmed, I started to take a bite, because that's what mommies do best. He didn't need the whole thing, so far better for me to squelch the craving for corn dog with one bite rather than two or three whole ones! But, I caught myself. I decided it'd be far more fun to cut the whole thing up for Owen and see how he did. The little piggy ate the whole thing!!! Mind you, that was following about a 5 or 6 ounce bottle of whole milk. Plus, he washed it all down with a sizeable bowl of applesauce. (Followed by another 4 or 5 ounce bottle about 45 minutes later, at bedtime!) My goodness, what a boy! He's only in the 10th percentile for his weight, but I think the boy's on a mission. Probably that mission is to out-weight his big brother within the next year, that way he can pay Caleb back for all the rough and tumble wrestling moves he's been unwittingly subjected to. Watch out, Caleb!


And, speaking of Caleb... We've been dealing with some grumpiness and bad attitudes lately. I know it's just a phase, because he really does have a wonderful, sweet spirit. For now I'm blaming it on the shortage of naps due to going to school 3 days each week. Anyways. I'm not sure what happened last week. He had been super grumpy and ill-mannered all morning long, as we did our normal routine of errands and other random things. When he woke up from his nap that afternoon, though, he had miraculously reverted back to his happy self. He was helpful and cooperative. He played well with Owen and was an absolute pleasure! It was amazing! When Zach got home, I made sure to make a very big deal about what a good boy he'd been all afternoon. Then, when I was walking down the hall to take Owen to bed, I heard him tell Zach in a very proud and cheerful voice, "Daddy, I left my bad attitude at Wal-Mart!"

Funny. Somehow I always manage to pick one up at Wal-Mart. But, if that's what it takes, I'd gladly take the boy to Wal-Mart more often! He's a good boy!

Good Stuff from God

God is so faithful. When your heart cries, He responds. Thank you to all the people who listen to His voice and who follow His direction - even if it's just sharing your own struggles. It's amazing how much it helps to know others are going through the same things and fighting the same fights. It's an incredible opportunity for us to learn from and with each other. Check this out...