Coleman the Performer

Coleman was in his first program today. The dayschool had their annual Go Texan Luncheon and the six classes rode into the gym on their stick horses then performed songs and dances. Since Coleman only attends his class on Wednesdays, he didn't even know he was going to be doing a dance. He got a little frustrated because he didn't know what to do. Then the song part came. He knew the song really well, but he just stood there. He was so cute though! I can't believe he's big enough to be in a school program. Where did my baby go??? Here is the video from today.



Here is our little performer tonight. He's very selective about his audiences. Hope you enjoy!

Life With My Boys

I struggle to keep the house clean, so I now have a maid! Actually two. I'm not sure if they help more in making messes or cleaning them up.


Sunday afternoons were meant for napping. Daddy can sleep for hours. Coleman, however, was up about 30 seconds after this picture was snapped.

Brian, with the help of his lovely (but quite weak) assistant, completed stage 1 of the backyard fort assembly this past Saturday. Some friends of some friends had a playground that their kids had outgrown so they gave it to us. We were glad to get it considering it probably cost them about $3000 when they bought it 8 years ago.

Coleman and Spence enjoying a ride on the tire swing.

Here you can see what the entire part that we've completed looks like. The next step will be to add the slide. Then there's some more stuff that goes up top.


Here is how Spence entertains himself while I cook dinner. At least he's not pulling on my pants leg!


Coleman thought his chips needed to be sawed in two. He did some sawing on the burger next.

Life with my boys is always fun and exciting! I never know what's going to happen or what Coleman will say next. And forget getting a real maid! We'll probably have to save that money for speech therapy. Coleman has gotten into the habit of over-pronunciating his "l"s. For example, he pronounces chocolate "chloclolllate." And clothes is "callllothes." I made the mistake of laughing at this when he first started, now we're trying to get him to stop.

Enough About Me

I realize I have not posted any pictures of the boys recently or even given much of an update on them. I've been going on about pickles and the trials of being left-handed. So sorry. Coleman is doing really well with his potty training. Some days he wears the same pull-up most of the day. He's even been going poop quite a bit in the toilet. Sometimes he thinks he's done after the "one" drops in the toilet. I'll tell him to sit there a little longer and see if he's done, but he insists he's finished. Then a few minutes later he'll do some more in his pull-up. Today, he did a little in the potty and said he was finished. We looked at his chart and saw that he only needed to go poopy once more and he would get a monster truck. About 3 minutes later he said, "I need to go poop again!" We went back to the toilet and he did! Then he announced that he wanted his monster truck. I tried to explain to him that this was part of the earlier poop and that it didn't count as a separate poop. A mere technicality.
On to a less disgusting topic, Spence still has a limited vocabulary, but he's starting to make many animal sounds when Brian and I read to him. He loves to dance. Hopefully we'll get some video up soon. I was unsuccessful at getting any cute pictures of them today, but here's what I got:

They enjoyed watching a Hap Palmer music video this afternoon.

Spence playing with an old phone. He and the phone are from different centuries!

What a sweet face!

This picture was from a few weeks back. He wouldn't smile for the camera today.

Thoughts From This Southpaw

Ok, ok. I admit I was overtaken by a moment of silliness with the pickle post. I did, however, enjoy all your comments. You just feel closer to someone when you know where they stand on important issues like these. Thank you, thank you for letting me get to know you on a deeper level. But now, in all seriousness, I must let you know of a recent act of discrimination against me and my people. Kitchen gadgets are now discriminating against the lefties! I'm trying to replace all my old spatulas, big spoons, and spaghetti scoopers to go with my nice new kitchen. I've had the hardest time finding a new spaghetti scooper. Are people not cooking spaghetti at home anymore? Or are they in such demand that the stores can't keep them stocked? Today I was in a kitchen store, which did not have a traditional spaghetti scooper, but a new kind that looks more like a comb. (I'm sorry I don't have a picture. I did a search but nothing came up.) I thought it was pretty neat so I was going to purchase it, but then I realized that it would probably be difficult for me to use being left-handed. I asked the lady who worked there, and she said that I would have a hard time using the gadget properly. She sympathized with me, saying that she had a left-handed brother, so she's always looking for left-handed kitchen gadgets, and to ask next time I was in the store. How are people like me, and Jay Leno, and Carol Burnett, and George H.W. Bush, and Larry Bird, and Julia Roberts, and Sarah Jessica Parker, and Monica Seles (who's going to be on my favorite show DWTS!!!) supposed to dip spaghetti? Well, all those people probably have right-handed personal chefs, but it's a matter of principle. It's bad enough that we get ink all over our hands when we write and that in school we had to search for that one left-handed desk in a classroom full of right-handed desks. If you come across a lefty today, give him or her a big hug and say, "You're special." Apologize for the struggles that he or she faces on a daily basis. If you are left-handed, be proud! Here's a little joke for you.

Bobby was spending the weekend with his grandmother. She decided to take him to the park on Saturday morning. It had been snowing all night and everything was beautiful. His grandmother remarked, "Doesn't it look like an artist painted this scenery? Did you know God painted this just for you?"

Bobby said, "Yes, God did it and he did it left handed."
This confused his grandmother a bit, and she asked him,
"What makes you say God did this with his left hand?".

"Well," said Bobby, "we learned at Sunday School last week that Jesus sits on God's right hand!"

I Respect You, But I Don't Understand You

This is what I say to all you anti-pickle people. Tonight we had sloppy joes. They are becoming a family favorite in our house. There are some foods that just aren't worth eating in the absence of a pickle, and sloppy joes are one of them. Coleman saw the pickles on my plate and said he did not like pickles. As a self-professed picky eater myself, I have to respect this. But I just don't see how someone could not like the pickle! Before eating my burger at a restaurant, I carefully remove the top bun and strategically place the pickles so that every bite includes some. When eating the McDonald burger, I eat around the pickle, saving it for the last two bites.

This love of pickles was inherited from my father. He doesn't have to rearrange pickles on his burgers because he orders extra pickles. I once walked into a burger joint in our hometown and was welcomed with, "Hey, you're Pickle Man's daughter!" If the fact that he was affectionately known as Pickle Man doesn't convey his love of pickles, I don't know what does!

Brian is not a pickle man. This works to my advantage when we go to restaurants where the pickle spear is served on the side. Free extra pickle for me! And at home, the pickles are all mine. I do hold out hope that Spence will take after my dad and me and love pickles, but if not, life goes on.

And by the way, when I say pickle I am referring to the dill sort. I do not eat sweet or bread and butter. Leave a comment telling me if you are pro-pickle or anti-pickle. I would love to know!

What's Under Your Bed?

You know it's time to clean up and get organized when, while hanging up a week's worth of clothes that have been lying on the floor, you stub your toe on a cordless hedge clipper that's poking out from under the bed.
And a kitchen update:
Coleman says the new sink will be ready to use as soon as Daddy puts the batteries in.

The Magna Doodle Says It All

Later in the day, Coleman wanted to draw on his Magna Doodle. I wanted him to go potty. We compromised. I drew a picture of him going potty, then he went!

I told him to stand by the toilet, but he wanted to stand ON the toilet. I think he's trying to say, "I'm conquering this porcelain giant!" Or maybe he just wanted to climb on the toilet.

It Has Arrived!!!

Yes, I'm a dork.

I've noticed I've been uttering some strange things lately. These are things you could only possibly say while your kitchen and master bath are being remodeled.

• Just a minute Spence. Let me go heat up your spaghetti in the bedroom.
• Please put your dishes in the guest bath. I'll wash them when there's no room to brush our teeth.
• Maestro, here's your filtered water from the fridge!
  

He Loves Jesus and Chicken!

Cruising down the road, listening to Christian radio

Coleman: What's this song about Mommy?
Me: He's singing about how much he loves Jesus. We love Jesus too, don't we?
Coleman: Yeah. (brief pause) I like chicken.

Comments from a Three Year Old

Mommy: Why is your pull-up wet? You just tried to go potty.
Coleman: That's what my problem is.

Mommy: Coleman, can you go get the laundry basket so I can take these towels out of the dryer?
Coleman: (after bringing the basket to me) I saved the day!

Mommy: Would you like a blueberry?
Coleman: They have chocolate in them?


And an update on the other precious child. Mr. Snots is using his superpower (having an overabundance of snot) to entertain during lunch. When I laughed at a string of snot connecting his nose to his banana, he realized he was pretty funny and started trying to replicate the situation.