I was wasting my time the other day, wandering around blogs and facebook, when I came upon a photography blog challenging people to take a picture that portrayed the 'everyday' activities.  I thought this was an interesting (not new!) idea, especially since I almost exclusively take somewhat posed pictures.  Even with my candid shots, most are only when we are doing something out of the ordinary.  Now.  I know that there were a lot of rules with this challenge...probably only using a couple picture.  Probably sticking to one picture per activity.  However, I've never been good at following rules (obviously didn't even do a good job at reading them...) but I did like the idea and so one afternoon, I went for it.  (actually, for a couple afternoons.)  I only managed to do it for the little boys, but I am excited to give it a try for the older ones too.  For now...I'll put the pictures up and mix in a bunch of little stories I've been collecting for them throughout the last couple of months.

Caught.

During the Halloween season, I like to take walks with the little boys so we can check out how everyone has decorated their houses.  We have a lot of very enthusiastic neighbors and some of their spooky displays verge on creepy.  In order to bring the scare factor down a couple of notches, I've named all of the skeletons that we've seen, "Mr. Bones."  Mr. Bones just doesn't seem so scary.  We came up to one home that was particularly decked out with hanging skeletons, skeletons in cages and a couple of them clawing their way out of the dirt.  The ones who were rising from the earth only showed their heads, arms and legs.  It was quite the spectacle and Jason liked this one the most.  Instead of turning away in fear, however, he sighed, "Aww.   Mr. Bones is sleeping.  Mr. Bones is so sleepy."  Probably not what they were going for.

Catching rainbows.

Emmett copies everything that Jason does.  Everything.  He'll copy the words he says, the tone of voice and all the fun actions that go with it.  He is basically a little, white shadow of his brother.  I've never seen anything like it.  The twins didn't do it to each other and neither one of them did it to Ethan.  I've watched their little dynamic quite closely, and the only thing you ever see in Emmett's eyes is complete adoration for his brother.  Jason also takes it all in stride.  When I ask him why Emmett copies him, he always replies, "'cause he love me."  This is very true.

I was reading a book that showed little animals with their dads.  Each page cites how the Dad was showing the baby animal love.  "Lion Daddy loves his baby when he plays with him... etc etc"
When I finished the book I asked Jason how his Daddy shows he loves him.  Jason said, "he do love me when he hug me all day"  That's a pretty big hug.

Jason was begging to play with the ipad.  I don't know why, but he always calls it an "ipag"  I told him that it was time to clean up and if he wanted to, he could clean up the TV room.  I emphasized the fact that he was now old enough to do some chores.  He seemed enthusiastic and said, "Sure -  ipag is my chore."  Nice try, buddy.

Mothers and Fathers parent differently.  I decided that it would be a great idea to make beets for the kids.  My little boys are picky eaters and I'm trying to broaden their palettes and spice up their dinners a little.  It often works for Emmett, but Jason is a stubborn little thing.  When he refused his beets, I told him how tasty they were.  No impact.  I told them that they would make him grow big and strong.  He told me he was already big and strong and spent the next 5 minutes flexing.  I told him that he needed to eat his beets because I said so.  That one never works, but I always seem to fall back on it.  Exasperated, I looked at Robert to help me out.  Robert looked at him and said, "Jason, If you eat your beets, it will make you pee red."  Jason immediately started to eat.  I turned my attention to Emmett for a minute and when I looked back, I was a little surprised to see Jason still eating, but he had pulled down his pants and undies down to his ankles.  After every bite he was looking to see if his penis had turned red.  Aha.  Little miscommunication there.  I pulled his pants back up and explained that it was his pee that would turn red instead.  So, after every few bites, Jason would run to the bathroom and see what he could see.  I can't believe it, but that child ate all his beets and some of his brother's.

The next day we heard squeals of delight when Jason when potty and found he had actually peed beet red.   Boys are so gross.

Jason got his shoes on by himself.

Out of the blue, I got a little monologue from Jason during a break from playing outside.  He marched up to me and said, "Mom.  I'm three.   *pause for dramatic effect*    And a half!   *pause again*  and I'm growing up.  *smaller pause now, as we lead up to the meat of the monologue*  And I'm fighting bugs now.  *increase volume for emphasis*  And flies!  *last pause to make sure I was getting the point."  Right.  I'm really growing up."  With that said, he marched his little tush right back outside where it belonged.

Since Jason's age and abilities with bug killing had already been established, this next announcement was a little easier to believe.  Jason came inside, very excited.  Before I could speak, he blurted out, "I have a bug outside.  I take it an' push it an' splash it an' splash it and make it dead."  Now, we know he's at least part Scribner since he his gestures were just as enthusiastic as his voice.  By the end of the sentence I was a little sorry for the bug and his very dramatic demise.  I came back with a rather weak, "Maybe we can be a little nicer to bugs when they are outside...in their own home."  My argument didn't really matter since Jason had scampered out the door a couple of words in...eager, I'm sure, to track down another unfortunate bug.



When I get Emmett, often the first thing he says is,  "Where's Dada?"

The other day I heard him up and I went in with singing "Good Mornin'" (from singing in the rain) like I usually do and when I opened up the door and he saw me he pointed at my face and calmly said. "No."  Oh.  Well, I did what I normally do and decided to ignore that and try again.  Again, he pointed at my face and said. "No."  This time followed with, "Where's Dada?"   This kid!

Another morning I heard Emmett calling from his crib, "Dada?  Dada?  Dada!"
Through the door  closet door, (Did I ever mention that Emmett has spent the last year and 1/2 in our closet?  It's a really big closet.)  I called out. "Good morning!"  I was awarded with another round of, "Dada.  Dada!"  Not deterred I cheerfully opened up the door and said, "It's Mama!  Good morning!"  Not to be outdone, Emmett cheerfully responded, "Dada.  Dada!  Dada....Is.....Awwwwwesome!"  I'll never know what magic Robert has over these children of mine.

Jason came up to me giggling right after I heard Emmett cry out and scamper into the other room.  When Jason reached me he said, "Emmett is a kitty cat!"  Then he took up position to hide and jump out at Emmett again.  It took me a second to realize that he meant scardy-cat.  Jason was having a little to much fun exploiting that little fact, I think.

From the other room I heard Austin and Emmett playing on the train track.  Apparently Austin did something that Emmett wasn't fond of because I heard he mutter, "Really Au'tin?  Really?"  This became a mantra for the next 5 minutes which made all of us laugh every time we heard it.  Nailed it, baby.

Jason in the back of the car after Laina's Student of the month breakfast.  The boys had both grabbed a strawberry for the road.  Unfortunately Emmett's got smashed all over him when he fell and then Jason tripped over the top of him.  After I got the sad boys strapped down in the car and started home, I heard, "I love you sooooooo much!"  Awe.  "Thanks sweetie," I respond without looking back.  "That's so nice."  Jason quickly said, "Oh.  Yes.  I love you and STRAWBERRY soooooo much!!"  It  seems that first proclamation of love was only meant for the sweet red strawberry and not the boy's mama.

Cloud animals.

The little boys are running around the house right now conspiring with each other about their work obligations.  Jason has a little tool box filled with work essentials.  The tools are out and instead he has replaced them with a Brother Bear book, a shopping tag and an empty pack of wipes.  I know this because he meticulously packed it while muttering about loosing time.  Then he announced, "I'm off to work because I'm just like Daddy!"  I directed him away from the front door and let him know that he could do his work on the tramp.  Satisfied, he marched off to work with a smile on his face.   Emmett was close on his heels carrying an empty box for his workday.  Emmett was at first denied the right of going to work by Jason because, "I'm like Daddy!  Emmett's not like daddy, only me!"  After I informed Jason that maybe Emmett wasn't like Daddy,  but he was just like his big brother and should be allowed to join him, Jason acquiesced.  Off Jason and his apprentice went, right out to the playhouse where they both are finding rocks to fill up Emmett's box.  Little boys can be so much fun to watch.

Now...I know I'm breaking away from the whole 'little boy' theme.  It's just that this story is too good to pass up.  As with a good portion of my little stories, it borders on inappropriate for sharing, but since that has never seemed to stop me before...I'll just go right ahead and post this one:

Ethan has been starting to go through 'the change.'  You know the one I'm talking about.  Girls are always on his mind.  His feet has reached a pretty intolerable stench which we are gifted every time he takes off his shoes.  Robert had been teasing him about the one hair on his chest.  Instead of being embarrassed, he laughingly asked, "Do you want to see it?"  "No."  I immediately responded and quickly got back to my dishes.  Ethan wasn't done though.  Instead he said, "That's not the only place I'm getting hairs."  At this point I pretend intense interest in the dish I was washing.  Ethan still wasn't done.  He got my attention by saying, "Mom!"  I looked up and he said, "You know puberty?"  I dumbly nod my head.  He pointed both his hands down towards his private area and proudly stated, "It's happenin'."  Oh man.  Ethan!

Now, if you are still reading this silly post, you might as well just keep going and read this little silliness from my life.  I just told this story to the kiddos and they thought it was blog worthy.  When I was dating Robert, I was working at a call center for a pretty good sized company.  I was mostly saying two phrases during the day.  "Hello, please hold."  and "How may I help you?"  During a particually busy morning I got flustered with the amount of calls coming in and when one man called in, I quickly said, "Hello.  How may I hold you?"  After a little pause I got a little, "uh...any way you'd like."  Ha!  Not as good as the little boys' stories, but not too shabby.  Just another small one.  After I got married I worked with Russ at Randy Sides' office.  I was a secretary and among other things, was in charge of sending a bunch of mail out to different companies.  In order to save time and space on the envelopes, I'd shorten the names of the companies when I could.  I guess I got a little too efficient because I had to be reminded that signing Randy Sides and Ass. (for associates) was not really professional.  :)