Big Boys

It still wows me how quickly you two are growing.
It will hit me when I go to pack up your outgrown clothes and I see the last size that you were in. They look so much smaller, and yet it was just a mere 6 months ago that you were in them.

Today you both told me that you needed to go potty, so you tore off your diapers and ran into the bathroom. You plopped your tooshies down and proceeded to pee on the potty chair.
I am shocked and amazed that you are beginning to understand that concept. The whole aiming into the toilet is something that we will have to work on. You don't seem to quite understand that you are suppose to "push it down". Instead, you just grab onto yourselves and wind up peeing all over your fingers. For now, this mama will get the fun task of directing your boy bits into the toilet.

Your cousin, Rodion Ames, was born last week. I kept drilling it into your heads that your cousin Harper, or Nano (as you like to call her), was going to have a new brother. He arrived, and we visited him in the hospital, but you didn't show him any attention. I was surprised since you are both very baby obsessed and will seek them out if you see any.
Once he came to your house for a visit, you seemed much more intrigued. He was met with kisses and caresses from the both of you. I saw you both loving him, and I remember that just a short time ago you were his size.

We look through books and you can identify most anything on the pages. You tell me every morning that Grandpa, and Grandma and Daddy are at work. Every motorcycle you see belongs to your Uncle Nate. When you see an airplane in the sky you always ask for it to come back. I don't have to hush the dogs any more for making noise. When Jack and Oliver bark, they hear you two yelling "No bark! No, no bark!"

Your favorite thing to do is follow me around in the garden and ask for vegetables. I'll pick a small cucumber, or some beans, or a cherry tomato, and dust it off on my shirt before giving it to you. You both gobble them up and beg for more. When I have presented these foods to you on a plate, at the dinner table, you usually refuse to swallow them. But being in nature and eating directly from the food source seems to make them more appealing to you. I have to agree with you both on this one. There is something so delicious about food pulled right from the earth.

I hear you both in the morning chatting to each other. You like to wake one another up, Nat especially. Gabe is willing to lay back down and rest quietly since he wakes at such ungodly hours sometimes. Nat, when you wake up, you practically hop up before your eyes are open. You throw yourself to the edge of your crib and yell to your brother "Dabey!" while jumping enthusiastically. I only wish I had your energy in the mornings. You're still talking more and more,and taking more risks by saying words you always had your brother say for you.

We caught a sneak peak of what's to come in your adolescent and teenage years two weekends ago. We visited Grandma NeNe and Grandpa Bob for the weekend in Wisconsin. Our second night was spent at a concert up on Rib Mountain. The music was great and the view was spectacular, but you two seemed much more interested in flirting with the little girl named Olivia.
She was a few months younger than you. She caught both of your eyes. You toddled over to her, said "Hi!" while flashing your dimpled smiles. Then the acrobatics started. First one of you hung from the handrail on the side of the stairs. The second one, not wanting to be outdone, followed suit. Olivia may have been impressed, but since there were two of you, you needed to amp up your game to win her over. One of you jumped down and flopped over into a downward dog. Again, to keep it going, the second one threw himself to the ground in a sort of dance move kind of way. Our flirt fest with dear little Olivia was finished up with some good old hugs. You were both still trying to win her affection and the poor little thing was practically assaulted by your bear hugs and slobbery kisses. We had to pry you off of her, and distract you with some other exciting thing to look at. I walked away wondering where in the world you learned these wooing techniques? Your father must be sneaking into your room at night and conducting a Flirting 101 class.

The end of July is here which means that in a mere 3 months you two will be turning 2. It is bittersweet to say goodbye to your baby and young toddler years. Everyday you are growing bigger and are learning more. Before you know it, another year will have passed. I have to continually remind myself to slow down and appreciate the ride- the smooth parts and the bumpy parts. These are the best years, the years that are mine. I cherish the moments that you want to spend with me. A day will come when friends and girls are more important. A day will come when you leave home for good.

You are ours for such a short time.