Dear Boys ...

This is what's happening right now. A gingerbread scone with espresso icing.

I thought I'd take a moment to journal today ... 

{2 years}

 Dear Elliot,

This was a massive summer for you, a season in which you developed and changed. You lived in your spider man costume which is evident if you take a look at our photos and I thought it was adorable. That's what little boys should do ... just wear super hero uniforms out and about all the time, not just for Halloween. We agree on this matter. On others, notsomuch!

You are not as easy as pie as you once were. In fact, it's pretty safe to say that you are immersed in independence and stubbornness, needing no help and sure to yell loudly and with scrunched nose in position if we dare get in your way. You're a little tyrant sometimes but then in mere seconds you'll turn into mommy's sweetest chicken in the whole world. I knew it was coming, I've dealt with this several times before, and I know it will pass if we deal with it correctly. So I'm not worried. Granna and Garthie, on the other hand, are confounded by you. Angel one minute, wild animal the next. The biggest bummer is that we can no longer eat out with you. You're awful, excruciating company at a restaurant (no offense, little guy. I know you'll get better at it).

I potty trained you this summer and it wasn't too bad. You weren't nearly as difficult as Parker, nor as easy as Monty. It's exhausting potty training a child and I think that this is the main reason I'm so spent nowadays. Chanting those same 7 words ("Elliot, do you need to go potty?") every 10 minutes is tiresome and the trips to the bathroom get old really fast. But we endure and it's for a very fine cause. No more diapers! You're almost there now, living in undies all day long except when you sleep. We did it little man! One more milestone under our belts.

You've also learned to talk much, much better. We understand just about everything that comes out of your mouth. Okay, at least daddy and I do. You make more sense and while you still love to chat about everything and nothing in the same conversation, you don't make up your words anymore. Haha! I think I'll miss that though. You say some really funny things like, "Mom, my boogers taste like vegetables!" (a very clever description) and when you pray at night, you tell God all about your day. We all (brothers too) listen to you ramble on and on about every little thing you did and enjoy the playback in our mind's eye. I'm sure the Big Guy just loves that though. :)

You still love for me to sing Twinkle Twinkle to you every night before bed, just as you have since you were a baby. That part has not changed.

I love you so much little E.

Dear Parker, 

You started 2nd grade this week and you were so excited about going back to school. I'm so grateful for that, the fact that you were eager and not dreading it. I couldn't bare it if we were both in the same boat, not wanting to say good bye to our summer. But you were brave and happy and we walked into your new classroom just 3 days ago, no tears at all. In fact you said, "Second grade is going to be the best grade ever!" What a relief for me, knowing that you're not always comfortable being in new places and with new people (you even seem a little uncomfortable going to the same kid's church every single Sunday), and being confident about it. I know it's because you feel like you know these kids and well, I'm just proud of you for handling this change the way you have. You're much trickier to figure out, much more intricate, and so I am often left to wonder what you're feeling and how to handle you. And yet we're the same you and I.

We spent some time working on reading and math this summer, just to keep that brain chugging. You seem to enjoy both and never complained when I asked you to do one or the other. Though you are obsessed with video games right now and I suppose this is it, huh!? Your dad loves them too. Your favorites are Lego Star Wars and Lego Batman and you'll talk to us about the characters and the plot for ages and ages, with great enthusiasm. It's funny cause I have no idea what your talking about but I try to keep up a little cause you think it's so cool. 

You're so wonderful about giving your mommy love when we're at home, you come up to me and tell me that you love me and you're so tender and kind to your whole family (though Monty can ruffle your feathers). But when I took you to your first day of school and I asked if I could hug you when we stood at your locker, well, you gave me a pleading smile and backed away. I guess you're too big for that now, at least at school. That's okay .... as long as I still get them at home. 

I love you so much Parker James. 

{7 years}