Josh's Latest Trick - and Playing with Will

Josh has learned how to stand up without using anything to help him. We've tried numerous times to catch it on camera, but once we grab the camera and he sees it, he is too distracted to go back to what he was doing. We pulled the camera out tonight, though, to catch him playing with William. He loves to "attack" Will; he'll open his mouth all the way and crawl as fast as he can straight at Will. Then he'll try to tackle and wrestle Will to the ground. Unaware of the camera, Josh totally showed off his new skill just for us.

He is definitely a rough-and-tumble little boy! He is so much fun to play with!

How We Survived a Week of Scout Camp

Notice that the title says "a week of scout camp" - not "a week at scout camp." The kids and I were not at scout camp, while Larkin was. Thankfully, Larkin doesn't have a job that requires him to go out of town often. The kids and I don't like having him away, so we have to keep ourselves busy. Here is how we survived a week with our daddy gone.

Went to a birthday party and made homemade root beer with dry ice

Saw beautiful rainbows after cool thunderstorms

Made signs to remind us of the jobs Dad gave before he left (William: Peacemaker, Anna: Josh Helper)

Movie night picnic

Built a fort

Read books in said fort

We also went to a splash pad, played at friends' houses, had friends over to our house, and went to the library. But this is an example of how we don't do well when Dad is gone. Tuesday morning, I came out to see why the twins were so quiet. I saw this sight:

They had found a picture of Larkin and were sitting together, just staring at it. When I asked what they were doing, Will said, "Mom, I miss Dad now." (He had been telling Larkin all last week that he wouldn't miss him at all while he was gone. He wasn't trying to be mean; he was honestly trying to be supportive of Dad going to camp.) Later that day, I asked Anna to put the picture away and find something to do. She had literally been sitting around for about two hours just watching TV and looking at Larkin's picture. She put it away and came back into the room crying, saying, "I miss Daddy so much!"

We know we're spoiled with Larkin's job that gives him the summers off and so much downtime during the year. But we wouldn't have it any other way. We love Larkin so very, very much, and we're so excited to get him home tomorrow!

Comparison of Babies: Part Three

Josh, almost 10 months

Will, 4 1/2 years

After Will got dressed this morning, I said to myself, "Hmm, that shirt looks a little small." Then I thought to check the tag. Sure enough, it said 18M. As in 18 months. Josh's shirt accidentally got put into Will's drawer, and Will understandably thought it was his own. So he put it on.

Apparently it has become official. Josh and Will can now share clothes.

Comparison of Babies: Part Two

Joshua at 9 months

William at 19 months

Yep. Same outfit. Almost a year apart. Josh continues to be at the very, very top of his age's growth chart. And we love him for it.

"Tangled" No More

We had our very own Rapunzel in our family. Anna had only gotten one partial haircut in her whole 4 1/2 years, and it was high time to chop her golden locks. She loved her long hair, but the maintenance was too much. We took "before" and "after" shots so you could get the full effect.

Before:

After:

She got about seven inches cut off! We're so excited for her shorter hair for the hot, Texas summer. Isn't she gorgeous (and looking all "grown up")?

Houston, we have a crawler!

It's official. Josh is crawling! It's still a slow, wobbly little crawl, but it's so much fun to watch him act so determined and patient when he's trying to get somewhere.

Now we just have to remember how to baby-proof a house. . .

Flight of the Bumblebee

First movement: Adagio (Early afternoon, after first being noticed)

Second movement: Allegro (After being sprayed with bug killer)

Finale: Ritardando, Diminuendo

All I have to say is, WHAT THE HECK?! I first noticed them around 11:30 a.m., but it was insane by the time Larkin got home from work. I know bees are good for the environment, pollenation, blah blah blah, but they are NOT good for my family in that quantity! We tried calling pest control to get someone else to take care of it, but no one returned our calls until local offices were closed for the evening. Yes, we could have left them alone.

However.

When they swarmed and stung our neighbor two doors down from us and there were that many of them, I could not sleep at night knowing they were just still multiplying.

I never really cared one way or the other about bees, but after yesterday, it is official. Bees creep me out.

After a lot of discussion and thinking over the possibilites, Larkin and I think we found what attracted the bees in the first place.

Wouldn't you want to be close that sweet little bee?