Look ma, two wheels!

Today we took the training wheel's off S--'s bike. His training wheels were seriously crooked and broken, probably because he would mount his bike by standing on the training wheels. But because of that crooked brokenness, it was easy to see that he wasn't riding on them very often. So we pulled them off. He took off right away, but wobbled a little and, after collapsing on the grass in absolute despair, he demanded that we put the training wheels back on. When we said, "No" (after all, he rode halfway across the lawn before he wobbled), he wept and cried out, "I hate my bike."\

My patient husband talked him through it--"but you rode." We filled up his tires, which were a little low, and got him to agree to try again. He rode all the way across the lawn. And then needed to show his best friend what he could do.

It was at this point that my husband heard him whisper, "I love my bike."

Happy Birthday

He would be in Spain on his birthday, so we celebrated a little early. The smoke from the candles was intense.

That is what you get for playing with girls . . .

The neighbor girls has been teaching S-- how to draw people. And here is his first person. If you can't tell, it is me. Don't you see my happy face and my kind arms. I think he captured my essence very well.

Names

He may be writing right to left instead of left to right, but he wrote all of the letters by himself.

WAR

War has been declared. A victor has yet to be determined, though dedication and perseverance would suggest who might prevail.

Japanese Beetles have arrived in my garden

To be honest, the beetles have been here since early June (maybe even late May), but they have hit their peek and their focus seems to be the destruction of my pole beans. Yes, these shiny terrorists swarm en masse on my beans, eating, conversing, and propagating. I go out with my yellow bucket of death (read soapy water) and knock the little bugs into the depths of death. Sometimes, and I won't show pictures, I send some of the little boy bugs on their way to the next life very happy.

So while my neighbor's tree across the cul-de-sac show much signs of beetle damage, my beans are holey but strong. I will pick my first beans tonight or tomorrow. (Probably tomorrow because I have a yellow squash and the last of the peas waiting to be eaten.)

But the war will not cease until I have driven these pest into the ground to lay their eggs that will eat my grass and grow into the beetles that I will battle next year. So the war is far from over, but I might just win this year's battle and be better prepared for next year's.

I haven't forgotten y'all

But I've been busy and the computer is having problems which is why I am posting what I am posting. My loving husband is out-of-town (and the country) so he missed the momentous occasion last night when A-- started scooting across the floor army style. He also had a tooth pop through his gums (though with the bad nights, I'm not surprised that it popped, I just thought it would pop somewhere else). So I took a video of the crawling to show Papi in Europe. And then I figured I would post it on here as well. He is the biggest of my babies and he got the earliest tooth and started crawling the fastest. (I wonder if it has anything to do with size.)

Reminding myself

On days like today, I need a reminder of my children's qualities.

S-- is a boy who loves to give hugs and smiles. He is most content with someone and not alone. He will garden and read and cook with me. He is sensitive and feels things deeply. Perhaps this is why he can recognize when I am sad and try to comfort me. He is willing to try new things and eager to make friends. He is curious and determined.

F-- is determined not to let his size get him down. He will do (almost) whatever his older brother does. He has spunk. His attention span is shorter, but while you have his attention, he will be riveted to what you are doing or saying. He is more able to express his feelings than his brother. When he says, "I'm sorry; I won't do it again," he means it though he usually doesn't keep that promise very long.

A-- is a smiley, happy baby who is patient with being the third child. He loves to sit on laps during dinner and older brothers' bedtime routines. He likes to hold my hand while he nurses. I already sense that he will be able to keep up with his older brothers. He loves to be talked to.

My boys really are great, even on the days when they push every button I have and get me so frustrated I cry while trying to explain to them that they should not

throw blocks at me
kick me
kick the door to their bedroom
throw their food on the floor
throw their food at me
collapse on the floor because they don't get their way
hit me with toys or blankets or whatever is at hand
sass me
try to pull the refrigerator down
demand treats and/or surprises
disobey rules

I love them. I just don't always know what to do with days like today.