Boys

In the almost-two years I've had a boy, there are definite clues that raising boys is a whole different ballgame than raising girls. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that there are other moms out there who are discovering the same thing. I don't know, I'm just thinking...

So here are a few wise, astute, perceptive observations I've made, just to illustrate my hypothesis:

Girls walk.....Boys gallop (or jump, or saunter, or go limp, or dart)
Girls eat with a fork...Boys hold the fork in one hand and smash the food in their mouth with the other...
Girls color...Boys make marks
Girls talk...Boys yell...
Girls splash-splash in the bath...Boys dump the water out of the bath
Girls wipe their faces...Boys smear them...
Girls wear sunglasses...Boys break the arms off sunglasses
Girls count the steps they walk down....Boys bypass that by leaping over them
Girls pucker up and kiss...Boys slobber and drool kiss (some things never change)

But to counteract all of this, Boys...
...snuggle
...wrap their arms around your neck for the biggest squeeze ever
...are quick to say "sorry" (likely because they need this word more than anyone)
...say Thank You every time
...like to help in the kitchen (if it involves dry rice and spoons)
...bury their head in your shoulder and drink in a long smell (seriously, does it get any cuter than that?)

And a new motto I've claimed, although it is definitely not tried and true, and will not work every time...
"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!"

He kept swiping the spray bottle we "train" the kitty with...finally I just set
him up at the sink and let him spray til his heart's content (which is never)...and
he proceeded to spray himself in the face for like 20 minutes...spray, spit, spray, spit...

What do you do...

...when your darling little baby boy gets into the cactus plant...

1) Kick yourself for not digging it up and tossing it the day before like you had intended, when he came dangerously close to getting into it the first time.
2) Attempt to pull out the thorns with tweezers...while distracting him with Hershey's kisses...

when that doesn't work...
3) Get packing tape (at husband's suggestion) and apply it to area, and rip off...

when that doesn't work...
4) Google it...
5) Strip baby naked, apply Elmer's glue all over hand...attempt to keep him still while it's drying...
when he won't stay still...
6) Give him chocolate...
when he spits it out...
7) Give him mint chocolate chip ice cream by the spoonful...

And voila!!! Happy baby....
8) Then, peel off dried Elmer's glue and release baby...
9) And go dig up evil cactus...

New Shoes

Yesterday, while the girls were in gymnastics, Landis and I milled around the Goodwill.  I was super excited to find a brand new Calphalon pot for a good price.  But mostly,  I was excited about these shoes...

I love them, and Landis loves them!  And they are totally made out of man-made materials, so when he walks they make this suuuper cute squee-eak, squee-eak sound.... I can't wait for Easter!

Luke, on the other hand, had to be more persuaded about these...I'm sure Landis's uncle Miah will need some persuasion too.  But I'm sorry, what reasonable mother could resist? So I'm curious, what do other mother's out there think?

Boy vs Paleta (Popsicle)

Landis turned one 2 weeks ago, and this is how he celebrated.

At first he was hesitant, not sure if he liked the cold, icy feeling in his mouth.

But, as you can tell, that didn't last long, and it's safe to say that this little man

won the "boy vs. popsicle" battle. It may surprise you that this was my

idea and not Luke's. I'm usually the "that's too much work" kind of person.

But how could we wait until two days later to give him something sweet?

Even though it was my idea, my sweet husband whisked him away and

dropped him in the bathtub for a spray down.

He was just as messy with his birthday cake that weekend! I love my messy boy! And I can't believe he is one. Where does the time go?