Thumbs Up, Dude and Other Amazing Feats

Besides the fact that I haven't heard from Don in a few days, today was a good day. I know I've just been completely spoiled that he usually e-mails just about every day and when I don't hear from him daily I hate it. Most likely he is swamped with work and working long hours. Keeping busy with the boys helps keep my mind off missing him and the emptiness of him not being here in our home and in our day to day lives.

Well, Benjamin had his preschool photos today so we were all set with a button free sweater. But it was supposed to hit the mid to high 80s today. Yikees. Luckily, the mornings have been cool enough to merit a sweater so off he went with instructions for the teachers to take his sweater off after photos were through. All the kids going into the preschool looked so adorable all dolled up for picture day. And, our Benjamin was no exception. Here he is looking handsome and showing off his newest talents of winking and doing thumbs up.

I was planning on bringing Samuel into my office today while Benjamin was at preschool but when we showed up he was sound asleep so we headed for home instead. Samuel took a good nap and I got a few things done around the house which was nice.

When we picked up Benjamin, Miss Jenny informed me that he kept his sweater on for his photo but didn't have it on for the class photo. ugh. He's going to look like that kid whose mother forgot it was picture day (because no one else in his class will see the individual photo of him with his cute sweater on). Instead they'll see Benjamin in his orange t-shirt with a saying on it and a fish. Oh well. True to Benjamin fashion to have a shirt with something or other on it.

I called Natalie while Benjamin was at school and invited her and her boys over. We had promised Jack a play date at our house along time ago so I felt it time to pay up on this promise. They accepted and we all picked up McDonald's after picking up the boys then headed to our house. Benjamin and Jack were thrilled. We arrived back to our house about 10 minutes before Natalie and her boys and Benjamin was so excited that he insisted on waiting outside until they arrived. So, he sat rather patiently in our front yard with his school backpack still on.

The boys had a blast. They were like lil tornadoes going from one toy area to the next then eventually up to Benjamin's room which turned into a disaster area in it's own right. But they sure did have fun and that's all that matters. With us all pitching in clean up time was a cinch. Then we did a floor puzzle (which Natalie and I ended up doing quite a bit of while the boys were silly and added a puzzle piece in here and there. As long as they get the last couple pieces in, they think they did it all by themselves).

Once they left it was nap time. Benjamin took a good long nap today and I was suffering from a bit of a headache so I laid down for a bit of a nap too before Samuel woke up. Samuel and I had a good ol time playing around today. He's getting so good at standing up and sitting back down. Less and less incidents of him falling over and going boom every day!

Tonight the boys, the dogs and I went for a walk and enjoyed the outdoors a bit before starting our bedtime routine. Benjamin slept until about 5:30 p.m. so I'm a lil surprised he went down as easily as he did at 8 p.m. Maybe it's a sign that I'm in for another 5:30 a.m. morning tomorrow. ugh. (UPDATE SINCE I STARTED THIS BLOG ENTRY: The bugger got up out of bed to go potty and was calling me. When I went upstairs his pullup was off and he had underwear on. No other clothes. He said "I want to come downstairs." I think he thought it was morning already! He's back in his jammies and in bed now).

Tonight as I tucked Benjamin in to bed he said something he now says quite often "I love you Daddy, far far away at work with the Army." It's so sweet.

Today I started to think about all the things the boys have learned since Don has been gone. It's really quite amazing to stop and think about how two lil lives can change so drastically in 4 months. (I can only imagine the lil men they'll be by next October... when Don is due back home).

Benjamin's List of Feats Since Daddy-O Departed Include:

• He's potty trained (hip hip hooray!)

• He can dress and undress himself
• He can wink
• He can pull the drain up in the bathtub (this is a huge help!)
• He can drink out of a regular glass
• He puts his own plate on the counter after meals
• He says "bless you" when someone sneezes and "bless you, me" when he sneezes!
• He says "excuse me" when he coughs
• He can do thumbs up (and says "Thumbs up, Dude." while doing so)
  He is getting good at cleaning up and putting away his toys
• He is an expert in the art of making his baby brother laugh
• He is starting to peddle a bike

(He is very independent these days so whatever he figures out that he can do on his own he insists on doing it from that point on. From opening and shutting the car doors to letting the dogs in and out the back door).

And Samuel's List of Accomplishments Are:

• He can now roll over
• He can sit up
• He can crawl
• He can pull himself up
• He doesn't spit up as much
• He is so stinkin smiley
• He is starting to say "Da Da"

I know there are probably about a gazillion other lil things that I can't think of at this moment that they've learned to do since Don left in June. They're two amazing lil guys with a new adventure every day. And I'm sure Don will notice a world of difference in them both.

People say to me "I don't know how you do it." But to be honest, I don't know how Don does it. I can't imagine the feeling of not being able to see our boys on a daily basis. To hold them. To see them grow, to talk to them, to snuggle them and to laugh with them. Sure some days are more challenging than others for me but they are truly such joys in our lives. And I thank the lord for my family every day.