Summer nights...

No, not the Rascal Flatts song. It is light until almost 10 o'clock in the evenings now. While I love the fact that it is light out so long, the boys aren't as happy. When I tell them that it is bedtime, they tell me that the sun is still out and so they fight bedtime. By the way, they always fight bedtime, but it is so much worse in the summer. I have to remind them that the sun is also out when they wake up in the morning, so that means the sun is just out longer in the summer. I tell them that because the weather is so nice and kids are out of school, God decided to keep the sun out longer. Then I reminded them that in the winter the sun is about gone by the time Mom gets home from work and it is dark when they wake up in the morning. I told them God did that because no one wants to look at snow. That seemed to appease them for the time being.

Standing tall

Justin has been pulling himself to a standing position when he has something to pull himself up on for quite a while now. For the first time on Sunday, I seen Justin pull himself into a standing position without pulling himself up on anything. In the middle of the floor he just stood up. Last night, (Monday) he pulled himself up in the kitchen and looked around with the expression of, "Okay, what do I need to do now?" He took a tentative step and heard his brothers laugh or squeal in the other room and plopped down on his butt. He immediately starting speed crawling to get into the living room to see what he is missing. He is getting close!

By the way, Bruce said that Justin has been doing that for while. I said that I never seen him do it before Sunday, but I also missed the first time he rolled over so it is entirely possible that he has indeed done it before.

Biting

I have a feeling that Justin is going to be a biter. He bit me twice on Saturday and I have two bruises (one on each shoulder) to prove it. He can really clamp down. He was over-tired when he bit me, so I hope that is why he bit me and not because he thinks it is fun!

Haircuts for everyone!

The barber that Bruce and the boys go to recently raised their rates from $9 to $10 per haircut. I know that it is a fair price and he needs to make a living, but it seems like a lot of money considering that Nathan needs to get a haircut at least every four weeks or so. He has thick hair just like Bruce and I. Together, Bruce and I decided to invest $25 in a pair of clippers and try to cut the boys hair ourselves.

Over the weekend, Bruce shaved his own hair and I only helped to make sure it was even, trim around his ears better and shape up his neck. Darren and Nathan got it on Saturday. Darren was harder because he has such fine hair, but overall I say they look pretty nice. We are still going to take them to the barber shop before any big occasions, but their summer haircuts are looking pretty good. Their hair is shorter than it ever has been. Justin needs a haircut, but fortunately for him we aren't going to subject him to the clippers yet!

Crops

This past Saturday we were going to Wal-Mart to get groceries and let Nathan pick out a toy with half the money that his godfather had given him for his birthday. As we were driving to Sidney, Nathan asked if we were going to drive past the Sidney Farm. Bruce said no that it was kind of out of the way. Then Nathan asked if we could drive past it on the way home. I asked why. He said that he wants to look at the crops. I asked him if he wanted to look at the crops so that he can tell Grandpa how they are doing, and he said yes. We have a crop expert on our hands.

New niece

My sister Carla had a baby girl two days ago. Her name is Lydia, she weighed 8lbs 6oz and was 21" long. The boys are all excited to see their new cousin "even if she is a girl." The boys were excited to have a new cousin and not as excited to have another girl cousin.

Skeeter and skeeter bites

It doesn't matter how hot or humid it is out, my boys want to play outside. This past Saturday it wasn't really hot, but it was extremely muggy. I don't know if that is the conditions that mosquito's like, but they were out in full force. Darren is evidence of that as he has skeeter bites everywhere.

Bad influence

My boys are bad influences on kids everywhere! We went over to Mom & Dad's yesterday for our monthly Sunday dinner. My sister Susan's boy is two weeks younger than my youngest. Justin and Jude were sitting on the floor and Justin crawls over to the stairs. Justin can crawl up those stairs faster than you can get up and grab him and he will be halfway up. By the end of the night, Jude was starting to crawl up the stairs. He wasn't as quick, but my kid was the bad influence (again) that showed him how easy it was.

Nathan's milestones

Nathan had a big weekend for milestones. He graduated from pre-school and he lost another tooth over the weekend.

Grandpa Mark & Grandma Joan attended the graduation (Grandma Deb forgot) and watched Nathan and another girl receive their diplomas in their cap & gowns. He is now ready for kindergarten this fall.

Nathan has been getting his permanent teeth in, and I think that is why his baby teeth have been falling out. The permanent teeth are literally pushing out the baby teeth.

New baby

Last night while we were sitting at the bat eating, Nathan said, "When we get a new baby next year, it can sit there (pointing to a bar stool)." Bruce and I both said right away that there will be no new baby next year. Nathan asked why. We told him that we were happy with the three kids that we have now, so we don't need to have another baby. He just couldn't understand why we were done having kids.

On that same vein, Nathan has been a really good big brother lately. Very responsible. Last night immediately after dinner he kept asking Bruce if they were ready to go over to the neighbor's. I told Nathan that if he is in a hurry to go over to the neighbors that he can help us clear the table. He immediately brought the plates to the counter and put the ketchup back in the fridge. The he took the washcloth and wiped the bar off. Granted he probably wiped the crumbs on the floor, but he is trying!

My little exhibitionist

The other day at daycare Darren was pulling his pants down and showing everyone his butt. I know that he did not get that from me as I am not, nor have I ever, been an exhibitionist. Bruce decided that his punishment should be that he is not allowed to go outside and play after daycare. Of course Bruce and Nathan go outside and so Darren's punishment becomes my punishment.

While I am making dinner, he keeps opening the garage door and trying to sneak out every minute or two. Finally after about the 20th prison escape attempt, I tell him just to go. Bruce comes in shortly after that and demands to know why I let him out. I tell him that Darren's punishment is too hard on me while I am making dinner, and since he gave Darren that particular punishment, that he needs to be the one to enforce it.

Sticky situation

The other day we got McDonald's Happy Meals and the two older boys got the apple dippers instead of French Fries. As Darren was taking his food out of the box, he must have dropped the caramel dip on the floor. I briefly looked but didn't see it, so I just assumed they forgot to put it in his meal.

Well, Justin found it a few days later. I was in the kitchen making dinner and I realized that he was pretty quiet on the other side of the bar, so I went over to check on him. Somehow he punctured the packet and he had a mess with a capital M. He has caramel all over his face as he was trying to eat it, it is in his hair, on his legs, on his clothes, a few spots on the wall and on the bar stool. I had to fight him to get the packet away from him as he was really enjoying the caramel. Straight into the tub he went!