My Boys are Growing Up...

Everybody in this house is growing up...  It has just hit me that in a few short months I will have a 6 year old and a 2 year old!  Milestones have been happening all over the place and I have to admit I am a little sad and a lot happy.  I feel like this is a brag-fest, but we are allowed to do that every once in a while, right?!? 

Grady learned to ride a bike without training wheels Friday at his good friend, Brody's house.  G's bike is too big to learn on, but will be awesome for regular riding this spring once he has learned all the tricks and grown an inch.  Brody learned a couple of months ago, and wanted to share his new skill with G - so sweet!  G got the hang of it riding at Brody's house and then they loaned the smaller bike to us so G could learn at home.  Saturday Grady couldn't wait to get out and try again.  He got on and within less than 5 minutes, had it down!  I got some great video and then Daddy went out to teach him to start on his own.  I guess the old saying of "when you're ready, you're ready" really applied here!    There was no real "learning", he just got on a it happened.  A-m-a-z-i-n-g!

Grady is also growing academically by leaps and bounds.  His teacher is awesome (and one of my good friends), and he is very determined to learn everything really fast.  I guess what I'm trying to say is his competitiveness has also spread to academics as well.   He asks to practice reading, spelling and writing each night.  As his mommy and a teacher... I can not tell you how happy this makes me.  All Richard and I really want for the kids to is be happy and healthy... and to have good hearts.  The rest will come in it's own good time.  We decided long ago that G was the kind of kid that pushed himself enough on his own, and our pushing only resulted in the opposite - ha!  It would also be nice if they excelled in some things... academics, sports, clubs, really anything that they have a strong desire to do, are good at and love.  Years ago a sweet friend and coworker gave me some really good advice about raising good boys, and I'm sticking to it.  "The three B's" was what she called it... Busy, by you and broke.  I LOVE this!

Don't get me wrong, G is not prefect and is a very physical, rambunctious and spunky kid.  He gets in trouble (for being too physical mostly) and pushes limits constantly (normally just with us at home though... let's be honest - mostly me! ha).  He also has the sweetest, most sensitive heart and is one of my most very favorite people on earth!!!  We think he's growing up to be a pretty special young man... geez... just saying young man makes me cringe!     

Attractive picture, I know... they are my sweet goofballs!

I can't forget about sweet Cole... He is our wild-man (and I used to call G this... -- ha!).  He was when I was preggo with him and continues to be physically beyond his age.  He learns pretty much how to do things by watching and then goes for it - no matter how dangerous.  Cole seems to be able to do what Grady could do at about 2, physically, and Grady was perfectly normal.  Everything else seems about the same, except for speech.  G was pretty advanced in speech and Cole seems to be average for a little boy.

Speaking of speech - Cole can put two words together now (for about 2 months) and says "take-you" (thank you) nigh-night, bye Daddy, eady-set-go (ready), and hi Gady (Grady).  However, he very much only talks when he wants to.  If we try to get him to say something, he refuses.  G was the same way!  Lil stinkers...  He does ramble on and on in other languages.  I am starting to pick up parts of what he's saying, and that's super fun.

Some other big new-things going on with Cole are:  He has a dry diaper now from about 3:30-7, until bath time.  He goes the second he gets in the tub!  Richard has trained him to go in the drain ... pretty funny if you ask me!  Also, along the line of potty talk... if you ask him where the poopy is he will grab his diaper and smile.  No piece of furniture is too tall or dangerous.  He frequents the kitchen table, our chairs, Grady's bunk bed ladder, etc.  Cole also stands on his tip-toes to grab things off the counter and attempts to grab pots cooking.  We now only use the back two burners.  He's a crank from 5-6 and is starving, even with endless snacks.  Cole has become a playground pro!  He climbs up all parts and goes down the slides.  Every time he slides down he says "eady-set-go" ... it is so cute!  I've got to get that on video!  He loves to be outside and throws a fit if we don't oblige whenever he demands to go out.  Speaking of fits... wow - he can throw huge fits now and will often to get his way.  He throws himself on the ground and screams.   G never did this... it is pretty funny for the time-being!  Cole is still so happy most of the time though, and gives great big hugs and kisses if you're lucky enough for him to slow down enough to give you one!  One and a half still remains (with both of mine) to be the most physically exhausting age, but such a huge growth period. 

 

I just love, love, love my boys!!  They keep me on my toes, that's for sure!