just one at a time

My children have a favorite activity whenever near any body of water- including puddles. Tossing rocks into it and watching it splash. But this time we had some trouble teaching Logan how to do it properly. He started out like a champ, finding the biggest and best rocks and trying to beat Carson to it, but soon started grabbing entire handfuls of sand and rock mixed... and one minute into the adventure he had already nailed mom in the eye... sand doesn't go well in the eyes, as we all know, so mom wasn't so impressed. Carson took it upon himself at that moment in time to help mom remind Logan that "we only throw one rock at a time!" and he faithfully kept up his policing duties until the time we left. And, I am happy to report, Logan has learned well and did a dandy job of rock-tossing for the rest of the afternoon. Carson is now looking forward to the day that he'll be able to have his own fishing pole and catch a "big striped one, and a little one, and a really really big one" for grandma.
Oh, and Carson is pictured here, tossing "just one rock" that was aimed at the creek, and instead tagged Logan straight in the back... but he apologized profusely and Logan just laughed. I guess in some ways they do play extremely well together!!!

rubber boots don't really keep the water out...!

... at least not when you are knee deep in water.
Logan was so enthralled with the rocks and water, he would throw a rock out into the creek and then go to get it... by the time we were ready to leave and I took his little boots off there was about 2 cups of water in each one! he didn't seem to mind one bit though.

"when I grow up" by Carson

Another morning at the breakfast table discussing the intricacies of life with my talkative son, this time I was listening to every word. Over the weekend Carson had a great opportunity to spend time with his Grandma and Grandpa, and take a trip to New Jersey to see Aunt Rachael and Uncle Jeff, and together they all took a trip to NYC. (weird when your three year old son has seen more of the world than you have... !) So by the time I got to New Bedford to pick him up, Carson had had so much fun that he wanted to stay overnight just once more. So he ended up staying until Monday night. Now, four days away from your little one can seem like a lot, so I kind of expected him to feel the same way, but once again he cried to stay at Grandmas again. this time no one gave in, and he cried for about half an hour until we were alone in the car. Then he sang about 5 words to the song that was playing "Holy is the Lord God Almighty" okay, 6 words to be exact... and promptly fell asleep, and stayed asleep when I put him to bed after arriving home.
So by the time this morning came, I was excited to spend time with my oldest boy, and that's when we got on the topic of Cars. He found some stickers in a drawer that the doctor had given us the other day, and he proceeded to stick them on top of each other to save room on the paper on which they were sticking. They were pictures of race cars, and one of them was overlapping onto tigger's leg. "uhhoh," Carson said, "that sticker is on tigger's foot."
"Uhhoh." I repied, "I bet that hurts!"
"yeah, only its just a little car, and its just a sticker so I guess its okay." Carson said. My goodness, I think, have I already forgotten that his reasoning skills are more advanced than this? has it really only been four days? Then Carson says:
"little cars you can throw, but big cars crash and catch on fire. and if a big car gets on your foot it would hurt."
"yes" I said, noticing that Carson is reassuring me that my point was valid, "yes it would hurt. and it might even break your foot, so that's why we don't get too close."
"well," Carson thought for a second, "That's why I'm going to eat all of my food and GROW UP to be a big STRONG man, and then I can throw big cars and break THEM!"

how many times can kids run around the block?

Mom's house has a pathway around in a square "block" formation, and the kids had a ball running around it. I thought they would never stop! Here they are racing- Carson is about to leap an obstacle, and Logan is trying to push him into it I think... he's pretty cute but he is a bully!
oh, for all of you who haven't seen this house, its Mom and Dad's hallway in Sussex.

running and running...

and running

Our Trip to Sussex

we spent Easter at my parents house in Sussex, NB and had a great time while there. Thankfully we got in on saturday evening, because by the time sunday morning came, there was so much snow on the ground that we could barely get out of the driveway! Apparently snow tires really do work, because the car that had them on (dad's) made it to church and the one that didn't (ours) didn't even make it back in the driveway after a failed attempt to brave the streets. So, much to Carson's disappointment, we didn't make it to church- church is Carson's favorite place to be- instead we had a private bible study in mom's living room. We had a lot of fun while visiting Nana and Papa, my favorite part was getting to sleep in until 10 am, waking from time to time and hearing the kids play with their Nana. (she spoils me so much when I'm there... thanks mom! I LOVE it!)
I feel bad that we didn't get to see everyone that we had wanted to on our trip, but sometimes the days are just to short to fit everything in!! I guess that's why we've got phones and blog spots to keep in touch as well.

fish catching fun!

Carson had a great time at the creek, he was daring enough to get down by the water with daddy, but not quite daring enough to hold the fish when daddy asked him. Although as soon as we were in the car ready to leave he changed his mind and told me that he was sad that he didn't get to hold a fish. Carson changes his mind more often now, it is kind of funny to hear him say something you know that he hasn't thought about yet- like "no, I don't want to play with playdough," and then watch him cock his head to one side as he walks away as if to ask himself what he has just done... then three minutes later he reappears and says "Mommy, actually I do want to play with playdough, I changed my mind. is that okay?" funny little guy.

Not so little Logan

I had such a hard time catching Logan looking at the camera! Asa actually felt the need to direct his head in my general direction because there was so many more exciting things to see! Logan had a great time looking at the water and saying "yook! Wawa!" (translation: "look, water.") in his cute little man voice. I also let him walk on a trail, but Logan still has a terrible habit of trying to eat anything his hands touch, and there were a lot of "nature things" that I didn't want in his little mouth, so he was only allowed out of our arms for about 5 minutes of the hour plus that we were there. Logan is getting better at walking on uneven ground, but is still pretty unstable, hopefully his little feet will correct themselves soon. But he is doing great with his vocal skills, he tries to sing, and repeats almost anything we ask him to. we're having fun watching him grow up!

Fall fun in Boston

I have finally scanned in some of the pictures that I only had paper copies of, so I decided to post an older one- Logan is so bald here!! His hair didn't grow until a few months after his first birthday, but its so easy to forget just how bald he was... I'm glad I got some pictures
This picture was taken in a small park in Boston, just down the street where Nathan works, and just across from Quincey Market. My mom, Sarah myself and the boys all took the train into the city, and that was pretty much the highlight of the trip for Carson and Logan both, also more relaxing for us. I am still not a fan of Boston driving... unless its in the middle of the night when there aren't too many cars on the highway. I'll learn soon though!!

Sarah and Carson at the same park- both photogenic as always!

everyday banter

this morning Carson and I were playing baseball, while Logan was entertaining himself and everyone else with his antics. after tossing a ball at Carson and hitting him in the face accidentally, Logan realized the danger of this sport of baseball, and left the room. He returned a minute later with his foam chair on his head, thinking he was pretty smart. I started to laugh, and then heard what Carson had to say about it and really lost it - "Logan just wants to be the Chairman..." there is more of his Papa in him than anyone realizes I think!

Carson and pilgrim's progress

While I was teaching a few students last night, Nathan and his friend Asa were watching the kids, and had stopped to get a kids movie from the christian book store on the way home. They got a pilgrim's progress cartoon.
The kids were very attentive (from what I could tell in the next room that is) and sure enough, as soon as Carson was alone with me he asked in a strange voice:
"mommy, are we going to hell?"
I wasn't quite sure what to say at first, so I paused for a second, and heard his little voice again:
"Did you hear me? I said, are we going to go to hell?"
so I thought for a minute and figured that he at the ripe age of 3 might as well hear the biblical truth of the matter. so I said, "well, Carson, the Bible tells us that we are born separated from God, and if we don't do anything about it then yes, we are going to go to hell."
"Oh." Carson said.
I thought I should finish the story though, and kept going. "We need to have a change happen in us if we are going to be in God's family, we have to love God more than anything, and want to do what God wants us to do. So if we have God as our father, we will obey him. and if we are in his family, we will go to heaven, not to hell. Because Jesus took our spanking when he died for us."
"well," Carson said, "I love God, sooo..."
"and God loves you, and so do I. good night" I said, kissed him and put him to bed. I hope he keeps up this inquisitiveness, and I hope that I have the right words to tell him biblical truths as he is ready to hear them, its a lot harder than I thought it would be putting things in 3 year old terms!!

the little drummer boy

This morning Carson discovered a new use for used straws- drum sticks! he began drumming on a short table, so I decided to give him a real set of drum sticks to try. (I had them from the few short weeks that I took drum lessons.)
Carson counted up "one, two, three and four..." and began his beat. Logan was dancing beside him- he'll will dance to anything, and has great rhythm, he must get that from Daddy, cause its certainly not from me !
Carson was remembering back to the worship band days at our last church, and said "okay everyone, we're in church, could you please take Logan to the nursery?" and then started breaking into sing-song counting- "one, two, three, fifteen, eleventeen..."
who knows. maybe we'll have a family band someday... Carson seems destined to play the drums, that is his instrument of choice. He also wants to learn to play the piano, and guitar, I guess we'll have to see what he's interested in when he is old enough to take lessons for real!

Logan's words

Logan has recently begun to speak more and more, and over the past two weeks his vocabulary seems to be including anything you try to get him to say! He does have a few adorable little phrases that I need to mark down lest I forget them, excuse the weird spellings I'm going to use, if you've got little ones you'll probably recognize them and smile as you remember your own saying the very same thing!
"Hewwow?" (hello) "Bye!!" -which is always accompanied with a pudgy little hand waving
"Pless?" (please) "Da-doo" (thank you)
"Its STUCK!" (says this to everything!)
"Up," "Out," "MUUah" (kissing sound he ALWAYS makes as he smacks me a good one...)
"Daddy, Mom, or Mommy, Nanna, Mamma" (for grandma, I hope that one sticks its so cute)
"OHhh No," "Ohh Man!" " Oh boy"
this one just in "Jerk" as he came running to grandma crying after being ignored by brother and uncle, we don't know if he really said that or not, but it was funny anyways.
"all done"
" I luv you."
"I dunNo"
"Uhhohh."
"Yeessss!!"
"juice" "wawa" (water) "bahbo" (bottle)
"Oh BABY!!"
"AMEN" this one is sometimes proceeded by a gibberish prayer, in which I can hear "God" or "bless" sometimes, a few times I've heard "body" ... Carson's prayers go something like this in the morning- "thank you God for the food, and bless our bodies, Amen" so funny having these ages in the house during meal times -for the most part...

Carson and Logan

Well, I realized recently that I have been doing a terrible job at keeping up with the growth of my children. I'm making an attempt to write down all the funny things that Carson and Logan both do and say, and then I'll actually have something to write in a baby book when I finally get around to making one!
Here are Carson and Logan, on March 16th, Carson decided he wants to be a model, so he asked me to take some pictures of him. Logan is more into holding the camera himself, and as you can see is already on his way to get it from me... fun times.

meal times

Meal times have gotten progressively more interesting as Carson's conversation skills grow. Especially breakfast. Carson seems to wake up telling me a story or some interesting little thing, and always seems to make me laugh even when he's not trying to.
But there is a downside to all this table top fun, with all the chatting going on, my little guy has gotten slower and slower at finishing his food. its gotten to the point that it will take him an hour or more at any given meal time if he isn't called on it. So, as a last-ditch effort on my part to be able to leave the dining room within at least 45 minutes of beginning a meal, I decided to challenge Carson to a race. We've been "racing" for a few weeks now, with no real prize for finishing your food first, at least nothing but bragging rights- which he is doing pretty well by now I should add.
Wednesday morning Carson looks at me with a mischievous look in his eye and says "I'm gonna beat you! I'm gonna win!"
I said "you're ON."
Carson says: "No, your off and I'M ON."
ahh the mind of a three year old...

Look whos growing up too fast

we seem to have mostly close-ups of Logan. He's always in the middle of the action, and posing just doesn't seem to be as fun for him as looking in the view finder!

You truely are Mr Incredible

Carson loves his cartoons, but his most favorite movie of all is The Incredibles, which he has pretty much memorized.
He'll randomly quote lines from the movie like "You sly dog! you caught me monologuing!" as he jumps on his bed and points his imaginary remote control at me. Or like the other night go into a longer speech : "that was Amazing! I'm still wigging out about it! I was right to idolize you. first you hide under a super... (here he lost his train of thought for a second) break in single handedly, and then you have to ruin the ride by calling for help. LAME LAME LAME LAME LAME LAME LAME!! Who did you contact???!!" during his whole speech, Carson was doing all the correct hand and body movements, and putting heart and soul into his performance. So cute. too bad only mommy saw it and didn't have a video camera to catch it...

boys and basketball...

Carson has been trying to learn how to catch a ball, and here he is being coached by Daddy. I think he may have only caught 2 out of 50 tosses or so, but it was a start!
Logan had more fun smiling for the camera than playing basketball for this brief moment in time, but usually he's stealing the ball from brother and dunking. he's as competitive as daddy is already, and he's not even 1&1/2 yet... I am wondering what the future has in store for these two !