Our Visit With Family and My Little Boys

I wonder if this is how each of my boys will remember their childhood?

I always remember mine in black and white.
This photo was taken at my sister's house.

Recently, we enjoyed a nice weekend spent visiting my parents, sister, her husband and friends. The boys had a fun time and were totally spoiled by their family and friends and loved experiencing different scenery.

My oldest son (he’ll be three in late April) really loves the farm my sister lives on. He wanted to spend the entire day outside today. It has been raining a lot over the last few days and he had cabin fever. He kept leading me around, showing me different things. He would eventually end up at the big area where the dogs were outside playing. He would stand at the fence for the longest time, just watching the dogs. I had to stand there too. If I walked away to the nearby carport to sit down, he would turn around quickly and walk the 30 or so steps (actually he almost ran) to get me. Once he fetched me, he would take me back and put me in my place. It’s funny because he struggles so much with his walking, but if he REALLY wants something, he can do really well. I think he over thinks it sometimes (as we all do in life).

He would also take his little Thomas and Percy trains that he hauls everywhere and line them up at the fence, facing the dogs so they could “watch” his furry friends as well. Once, I picked his dear trains up to put them away and he got frustrated and put them back, carefully arranging them, facing towards the fence.

At one point, I tried to take a nap while my family was awake to watch the boys, but my sweet son awoke from his nap and I was awakened with the ear piece of my eyeglasses poking me in the eye. He was trying to put my glasses on me while I slept. Once he got them on, he grabbed my finger and took me right back where I belonged… outside (and fully awake). At least he was thoughtful enough to get my glasses for me so I could fully enjoy the scenery. My youngest son was content watching football with daddy and rearranging his aunt’s house.

I sure will miss these days when they're all grown up.

A Toddler's Imagination and His Love For Trains

I know Finley loves trains. His Thomas the Tank never leaves his side (and if it does, I am summoned to immediately fetch it with pleas of, "Tuss, Tuss, Tuss!"). He sits in his chair, in his bed, on the floor, in his car seat and wherever else he is, running his trains over his limbs and head. He spends much time at his beloved train table (you might remember this post, this one that started his love for trains and this one of him admiring the trains). A huge smile pastes itself on his little face when he sees his Thomas book. When I go get him from nap or in the morning, he frantically searches for his Thomas and Percy before he'll leave his room. He and trains (also known as the aforementioned "Tuss" or "Choochoos") are BFFs.

So, I shouldn't have been surprised when Andrew found this in the living room yesterday evening...

It's a remote, it' s a book, it's a car, it's a binky.... these are my first thoughts when seeing these items strewn around on the floor. Leave it to a toddler's imagination to turn them into exactly what HE wants them to be.

"Nooooo, it's a TRAIN, Mom! Isn't it obvious?" Well, now it is!

And, I do have to take notice that Kieran's binky is bringing up the end of this train as the caboose. Maybe Finley is hauling it off to the dump?

Who knows, but you gotta love kids!