Bubbles

What better to do on a warm spring day than to pull out the bubbles left over from last summer? Even though they didn't last long...two full bottles were gone in about 20 minutes after being sloshed, bumped over, and finally dumped...they provided a good deal of amusement for a short time. Isaac determinedly worked on his technique and finally succeeded in producing a stream of bubbles...

...then had even more fun chasing after them.

The boys played side by side for a while, I think Isaac was getting tips from his brother...

...watching his form...

...and sharing a good laugh. I don't recall if they were laughing because Caedmon was successful at producing bubbles, or if one of them licked the bubble wand instead of blowing. Either was entirely possible!

Or...perhaps they were creating a plan of action. We learned this last weekend what Isaac is capable of scheming all on his own this past weekend during our visit to my parents. One evening we were all sitting at the table eating ice cream; he was across from me in my dad's lap, being spoon-fed a chocolate sundae. It seemed to me like his situation couldn't get much better but he looked up and started calling my name, then scooted down onto the floor and started heading my direction. I got up to see what he needed and he led me back in the direction of my dad, but then kept going and directed me to the next room. He pointed to the middle of the room and said, "Mama, over there," trying to get me to keep going, then he turned around and hurried back to my now-empty chair. We were a little confused about what he was doing until he climbed up into my chair and peeked over the edge of the table...his face absolutely fell when he realized I had not left my ice cream behind, as he'd expected. He looked back across the room and saw that I was still holding it in my hand, and quickly demanded that I put it back where it belonged, which was now in front of him. I was so amused and impressed with his little plan that I did share my treat, which he devoured eagerly.

And I quote...

I have been so amused lately by some of the things these boys, especially Caedmon, have said and know if I don't record them they'll get muddied or misplaced somewhere in the back of my mind, and I don't want to let that happen!

Me: "We're going to eat lunch with Dad today! I'm so excited."

C: "Oh, I am excited too!"

Me: "Your dad is so sweet!"

C: "Yeah, he is sweet. Like a sweet potato!"

(Driving down the highway, we were passed by a Smart car.)

Me: "Look at that little car!"

C: "How did God make a car so little? Why?"

(On a day that Isaac didn't nap and was feeling pretty miserable.)
C: "Isaac was screaming at you. You should just give him a spanking."

Me: "You know, today I think what Isaac needs is a little grace."

C: "What is grace?"

(While I explained, Isaac wandered off to the kitchen, looking all around for...)

Isaac: "Grace? Grace? Grace?"

(After church we were all having lunch together.)
C: (looking at Isaac inquisitively) "Isaac, do you know Jesus?"

Isaac: (nonchalantly) "Yes."

I've mentioned recently the "Watch this" phase that both boys have entered. Isaac will say "Mom, wa' dis!" over and over until I verbally acknowledge that he has my attention, even if I am making direct eye contact with our faces 18 inches apart. Yesterday he said it six times back to back until he was finally convinced that I was watching. These boys want to know that their audience is tuned in!

Little Conversations

I am tickled more and more every day by the things coming out of the mouths of our babies, who are rapidly growing into such big boys. Sometimes I am amazed at their observations, sometimes I have to turn away so they can't see me laughing, and sometimes I want to just bottle up all their sweet words to keep forever.

First, a humorous quote...that was really not funny at the time. Isaac continues to put together phrases and more complete expressions, and we're definitely working on both boys being kind and respectful. One evening this week I was trying to get him to taste something on his plate which was apparently revolting to him, so as he turned his head away he said in a very pinched and painful voice, "No thank you. Dump it. In trash!" I know he was doing his very best to be kind in a difficult situation!

Of all the things I hear during the day, right now the words I probably hear the most are, "Hey Mom, watch this!" Caedmon loves to demonstrate his developing athleticism, creative block constructions, and just about anything else that he's doing. So now I also hear, "Hey Mom, wah dis! Wah dis!" from Isaac as he follows right along behind his brother!

And I've been amazed at what they can remember from media in general, but especially Bible stories and Sunday School classes. At my parents' church a while back the boys learned about Naaman in the lesson. I didn't know how much they would really hold onto from that since we haven't read that story over and over at home like so many others, but later that week they both remembered his name and Caedmon knew the main idea of the story. Even Isaac remembered that Naaman had to get in the water.

I am not a hot weather person, and always am sad to see the winter (if we have one in Texas) ending, but my sadness is always eased by how much I also love the first signs of spring. Seeing the daffodils poking through the dirt, followed by daylilies, gives the first glimpse, followed by a burst of yellow from our forsythia, then by the time little buds on our trees explode into green, I am itching to go to the garden store and pick out seed packets. This year, again, I am trying to get the boys involved in planting and caring for vegetables and flowers in our yard, and it humbles me to realize how much their little minds are just like freshly plowed, pure, fertile soil right now. The seeds that fall into it will take root and grow, and oh, how we want them to produce beneficial fruit. We pray for the influences that these precious ones are taking in, and what will take root.

Recently, I've been trying to plant seeds of Scripture and prayers that they can hold onto as they grow. The most successful method I've found is a CD of kids singing songs taken directly from Scripture. We listen to it almost every time we're in the car and for a long time I could not get the guys to repeat a word of it, but all of a sudden they're able to sing along, and even sing on their own. My heart is immensely blessed to hear my precious three year-old singing the words of the Lord's Prayer all by himself, and for his little brother to sing bits and pieces of "Do to others" (as you would have them do to you.)

I have loved hearing all the things these precious boys have had to say recently and have also been so touched by Isaac deciding, all of a sudden, to begin giving out hugs. The first time I saw him do it, Caedmon had bumped his head and was upset, and he gently embraced his brother and leaned his head up against him, saying, "A-men, hug!" He has since then brought me different stuffed animals, and he will ask me to hug them, then he will, or sometimes he'll give me a hug. It blesses my heart!

This week, also, we moved Isaac's mattress onto the floor in his room to begin transitioning him out of the crib. So far he's had five nights in a row of staying in his bed...at least, not intentionally getting up. I've picked him up off the floor a number of times, but he's done so well exercising his self-control and staying put at bedtime! (Although I can't say the same for naptime, we'll get there too!)

These photos are from a really warm day recently, when the boys were enjoying popsicles outside. I am not sure what they were doing, but everything that one did with their treat, the other mimicked. They were having too much fun...and eventually their popsicles had too much sun, and fell apart into the grass.