QUOTE OF THE DAY, DUDE

We were at Nanny and Pappy's having dinner with the fam.  All the cousins were in the backyard playing baseball, when Chance comes inside with a long, pouty face.  Ryan asks him what's wrong:

"Cavan's been calling me names," he says.  "What was he calling you?" asks Ryan.

"He keeps calling me DUDE."

Happy Birthday Brooks

"I'm TWO" is what you hear a lot of lately around our house, as Brooks hap-hazardly holds up 2 fingers to show his new age.  Sometimes the 2 fingers make it up, sometimes it's a mix of 3 or 4 fingers twisting and turning.  Two.  I can't believe it.  Seems like yesterday I was holding my little ball of total joy in my arms.  With two, many of those hugs and lovey moments get greatly diminished.  I mean, who needs hugs when there's so much to see and do and tear apart!  I've even been allocated to the floor for bedtime book reading......"No, Brooks sit there" he tells me while pointing to the rocking chair, and then directing me to sit beside him on the floor.  My little man is growing up.

Brooks has this overwhelming love for animals.  So much so that we have to hug pictures of animals as we see them in books, bend down to kiss the little beetle crawling across the sidewalk, or blow kisses to the lizard that has escaped in to the house. 

I had to do something for this little animal lover on his birthday.  So we called in the farm animals and had them come to the house!  We invited all the neighborhood kids and a handful of Brooks's little people friends and had our very own petting zoo in the front yard. 

I had done some serious researching of farms, and found one that offered to bring quite a variety of animals.  And boy did they.  The trailer arrived and off jumped the miniature horse and her 2 week old foal mule.  

Then came the miniature cow......I didn't even know miniature cows (called Zebu) existed.  They do.

Then off jumped the pig, who immediately found a cool spot in the grass and was never heard from again. 

They say pigs are smart, and I can see why.  This little dude knew just how not to get any attention by hiding......he should have informed the poor chickens who were being chased around like crazy.

Or the bunnies who I am sure felt like the hour long petting zoo was NEVER GOING TO END.

I didn't really think through the whole goat thing.....my first problem was that I really thought there was going to be only 2 goats, but when an entire herd went flying off the back of the trailer in to my yard, I was soon regretting the fact that a.) we had the yard mowed BEFORE the party and b.) that I allowed the goats to be on my yard at all.....at least now we don't need mowers at all cause all the grass is practically gone!

My favorite was the alpaca, with his pointy teeth and aloof attitude.  He has to be a relative of the camel, and I was just waiting for some poor kid to get spit on or stepped on, but luckily it didn't happen.

So all in all, I hope this is one that the little man will remember, he sure seemed over the top happy, and is still talking about how "animals come to Brooks's house".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKS.  YOU ARE SUCH A BLESSING IN OUR LIVES. 

CRY BABY

First week back to school had some rough spots, but all in all we got off to a good start. 

Wednesday, however, Chance got off the bus with slouched shoulders and said it was the WORST DAY he's EVER had.

Nathan stole his nice pencil, and made him use his not so nice pencil.  And the teacher basically just said deal with it.  This was heartbreaking and I got to hear all about it.  As soon as the story was over, little man pipes in, looking straight at Chance in the most appropriate moment he could have possibly chosen and says CRY BABY.

This sets off a severe reaction, clearly hurts Chance's feelings.  Makes him get up from the couch and run to his room in tears, with the little toot chasing right behind chanting CRY BABY CRY BABY CRY BABY.

I'm sitting there, having to cover my mouth cause really it was just timed so right, and I'm still puzzled how Brooks knew to say it at the most appropriate time, and with the most appropriate dagger-in-the-side tone.  I'm puzzled how he knew that phrase at all.  Maybe Chance is getting a taste of his own medicine.  Needless to say, I cleared that laugh off my face, told Brooks he hurt Chance's feelings and consoled the poor boy.  I have a feeling this is just the beginning.  I need a parenting book and fast.