If there is one thing I have learned about having boys, you can always find some way to play!! These boys will make fun out of nothing and make fun out of things I would rather them not. I am in awe everyday of the amount of energy and enthusiasm for life that these boys seem to have, and I do not!
We LOVED having our break with Daddy and were sad to see him back to school, no one more than me. He plays much better with the boys than I do and seems to have almost as much fun as them. He is also very good about making up games for them to play. We went back to Nana and Papa's house for Memorial Day, and all of Kenney's siblings, except one, were there too. Kyler had a BLAST with his cousins. We went to the lake, had a 'camp out' in the backyard, went swimming in a horse trough, jumped on the trampoline, played in the dirt, etc. I didn't take as many pictures as I should have, but there are a couple.
Kyler and Daddy got a kite to fly. We figured we live in a place where the wind blows almost constantly, why not enjoy it every once in a while.
Kyler thought it was pretty cool, but his interest didn't last for too long.
This pretty much sums up Damon's feelings about the lake!! He hated it. The sand was really hard for him to get used to. We don't have a yard right now, so every time we go outside he has shoes on and nothing ever touches his feet. Well sand gets everywhere. He didn't like it on his feet or his hands. That kinda limits what you can do at the lake considering it was EVERYWHERE! The water was completely out of the question.
He just hung-out on the chairs or someone's lap most of the day. He was too stubborn to sleep and too afraid to do anything else! I guess we need to let him go barefoot more often. He is finally getting used to grass. I guess sand will take some time too. Poor guy! He didn't even like the boat. He went for a ride and hated the wind blowing in his face. We couldn't do anything to make him happy.
Kyler played hard ALL day. He finally gave out around 5 and just fell asleep in the chair. He loved being able to play with the sand and dirt. It was even better that he could throw it at Tyce, his cousin, and not get in trouble. I thought the natural consequence of getting sand thrown in his face would keep him from throwing it, but it didn't seem to bother him or Tyce!
FINALLY, at the end of the day, literally, Damon started to play in the sand. He would only scoop it up with the shovels at first, but once I even saw him touch it with his hands (on purpose). I can't believe it took us all day to get to this point!!
Damon likes to play the iPad now. I love it when he plays this motorcycle game because he thinks it is hilarious when he crashes. I am already nervous about him learning to drive if crashing is this funny! His laugh just cracks me up!!
It has been SO SO nice to have Daddy home with us during his break from school. I have probably enjoyed it the most, but the boys have had fun too. We have been able to do a lot more because I have help taking them places. The boys love going to the park or the science spectrum or (one of their favorite places) Sam's Club, or anywhere but home. I don't mind getting out, but it is getting harder and harder with this pregnancy due to the contractions I have been having. It's much easier with Daddy around because I don't have to do as much!! Here are some things that have been happening lately.
Flying a helicopter at the park
The main reason I don't go to park alone right now is captured perfectly in this picture. If Damon sees any water he immediately takes off and runs straight for it, no matter if anyone follows him or not.
I thought maybe he would care that we weren't exactly following him, but he just kept running. I did not zoom out at all in this picture. He just kept getting further and further away.
If you look closely in this picture you can see how far he ran from the car to the water. It was a good 1/2 mile on those little 1 year old legs!!
You may ask why he likes water so much. Well, all he wants to do is throw stuff in it! He would run across the country just to throw rocks or sticks in the water. Crazy child.
Kyler made the journey over with us too!
Doesn't he look so innocent?
Splash, Spalsh. Can't be close to water without getting wet and dirty!!
This was pretty funny. Kyler was trying to pick up a stick, but it was really a tree root. He could not understand why he couldn't pick it up. We tried to explain what it was, but the tree was a good 20 feet away, and Kyler did not quite understand what we were saying.
Of course that rock went right over Damon's head.
Speaking of Damon's head, this is what happens when you run straight into a bookshelf at the library! Damon was running into the library to go to storytime and was looking back at Kenney and I. He was obviously not watching where he was going and ran right into a shelf. He was too far in front of us so we couldn't stop it from happening. It was really sad. Kenney of course was laughing at him. I was amazed how fast it started to color and swell. Luckily a nice lady went and got a cold pack for us to use. I'm very glad Daddy was with us for this storytime. He at least got Damon to put the ice pack on long enough to stop some of the swelling.
Kenney sent a picture to Papa and Papa Dude, and Kenney's dad said, "Maybe you need to put him in a football helmet ---but then no one else would be safe." How true that is!!
Kyler practicing for his new brother that is coming. One of my friends needed someone to watch her little boy for a few hours, and Kyler wanted to help. I was surprised he wanted to hold the baby, but it only lasted about 30 seconds!
Auntie Shandi sent a package with 400 Spiderman stickers and this is what Kyler decided to do with all 400 of them. I know that is the first thing I think to do when I get stickers too!! I am not sure what made him do it, but it was not quite as much fun taking the stickers off his legs as it was putting them on!
We got a little early summer break between semesters and went to Nana and Papa's house. The boys were very excited to see family and have space to run! We were able to see Kenney's sister that lives in South Carolina, and she has a little boy that is 6 days younger than Damon and a new baby girl we were able to meet. It was fun to see everyone and watch the boys play.
This is how Damon felt about the water the entire time. I think this water was too cold because it came from the well, and the wind was blowing. Damon needs a little more warming up to the sprinkler idea.
Kyler didn't quite catch the slip-n-slide idea. He walked very cautious and slowly.
Even slow and steady doesn't always keep you on your feet!
Damon still had a hard time keeping clothes on while we were there.
Playing with uncles. Sorry I cut off your head Cary Shane!
Kyler was so excited to have Keyan home from college. They love to play with their uncles.
Body Slam
These boys cannot get enough of the trampoline or playing rough.
Hanging out on the counter
Pioneer Park is the best place for kids to play. The river water wasn't too cold or deep for the boys. It was perfect. Damon was super tired and again would not play in the water. I think he would have loved it if he hadn't been sick.
Kyler liked showing us how fast he could run in the water.
Takin' a break from running.
Playing with Daddy
Taking Papa for a ride. Papa was impressed how good Damon's balance was while he was riding. He said, "No wonder Damon is able to climb really well."
Kyler didn't ride quite as much. Damon loved it.
Kyler getting ready to go fishing and showing off the mud he threw all over the car. Kenney walked outside, saw the mud, and asked Kyler if he threw the mud. Kyler looked at him and said, "Yes, two cars. This car and that car." He had thrown mud on our car and Nana's car.
He was so excited to spend time with Daddy and Papa.
Helping Papa
He wasn't quite sure what to think of the worms at first. He didn't realize they were kinda slimy and that they moved!
Getting his worm hooked.
He's got this fishing sutff down!!
Damon discovered that there was radio in the kitchen. He liked being able to push buttons and dance to the music. Kyler also runs in with some exciting news!
Damon has officially reached the status of annoying little brother. He has learned rather quickly how to push Kyler's buttons and push them well. It amazes me that he has learned, so young to be such a pest and to do it on purpose. Let me give you a few examples. He now shhes Kyler. If Kyler is talking and Damon doesn't want him to talk or if Damon wants to be a brat, he looks at Kyler, puts a finger over his lips, and says, "Shh." It is actually very funny, but it makes Kyler SO mad!! He hates it. The worst part is that Damon does not even need to be provoked; he just does it.
Example #2 The other day Kyler and Damon both had piles of cars that they were playing with separately. Kenney watched Damon reach over, grab one of Kyler's cars and throw it across the room. He then braced for a hit by clinching his whole body waiting for retaliation from Kyler. The little brat knew that he would/could get hit by throwing the car, but he did it anyway. Luckily Kyler didn't see it so Damon was safe, but I don't know if could really blame Kyler for getting upset when Damon was being such a stinker!!
Example #3 One of Kyler's new things is to build towers with his legos. He builds the tower and then comes to get Kenney or I to show us. 9 times out of 10, when Kyler leaves the room to get us, Damon breaks the tower for no reason, other than to make Kyler mad.
There are several more examples, but you get the idea. Kyler is not completely innocent himself, but I just can't believe how soon Damon has caught on to annoying his brother!! Sometimes they can play very nicely, but they are learning more and more ways to bother one another.
Shh
Kyler posing by one of his towers before Damon broke it, but he is patiently waiting to destroy it!
Damon wants to be just like Kyler. Every time Kyler gets a cape, Damon has to get one too.
This is just a daily activity at our house. They take to cushions off the couch at least 3 times a day.
On special occasions, Damon gets to use the Captain America shield!!
This pretty much sums up Damon's little attitude!
When Kyler earns iPod/iPad privileges, they can sometimes sit nicely and play together. It usually doesn't last long.
This is what I get when I tell them to say, "Cheese."
Sweet Kyler
The other day, Kyler walked in our room, and I had just put on a dress for some reason. The boys were both in dress up clothes and Kyler looks at me and says, "Mommy, you a princess?" It was really cute! I didn't know he even knew what a princess was or that they wore dresses, but it was sweet.
Damon is also learning songs too. He has been singing the song about monkeys swinging in the trees and getting snapped by Mr. Aligator. He will just randomly start singing it, but it is so cute because he doesn't really say any of the words; he just makes sounds and does the actions. You can tell he thinks he is saying the words, but 'snap' is the only words that you can understand.
