The Bi-Annual Update

I can't believe I've been doing this for a year. Blogging, that is. I can remember starting this blog last year around this time, blogging about Mother's Day, about all the flowers in the yard, planting our gardens, going to nurseries to buy plants. A whole year has gone by, and so now, the update. I did one of these last October, so if I can remember through the years, I'll do one every six months or so.

Mark is doing well. Still with the state, we don't expect that to change anytime soon, at least we hope it doesn't! Still loves all things nature and to go birding, as a matter of fact, as I write this, he is out doing what they call a May Count. He got up at 5:30 this morning and took off - I'll pick him up around lunchtime today several miles from where he parked his truck this morning. He loves birds and all things nature, and is looking forward to planting many, many plants and vegetables this weekend. If the rain stops! Mark's little boys adore their Daddy, and waste no time attacking him basically as soon as he walks through the door every evening. I even left all three of them home alone last Saturday for about 8 hours while I went to a cooking show with some friends - and they did FINE!

Jonathan is now 4 years, 2 months. He will be starting pre-k in the fall, and boy is he ever ready. He's so smart - he knows so much already. He counts into the hundreds, counts backwards from 50, and is reading some words. He is working on writing his numbers and letters and can type out his name on the computer. He just recently got his very own computer in his bedroom, but right now he doesn't have internet access, just one little software program we installed for him. He needs more - I think he has outgrown that one! He also likes to pull up Word and Paint and work on letters, numbers and colors, and draw pictures with the Paint tools. He is learning to dress himself (picking outfits is a different story!) and is getting to be very much a big boy! He really is starting to help me out with chores around the house; I can rely on him to help me do little things, like put things away, helping to unload the dishwasher, helping with laundry, and especially helping to cook. He is a great little helper in the kitchen! Jonathan loves to go places - almost every day he wants to know "where we're going today". Sometimes we go to the library, sometimes we go to lunch with Daddy, sometimes we go see friends for a play date. Sometimes we just stay home. But he loves to GO. He loves the road, the signs, the cars and trucks and especially construction sites. I find myself torn about pre-k - of course I don't want to let my baby go, but in another way, I think it will be really good for him, and he'll be getting the stimulation he needs....sometimes I feel like I don't give him enough of my day and that makes me feel bad when I have to tell him I can't read to him because I'm cooking dinner. So I find myself looking forward to Fall and him starting school - mostly because I think it will be something great for him, and we hope he loves it as much as we think he will!

Matthew is now 22, almost 23 months old. He is very much a 2 year old already - headstrong, independent, need I go on? He's a cutie-pie, though. He wakes up in the morning, goes hard all day, eats a ton, and goes down with a thud at night, only to sleep for about 12 hours, then gets up and does it all over again. He's a rough and tumble little boy, for sure. He's growing, oh my. Getting tall and slimming out - losing that baby fat! His hair is full of curls - when haircut time comes, we hate to cut it, but then he's so cute with short hair....dilemma, dilemma! Matthew eats great - it's such a relief to have a child that actually eats food - many of you know the issues we've had (and still have) with Jonathan. Matthew can get a bit picky at times, too, but if you bring him to the table hungry, he'll eat just about anything. Matthew loves cars - little Matchbox cars, Disney Pixar Cars - anything with wheels. He goes to sleep clutching a car every night - doesn't matter which one. He wakes with it in the morning, and when I lift him out of his crib, if he doesn't have it in his hand, he grabs it first. He loves to play cars on the kitchen table with Jonathan's stuff - and for the most part, Jonathan has a fit. But sometimes I can convince them to share. They're learning to play together fairly well - they like to play chase and peek-a-boo with each other - to hear the squealing giggles never fails to bring a smile to my face and a contentment in my heart. Brothers. For life.

Me? I'm still here. Once a Mommy.... I do have some prospects for some contract work - and right now I'm waiting for some paperwork to clear - once it does I will be gainfully employed again, but luckily working from my own home and setting my own hours. I believe they call it an "independent contractor". With the rising gas prices and everything else rising as a result, it'll be nice to have some extra income to cover the growing list of expenses. I spend my days cooking, cleaning, wiping sticky hands and toting my boys around town. Seeing the world through their eyes (and their comments) is always interesting, and mostly tolerable - sometimes it just downright gets on my nerves, but I'm learning that it's all part of being a parent - and the things that drive us crazy today we will miss like crazy next year.

Anyway, that's us - the bi-annual update. Enjoy the picture of Matthew - that was a few days ago, BEFORE the haircut! Those little curls are history - at least for the next month or so!