Crazy boys

Memorial Day Weekend in Tifton. Jay was going up in the "clubhouse" papa put in the new room they just built.

This is how Jay pees when he's here...

Jay is so proud of this. He tells all of his friends up here that "my papa built me a clubhouse!"

The boys will have so much fun in here for years to come, I'm sure!

Swimming to escape the south Georgia heat

Jay is still not willing to go under water...this will be our goal for the summer

Timeless game of pool jumping!

Jay was out in the woods and had to come back to the porch to go potty...

At home this week. Jay picked this outfit out all by himself.

Swinging his "sword"

Truman was over the other night at bedtime so I put the boys in bed and told them to go nite-nite. They talked non-stop for 30min until Baron and Hannah picked him up. It was so precious...the first "BFF pillow talk"....we are seriously depressed about the Mullis' leaving next month.

I tried to teach Jay how the slip-n-slide works but he was scared to dive into it.

So he would run down the entire thing and then fall over at the end.

Of all things to be scared about, this is what he chooses?

He had a ball anyway

Watching the fun...sweet boy

Wes and I promised Jay he could ride his bike when we got home from running errands. He remembered right after his bath. So instead of a bedtime story he got a bike ride in his pj's.

At mom's playing Kurt's guitar

The boys watching me unpack after our trips

Jay's first eye exam!

By none other than Daddy :)

Wes was surprised at how cooperative Jay was. His attending actually did the full exam after the 'practice round' with daddy.

Jay's "police glasses" as he named them

Eli's first ride in the Publix car!

Eli is 6 months old today!  He changes every day and is more and more fun. We have his well-check Wednesday so I'll have an update up after that.

As for Jay...

He is three going on thirteen...thanks to his emotional outbursts, hot temper, and rebellious behavior. He is sweet and loving one minute and crazy mean the next. I have noticed some jealousy toward Eli also. I think the newness of a baby brother has worn off and since he's still not big enough to be a playmate, Jay has decided he doesn't want him around like he used to. He will tell me "mama, don't feed Eli, come play with me" or "mama, go lay Eli down for a nap so we can play." A few nights he has even said he didn't want to thank God for Eli. It peaked about 3 weeks ago and is better now but it was a struggle to get Jay to understand that I have to take care of Eli, even when I'd rather play with him. It's hard to explain to a 3 year old why the baby doesn't get in trouble for screaming but he does. Or why I don't fuss at Eli when he splashes water out of the tub but tell Jay not to do that again. And Jay is starting to realize that almost everything he gets in trouble for is related to Eli (don't be so rough with the baby, stop yelling while the baby's trying to sleep, that noise is scaring the baby) and I can't blame him for being frustrated. I really sympathize with since I'm an older sibling as well. But we are working through it and I think it is getting better finally.

He had a great time with his Papa and Mama Ross while I was in Mexico for the wedding and Wes was here working. He has cracked me up all week with little sayings I know he is copying from Papa. He has called me "scamp" all week (a nickname Papa calls him all the time) and refuses to wear shorts because papa always wears pants. He tells us random things that he and Mama Ross did and you can tell by his tone how proud he is of whatever he is talking about. It is so cute to see how much he loves them!  And Mimi, don't worry, he always comes up with things to say about you also. Tonight I was helping him say his prayers so I said the usual, "thank you for Daddy and Eli and Jake and Kitty and Mimi..." and Jay interrupted me and said, "no mama, Mimi is first, you have to say thank you for Mimi first." 

Otherwise he is up to his same wild agenda every day. Talks incessantly (as Wes describes it), is always moving, and makes me laugh all day with his little ideas and responses. This is such a fun stage but can be very trying also....as I play with Eli and Jay, I realize both ages have their good and bad parts. Eli doesn't talk back, is smiles and laughes at the slightest bit of attention, and is mostly containable. Jay is my little buddy, I am able to actually converse with him, and is so active that when we play together I really feel like a kid again. As frustrating as my days can be with these boys, it is a million times more fun and entertaining. I have really been trying to work on enjoying every day with them instead of letting trivial annoyances distract me. Having a clean house and perfectly behaved children is not what I will look back on one day as I reminisce on my sweet baby years. I want to remember the never-ending chaos that comes from the wild imagination and freedom of two perfectly crazy boys.

By the way, the wedding week was wonderful! We all had so much fun together and Ashley was just gorgeous!  We are so excited about the reception coming up. Jay has a sharp suit to wear and he can't wait to go to Uncle Kurt and Aunt Ash's "wedding party!"