Snips and Snails and Puppydog Tails

I. Have. The. Best. Boys. Ev-ar. No, really, I do. I know that you think I’m biased, and I’m sure I am, but I still have the best boys ever. They are funny, sweet, smart, caring, and just generally wonderful. How many 9 year olds do YOU know who won’t let their pregnant step-mom carry a lawnchair at a baseball or soccer game, or get concerned that I might get too worked up watching my favorite Horned Frogs in the Fiesta Bowl? How many 6 year olds do YOU know who will draw you pictures ESPECIALLY for your desk at work because he knows it will help brighten an otherwise dreary work day?

My boys amaze me every day.

Example 1: This weekend, we had my sister- and brother-in-law and niece and nephew visiting (Grandpa’s 85th birthday). I watched these boys play endlessly with their younger cousins. At one point, all 4 kids were playing football in the backyard (Nerf football, don’t worry). We watched Eliana and Caleb take down Elijah to get the football (hey, it’s a rough sport). As the 4 parents sat in the kitchen watching to see if we needed to intervene, a rather upset Elijah got up and walked over to his sister. She put her arms around him in a big hug to comfort him. Then Caleb came over to make sure he was okay, and Jacob did the same. I watched Caleb check out Eli’s face, while Jacob dusted the grass off of him and checked him over to make sure he was okay. Eli was fine, and the game went on.

Example 2: Yesterday morning, Caleb woke up with an upset tummy. He got sick several times. Jacob told me (today) that he was really worried about Caleb because he just kept upchucking. He said, “I was, like, Caleb! Are you okay? Oh my gosh!”

Example 3: Today, our coworkers threw a baby shower for us. Since it’s spring break and Bryan is working from home while the boys are out of school, all three of them came up for the shower. The boys were their usual, incredibly charming self – I can’t even count the number of compliments I received on them today. They ate cake, sat happily with a coworker during the shower (they had seats at the main table with Daddy and I if they wanted, but neither likes the spotlight all that much), and happily entertained themselves at a couple of whiteboards for a little bit after the shower while Daddy was on a conference call in the office. They helped load up all the gifts in the car, and helped Daddy unload them when they got home.

Example 4: This evening, the boys were outside playing (again)–enjoying the beautiful spring day. Jacob came inside and got the Lysol wipes and paper towels to clean off our plastic adirondack patio chairs (unprompted, as far as I know). Next thing I know, they’re asking me my favorite color, and “sneaking” out their bin of Mardi Gras beads. Of course I wondered what they were up to, but it was clearly a secret, because I wasn’t allowed outside at first. When they were ready for me, Jacob had me close my eyes and he led me–safely–outside to where they had set up not just chairs for themselves, but all 4 chairs! They had cleaned off all 4 chairs and set them up in a circle with the little table in the middle. As if that wasn’t enough, they had decorated Daddy’s and my chairs with enough Mardi Gras beads (in our favorite colors, of course) for a king or queen (depending on whose derriere would be there). Caleb thoughtfully warned me not to SIT on the beads, because that would be uncomfortable, but instead to WEAR them.

Example 5: After dinner, Jacob was asked to put away some comic books that our thoughtful co-worker, Beth, gave the boys today. WITHOUT BEING ASKED, Jacob picked up some legos that his brother had brought downstairs to play with, and put them away, also!

See? I told you. I. Have. The. BEST. Boys. EV-AR. 🙂