Dynamic Duo of Gus and Rals: Where Does the Time Go?

Boys making their Grandies and Auntie special shirts! Peta was gracious enough to model it before leaving…and help me basically scrape off the puffy paint after we were done. Two words, rubber – gloves – for the next time I get creative with non-washable paint!!! We were excited to see Poppy in his special shirt tonight when we Skyped!

Wow, looking back on the past few months I have been lax on blogging. Time flies when you are having fun, I guess. We’ve certainly have been busy. Auntie Peta finally made it home after a long flight turned into an even longer flight when her initial flight from TIA was delayed and thus caused her to miss her flight in Guam back home. Ugh. She really got back luck on the way back, but finally got back to Oz, and her luggage made it a few days later…and she spent New Year’s Eve on the plane!

The boys have been busy, and sick, and trying to get back into the swing of things not having Auntie Peta around to play with 24/7. Instead of the mundane musings about the day-to-day stuff, I need to do a write up of our “favorite things” or at least some of the funny stuff coming out of these boys’ mouths lately. Time really is flying, the boys are growing up so quickly. In a few months they will be turning three, heading to preschool and I am sure making us laugh and cry with the new things they will come up, this dynamic duo they are.

Raleigh is continuing to be a real comedian. He really does enjoy a good poo joke, and still loves to talk about his penis, but poo poo is the newest funny maker for him, yes, him, I tend not to laugh about poo. However, yesterday when he informed me that his poopy looked like a pineapple, complete with the “pokeys” on time, I had to laugh. Gus is a poopy inspector as well, he impressed me when he said his dootie looked like a “U.” Sure enough, I had to check it out as well, and it looked like a GIANT U! Today, he said his looked like a manatee, so, yes, poop jokes are alive and well in the Hamilton household.

Augustus is really into his letters. Or “word building” in the spirit of Word World. He is able to recognize and point out many letters, A, R, U, X, M, B, O and C. They are not into repeating the A, B, C, D song, so I’ll take it. Better to know them rather than repeat a song, right? Raleigh is not really into it yet, so I am not pushing it. He does know the “R” for Raleigh and “X” for x marks the spot, like a pirate! Raleigh is like Daddy and about the numbers and has been able to count to 10 for almost a year now. Gus, well, he always starts with two, then one, then five, and has the 7, 8, 9 down. He is great to listen to when playing hide-and-go-seek! Which, by the way, they love to play, and always hide in the same place during each and every “game.” Usually under the blanket on the couch. Hilarious, and they just giggle each and every time they “find” each other!

Here is a shot of the boys after completing their alphabet train puzzle from “Auntie” Kristy! The LOVE it!!!

After a little over two months of really, really, really pushing limits at bedtime and nap time, we seemed to have gotten back into a routine that is less stressful on the parents, for now. I know, each phase is short lived and can be fleeting. We have started to lay off the time-outs and are focusing on consequences they understand and can articulate back to us. The most helpful of consequences is to take away one toy at a time after giving them choices to do the right thing, or make a “good choice” instead of a “bad choice.” It is great to hear them tell us what happens if they make a good choice, and vice versa. The time-outs are usually used now when we need an immediate break in action; i.e. they are getting on each others nerves and pestering the heck out of each others as brothers tend to do, or not listening in a more dangerous situation (i.e. running away and not listening to stop). Keeping your cool when they are testing you is hard stuff. How do you moms do it all the time? We have some great friends with the calmest moms ever, and I just look at them in awe! My goal this year is to enjoy every moment with these little guys and raise my voice less. Pretty soon they will be in school part-time, then full-time and not so willing to give me a kiss all the time and call me “princess” and tell me they love me or answer that they love me, too, or love me more…heart breaking stuff. I am trying not to sweat the small stuff, while still help instill the things they need to be the awesome little men that they are.

Bikes. We now have big boys bikes. They are only 12 inches high, but they are real big boy bikes with helmets and all. The boys love them, but are not too sturdy on them yet, so we are trying to keep them to the tricycles and big wheels for now. However, Raleigh is almost a pro at his three wheeled scooter that was handed down to them. Seriously, the kid’s got skills!

Yes, Gus’ helmet is on backwards. don’t ask.

In other funnies, today, words out of their mouth -

- “Mom, I am going to screw you” as Rals took a screwdriver to my leg. Thanks, bud, that is so inappropriate on so many levels

- “I’m gonna be easy, Mommy.” as Raleigh took a hammer to his bench. Meaning, I am going to take it easy, not pound the living crap out of this thing.

- “Get out of my kitchen.” Raleigh to me as we were playing chef and I tried to enjoy my chocolate cake and “muff” cakes the boys made me. Huh, do you think they know they cannot be in the kitchen when I am cooking? Bite me in the bum that tone did!

- So not out of the mouth, but a great impersonation of me as Gus put the pretend cell phone to his ear and held it in his shoulder, and put his finger to his mouth when Raleigh tried to talk. Just a silent shush and a great “mom” look.

- “What, what, what, what, what, you doing?” From Augustus’ mouth any time he clearly wants to know what you are doing. It is the funniest thing. And the only time his adorable little stutter comes out.

- Me – “that’s mommy juice” when the boys asked what was in my wine cup. Gus “No, that’s “Peta juice.” Ha, brilliant, yup, that’s right Gus, that is Peta (auntie) juice!

I know that I am missing a million other of the little things, but I hope the boys can read this stuff one day and laugh as much as I do on a daily basis. Yes, even when I feel like I am talking to two brick walls who would rather ignore me than look me in the eye and answer a question – the joys of almost three year olds, right? All in all, they are just awesome, crazy kids. The crazy I will take. I soooooooooooooo know where they get it from…