We really do LIVE in our living room.
This includes army wars, break dancing, homework, books, TV, movies, wrestling, dance parties, races, tantrums, reading, coloring, and all sorts of toys. I'm liking that Christmas came before the cold weather around here because these boys are SO good at entertaining themselves.
On a side note, we read scriptures each night at the dining room table. Dylan reminds us in the evening. So what if it's because he wants to prolong going to bed - I'm happy. We started reading there so we could light out advent candle before Christmas. Now I have battery candles when the boys are too jumpy/excited/slap happy for fire. Anyway, Dylan got his OWN Book of Mormon in Primary today AND his own red scripture marking pencil. The kids at church were given a challenge to read the whole Book of Mormon this year. He's so excited and showed Andre and Barbie when they stopped by today. So this evening, I decided to let him start reading where we have left off. It was "And they me . . ." We've been working on reading, and letter sounds etc. He read up to the word "me" and I was determined to let him sound it out. He said the M sound, he said both of the E sounds, but it was so frustrating for the both of us that he didn't know what the word was. He started crying because I knew he could do it and I was being strict - too strict I'm sure. I even asked Isaac to put it together but he started crying because Dylan was. Yes we were all tired so that didn't help. I want to be able to teach my kids and have such high expectations when I know they can do something. I need a better teaching method (and better time than after bed time.) So I carried him upstairs and let him lie on me while he wiped his tears and calmed down and I apologized. Thankfully Steven came in to console Isaac until I could climb in his bed with him too. The sweet part of the story is that Dylan was able to communicate with me his own feelings. He, before fully calming down, said "the teachers at church said that if we can't read it that our parents can help us." Wow. He had told me that in the car, and I thought I WAS helping him. He wanted to read more than just one part of one verse. We usually read about a chapter. In the car, he was already telling me of his concerns with not being able to read it like he was told, but his hope and trust in me that I would be able to help him achieve that goal. I'm so happy that he is able to talk to me and is able to be honest with me. I want to help him to be the best that he can be. I guess I feel some stress with the fact that he'll be starting Kindergarten this fall and that he's not reading yet. I know he doesn't need to be reading yet - I KNOW that. I just want to be able to spend more quality time teaching because he really is in a teachable section of his little life. He aims to please, he loves to laugh, he loves friends, he has the self control to behave the way he should in various settings, but he's also so creative that I let him just play with his army men or be in his Spider Man outfit all day for days at a time. My mom laughed and told me that when it was time to put me into kindergarten, she interviewed so many principals, and teachers and finally put me in a private little red school house that was just for kindergarten. I must be more like my mom than I thought:) Everything will be wonderful - but it's because of him and despite me. I love learning from my kids:)
Then, he surprised us all by standing up on the saddle! - and still rocking!
Steven ran over to spot him. Isaac was so proud of himself.
JT said he was done at this point, then he left. I love Isaac's silly disbelief or disappointment as JT is pushing himself up and away.
Silly boys.
Who dumped out all of the toys and climbed in the bins? 
(Okay, it was ME, but Isaac started it! We put everything back before Dylan woke up.) 
He's learning how to fight w/ his daddy here. He's got his "dukes" up. It reminded me of the scene from the Jungle Book where Balloo is teaching Mogli how to fight. A big playful bear VS. the little scrawny boy.
Dylan's so lucky. His grandma came to visit and dropped off birthday presents from his great grandma. Dylan calls her "big grandma." It's not insulting b/c she's in no way big. It's just his way of saying "great." She gave him a whole percussion let w/ a bongo and tamberine and other noise makers. My mom was holding Isaac right there next to all of the noise. (He's in a sling that I was wearing. Interesting that my mom didn't want to take him out b/c that might disturb him yet we were not worried about disturbing his little ears.) 
It's fun seeing him remember how toys work and recal things. This morning he clapped his hands then looked at his palms and said "uh Daddy. Bug. Get it. (clap and look again)" Steven had smushed a mosquito the night before by clapping his hands together in the air. 
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.JPG)
