Would it get things clean?

This weekend

I heard a certain little one ask his father about a bottle in the bathtub:

Daddy, why is this called shampoop?

Mondays before 9am.

my oatmeal was ALL THAT - especially since i'm not a fan of oatmeal.

modified from jessica seinfield's Deceptively Delicious..

my right bicep is TIGHT! it even hurts to fully extend it - as in try to make it straight.

at least i know that i have a muscle there.

i am taking 2 ibprofen.

kids did NOT like having oatmeal this morning... weeping and gnashing of teeth at sight of their bowls.

cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top saved the day.

boys did school and are playing dressup.

girls wanted to do school once they knew dress up was available.

dress up is wonderful motivation.

hauling dressup bin from attic was tough with said bicep.

there's lots of skin and undies around with all this changing of clothes.

liam told caleb that ninjas don't wear undies.

And then there were two...

We are loving the summer fruits. I recently stocked up on fresh peaches and blackberries. Everyone in the family loves them, so I try to be sure to save some for Daddy.

Yesterday we had a couple of fresh berries 'just because'.

This morning we had blackberries and peaches with our yogurt and granola.

It made our breakfast a little bit sweeter.

I was upstairs and the reliable oldest child came running.

"Mommy, you aren't going to believe this. You need to come see, NOW!"

I have to give the boy credit, usually when he says this it really IS something worth seeing.

Today was no exception.

One leg on my desk and a foot on my chair,

his mouth was stuffed,

as if he heard us coming and in a panic he just shoveled in as many as he could.

His fingers, cheeks, clothing, the counter top and my chair were all stained with drippy, juicy evidence.

A pint of juicy berries all for himself.

I bet it was worth it to a certain 2 year old.

A couple scattered berries were on the floor.

Quick pick it up.

We'll save those for Daddy.

Good as new. ;)

CALEB ZEAL

This little bugger is an animal.

The babies briefly fell asleep this morning in book-time, so I went in to wake them up.

Lydia woke up with a roll and a stretch and a sleepy head.

Caleb jumped up and started growling.

He loved food from the start.

He keeps pace with Li-li and Rara.

He was climbing before he could walk.

He has eaten dirt on multiple occasions... and keeps doing it.

He has no fear. And will reach or touch or jump from anywhere.

My little man is full of energy.

From day 1 he has been consistently living up to his middle name.

He LOVES to play instruments and it's the toy he most requests to play with.

He bites.

I'd like to think of it as a release of energy. Sometimes I don't even think he knows he's doing it. He bites when he's silly/wild/wound up, not angry.

He dances, jumps, runs and climbs.

He forms great sentences.

He eats like a champ.

He watches out for his sister.

Whenever he gets something, he always asks for one for Lydia , then takes it to her.

He can climb out of his crib, mess up the room, then climb back in to fall asleep.

He loves I SPY books and 'E-I-E-I-O'.

He loves his thumb.

His blanket, or 'bubba', as he calls it, is a pair of 24 months fleece footies.

He insists that they are spread out, and inside out, to sleep.

He looks like his daddy.

He is silly and funny.

He's an entertainer.

He was a goofy looking baby, with his silly faces and tongue hanging out,

but now he is one of the cutest 2 year olds I know.

For as much as he loves to bounce off the walls, he loves to snuggle with his mama.

This is the one who keeps me on my toes.

He makes me laugh daily.