lake time.

Based on these pics you might think only one brother enjoyed himself...
But both had a great time!  We think M was just trying to figuring the water out....
My mom (aka Grammie) and I took the boys to Cunningham Falls yesterday.  We packed a lunch and got there by 10:30am.  Didn't stay terribly long, because, even though it wasn't as hot as it was going to get for the day by 1pm, we had certainly gotten our skins worth. :)
Anyway, I don't think Megersa has any memory of water other than our darling 1.5 ft deep baby pool or the bathtub, so he was a little tentative at first...  Then he got fearless and I had to catch him from floating away...  Thankfully he stayed at a happy medium most of the time though. 
Cale was of course, his non-bashful self and joined himself in on conversations and football tosses without a care in the world.  I honestly believe he thinks everyone is his friend.
He's rad.
Next time I'll try and remember to bring their kick boards, inner-tubes and goggles.  I was sorry for them that I forgot them... Oh well.  Good times were had regardless. 
I can't wait to see how they fare at the beach this summer.

We have another walker!

Thad's been walking for about 3 months.  Old hat, right?
Well, we knew Shepherd would take a bit more time.
Took him longer to roll over, to sit up, to crawl.  He was certainly in no rush.
He is a little more sensitive.  ...Maybe a tiny bit chicken. ;)
When he first learned to pull himself to stand he was terrified of falling down.  Cruising came afterwards, but not directly.  He's a thinker you see.  And he never seemed to be bothered by his comparative lack of mobility...
But now that it's summer time, we've noticed that he disliked crawling around in the grass and mud watching his brothers walking (or running) through the jungle outside.
So he began to stand unaided.  But...he would just stand, clearly fearful of taking that first step.
Practice makes progress, no?! :)
Grammie definitely wanted to see him take his first steps, so she worked with him all weekend.
TADA!!

YAY SHEPHERD!!
We're so proud of our littlest buddy!
It seems like such a huge accomplishment for him - each step is thought through, and purposeful.  I only hope he will continue to take life at a slower pace - methodically planning his course and choosing with determination his path.

Unlike his bull of a twin - who I'm sure will do more of "learning from his mistakes." 
Just a hunch though...we certainly could be wrong.............. ;)


OH, and today, Thad & Shep are now 15 months old!!
Wow.

not gone, just preoccupied...

i'm usually not one to neglect my blog.  at least i don't think i am.
it's just that i have been preoccupied. 
i have throw myself into an "investigation" of sorts.
sorry...i'll have to elaborate on that later in life.... still researching.
at any rate, life goes on as normal - with little victories and bouts of humor to shake things up.

Cale learned to ride a bike.
It took him really just one afternoon.  I had purchased a big boy bike for him at a garage sale - a whopping $2.  he was reluctant to even attempt to ride it when i brought it home. 
his answer was always "i'll ride it when i'm five - then i'll be old enough." 
there was no arguing his logic, he just insisted he would be brave then and could handle it.
well, his birthday came and went and the bike sat there.
annoyed at all the clutter in the garage (toys the kids don't play with) i told him that we might need to get rid of this bike if he didn't ever ride it.
"i don't know how."
i told him i'd help him. 
i only steadied him by his back for a few minutes, before he decided he knew how to do it.  (apparently daddy had been working with him prior...) but that afternoon he just took off - riding up and down the driveway - through the grass, and up the path to the church.  he told me i could get rid of his other bike (with training wheels), but i said it's best if we keep it for his brothers.
"okay, but i don't want to ride it anymore."
and that was that. he can ride a big boy bike.

Cale also started t-ball.  we have offically entered the sports world.

Megersa has been using the big boy potty for how many months now?  a lot.  well, now he WILL tell us when he has to go.  And he doesn't ever pee in his pants (unlike the struggle we still have with big brother....).  he's awesome.  and so for that - we have no more 'mege-on-the-potty' pics.

M is quite the cut-up. aka: we think he's funny. :)
he and cale sing the song "we are the free" word-for-word.  the other day - a decision all his own, he decided to substitute thad's name for every noun in the chorus.  the nouns that were longer, he used thaddeus (*taddus*).  it was pretty darn cute - wish i would have captured it on video!
today he held a plate of green beans up to his ear and asked me "mommy, can you hear that?  what are they saying?"  confused initially, i came up to speed quickly and responded "sorry buddy, i think that's just rice crispies...."  ((but, i guess i can't be too sure on that one...maybe his beans are telling him something...)) 

tim and i call Thad our "bull" - and not just cuz we see him bullying the others - big and little - but mainly, he just stomps around the house... charging ahead at whatever he's made his little mind up to do. he always seems to be on a mission. 
a bull and a monkey.
he and shep are such climbers.  i dont believe i ever encountered the other 2 even attempting to use any climbing skills....  but my munchkins can often be seen on top of the coffee table, a-top a rubbermaid tub, in their jogging stroller, on the arm of the couch.  i mean...they truly are monkeys.  thad's got no fear either.  and when he wants something or wants to do something...he will make. it. happen.  we are quite certain he will be our most challenging toddler.  despite his cheeky grin, we can envision tantrums in his future.......... 

adorable though. :)

Shep.  well, Sheppy understands when mommy says "no, no" - he shakes his head appropriately.  shepherd hates to be corrected and will burst into tears.  he desperately wants to walk, but has yet to really take a confident first step.  remember, he has always been skittish when it comes to falling.  he can stand unaided now, but i think it'll be a little while longer before he takes that leap of faith.  actually, both twins are starting to repeat words here and there.  shep said "nigh-nigh" today, and thad can point to the wall and say the word.  smart lil boogers.  very smart.
i am constantly telling cale that he needs to be extra careful when he makes a decision to do something because little eyes are watching him.  we got an example of it yesterday when the twins took to pounding the floor with their hands (cale had been swatting ants). 
again...monkey see, monkey do. :)

you know...i am aware of how beautiful my boys are. ;)  i know they aren't girls, but they are beautiful.  and they are magical little humans who have such a way about them...  i'm not sure if i would have repeated this this the same way a few months into the twins homecoming - but i can NOW confidently say that i am loving the fact that they are so close in age. 

and i can predict the future, have i told you?
it's true.
i can see camping trips with dirty boys making forts and roasting hotdogs.  i see wrestling and laughter. 
i see comroderie, i see fighting.  i see love.
because, well, they are already so incredibly fond of each other.  the ones who talk ask where a missing brother is and insists on knowing when they will return/awake.  the muted look around and listen to the echos in the house - and i can tell they are wondering when the "noise" will appear again.  i'm sure as they cluster closer to the ages of 3-7, they will surely be inseperable.