I’m going to write a post. Why? Because I want to. Why? So I can tell people what’s happening. Why? Why? Why?

Welcome to my day.  I knew this was coming, since Christopher had started asking, “What are you doing?”  and then “What are you guys talking about?” many times a day.  And last week, he started asking, “Why?” in response to nearly everything I say.  I need everyone’s prayers for patience!  Sometimes it is cute, but sometimes it drives me nuts.  How long does this phase last?  A year and a half?!?  I feel like I have known lots of 4-year-olds who ask why all the time, so I’m a little scared!

Will is officially on the move, with a quick army crawl now.  He already has a knack for finding everything and anything in the room that is NOT a toy.  I just put him on the floor with 6 toys so I could type this post, and he went straight for the chair leg and Daddy’s binders.  Toys are so boring, apparently!  And you can imagine Christopher’s reaction when Will goes for his toys!

Christopher has FINALLY learned to sing his ABC’s correctly, after leaving out Q-V for the longest time.  Now that he’s got it right, he breaks into the alphabet song at random, several times a day.  It is hilarious.  Especially in quiet, public places like the doctor’s office.  He also loves to sing “Old McDonald had a Farm”, pausing to ask Mommy, “Which animal?”   There’s a song from music class where you choose an animal for each verse and give the animal a name.  He always chooses a lion named Ashley (one of my best friends here), usually an animal or two named after his grandparents, and then starts on the names of the Bob the Builder characters.  “I like to feed my elephant, elephant, elephant, I like to feed my elephant, Scoop!”  (Now I’m going to have that song stuck in my head all day.)

Time to wrap up this post before Daddy’s “Surgical Anatomy of the Hand” book is completely covered in drool!

Will is on the move!

Will has a new skill–I’d call it an army crawl, but that might be a slight exaggeration. But he’s learned that if he pushes with his knees and squiggles around enough, he can move from one place to another. It provides him with the wonderful ability to get things to put in his mouth that Mommy didn’t intend for him to get–my shoes, for example–so now I’m really going to have to be on my toes! Fortunately, he’s not too quick yet. It is hilarious to watch! I have to fight the temptation to spend all day moving his toys out of reach so I can see him try to get it.

Will has new favorite food, too. Fruit puffs–like cheerios, except that they dissove in your mouth, so they are less of a choking hazard. We put some on his high chair tray, and he goes after them with such urgency, it’s like he’s certain they are going to vanish from the tray in 3 seconds. He’s been really impressive from the start with his ability to pick them up and get them in his mouth. It is another fun thing to watch!

Christopher has become the star of his music class–he loves the songs and has started to sing along during class. This may not sound impressive, but he is the only kid who sings. So it is pretty funny.

The other night during dinner, Christopher said to us, “What are you guys eating?” Nervous that I am raising a Yankee, I said, “Christopher, we are moving to Arkansas soon. I need to teach you to say y’all.” Then, just to clarify, I added, “We’re not going to Arkansas right now. Later.” Christopher nodded seriously and said, “We have to wait.” Then he glanced at the big clock that I often refer to when I’m explaining it’s not time to go yet and said, “We have to wait until the big hand is on the 7 and the 8.”

We are excited to share two big pieces of news from our family–Aunt Laura (Noel’s sister) found out on Monday that she is having a baby girl! We can’t wait to meet our cousin Caroline in February. We thank God that everything looked healthy on the ultrasound. And a big congratulations to Daddy for passing his orthopaedic board exam! We got the good news yesterday. So if you know anyone in northwest Arkansas who needs a hand surgeon who really knows his stuff, tell them he’ll be there when the big hand is on the 7 and the 8. (Otherwise known as mid-August!)