i don't want to miss a thing

ok, brace yourself for the new series of the longest posts ever. you can skip these if you want; they are mostly for me. i LOVE everyday with these boys, even on the hard days. i can't stand knowing that in 15 years i may not remember the little things, how if felt to have them everyday, the things they said and did, and how their voice sounded. i've become obsessed with not forgetting. i've written things on a calendar page for the boys for quite sometime, but it seems like it gets misplaced, etc. i prefer the permanency of having it on the blog, so i will begin transferring it here with weekly pictures and then print it off every year in a digital scrapbook. i just don't EVER want to forget a thing.

4/20
Sam: you love doing EVERYTHING with me, and for the most part i love that, too. you especially love helping me paint our kitchen table and chairs. it's amusing to see you in your underwear covered in black paint. you are my sidekick for sure; i hope that lasts forever.
Will: you are much more of an independent player. while we are paining or whatever, you happily roam around the backyard, digging in the sandbox, getting in your swing, playing basketball, or just walking around. it's such a relief that you are so easily entertained. i just hope you are getting all the attention you need.
4/21
we've spent the last few days outside playing in the sandbox, jumping on the tramp, digging in the front flowerbed, and going on wagon rides around the block. it's funny, sam looks like a lobster from all the sun and will is turning totally brown. just another example of how different those 2 look!
4/22
Sam: said to Will under the sandbox after will threw a handful of sand at him "do you want to fight or be nice? let's be nice." i love the way he is starting to talk to will; he has become a lot more gentle with him when no one is watching. now if he could just convince will that every time he picks him up it really is a loving action and not torture! i loved his prayer tonight, too. he said "thank you for emi. thank you she can be my cousin. and thank you that she can be my friend." he LOVES emi, and i LOVE his prayers. he's thankful for everything!
Will: whenever he's doing something he shouldn't be doing, i shake my finger at him and say "no, no". now when he's doing something he shouldn't, he looks at me with a huge cheesy grin and shakes his finger until he starts laughing. what a little rascal.
4/23
Sam: his favorite stalling technique lately goes a little something like this... we ask him to do something or put him in bed or whatever. within a few minutes he says "mom, i need to tell you something." ok, what? "i really like this house. i really like my room. how did we get this house?" tonight his stall was kind of cute. i was at a meeting after he had been put to bed. he came downstairs and did the drill with pete. what he needed to tell pete was this... "i really like that pillow that mommy made. she did a really good job." that's sweet.
Will: he is trying so hard to start talking and getting a little frustrated. i think part of the problem is he shakes his no to everything you ask him even if he means yes. he has a way of getting what he wants. his favorite thing is to take me by the hand when he wants something and lead me to it. he has been having a bit of a cold today. i hate that he's sick, but i love that he wants me to hold him nonstop. :)
4/24
We love riding the bike to the library for storytime. the boys just ride in the bike trailer. i love that feeling of flying down the hill; the wind seems to be blowing a bit, and sam always says "it's such beautiful day for a bike ride." i know he has heard that a time or two. today will loved, too. he was giggling almost the whole way. i loved listening to sam "read" to will on the ride home; i'm just glad they ride together better this year than last!
4/25
Sam: i love this conversation sam had with emily today:
sam: we are going to make a spiderman mask today.
emi: i already have a spiderman costume.
sam: did your mom sew it on her sewing machine?
emi: no, sam, we bought it at the store.
sam: (totally confused and trying to process that you can buy that stuff at the store.) oh. we are going to make mine.
i love that he already knows how much we love making things!
Will: this is not a fun thing to remember, but it's definitely who you are right now. you are a hitter; no matter what we do you still keep hitting. you do it like you think it's a total normal response to behavior you don't like it. i can't stand it and hope you grow out of it really soon before you turn into the bully kid. :(
4/26
Sam: he's already starting to protest church every sunday. he pitches a fit for a bit about not wanting to go and finally fesses up that he doesn't want to go because there's always too much singing. he definitely got that from his dad!
Will: we have been dressing will like a little man the last few weeks, and he is SO stinking cute! today he wore sam's old khaki linen suit with his white dress shoes. he looked like a total ham, and i think he loves being dressed up like that. he almost struts around, and he should because he's so adorable!