Happy birthday, Neal Hendrix!

He's 2! He's 2! I'm so thankful God knew we needed this little light of mine.  ("Little" -- yeah . . .) He's so big and vibrant. I love the joy he brings us. I love his expressions and humor. He's learning so much self control over his emotions and behaviors. His bottom lip will push out and quiver when disciplined but we talk about it and he nods and seems to understand. His comprehension blows me away. He knows how to get a reaction from us. He's excited to have his older siblings around but also pushes them out the door to school to enjoy his own time. I'm just completely amazed by him. He most certainly completes us.

Turned Into a Blur

I love these three so very much. Everything seems like a blur, from me being a young adult, to children, to my baby turning into a toddler, to another moving into his last year in primary school, and to my oldest going into middle school . . .

Hair Ye, Hair Ye

A day with record temps means hose off what I can, open the windows, clean out the van, grill out, cut hair, . . . As Zane had his hair cut, Hendrix kept asking to "Sit down and cut. " I told him he could have a turn when I finished with Zane's. 

As soon as Zane hopped down, Hendrix came hurrying back and patted the stool to be lifted up and for me to cut. Vanessa grabbed my phone, noting that it was Hendrix's first haircut. Really just a trim around the back and around his ears, but it was nice to tame it a tad, now that it's growing faster, although still a little patchy . . . I was pleased with how well he did. And I kept as much length as possible! He even asked me when I was done  "All done? Get down?"

Chillin' Out, Maxin', Relaxin' All Cool

XOXOXOXO

Baby Betz

 This is an acceptable way to watch TV, right? :-) He moves the furniture by himself.

 Cause a sucker makes it better . . .

Poor Zane . . .

I'm talking 'bout meatloaf (meatloaf).

Any Phineas and Ferb fans will totally get the title of this post. ;-)  We couldn't help but sing it when Vanessa asked to help make it. It was her first time and huge that she asked me, since it's such a amped up sensory activity, at least for her.

She wasn't overly dramatic. She actually said it was oddly satisfying to mush all together.  Then her fingers reached the slime of the eggs, and she became giggling and sort of freaked but handled it well and molded and shaped it into the baking dish beautifully. It was delicious! No leftovers! (Her grandmother's recipe with her mama's tweaking.)

Enjoy a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMhXJj93Gmg

Just a Hammerin'

When Daddy leaves out tools, we get creative with how to use them. Hendrix was pretty good at hammering nails (screws, really) through a box. It irritated him when a nail would slant, so he would stop, straighten it, and go for it again. He ended up hammering 14.

I attempted to give him a smaller hammer, but he wasn't having it..