moments and milestones

[picking raspberries at Grandma and Grandpa's]

Upon seeing a mouse running through our house, I shrieked a little shriek. After finding out what my deal was, Little Man who has learned (and is now relearning as Brother is going through the shrieking stage) not to shriek, seriously instructed me: "Mama, don't scream at mouses."

When his Daddy came home, Little Man narrated very excitedly: "There's a mouse in the house and it scared us and mom screamed!"

Later in the evening he got out some Lincoln logs and began building what he designated as a house for the mouse

I am proud of Little Man's budding bargain hunting skills. We went yard saling last weekend and he got the following for $2: a duck figurine that he loved, a little nerf "shooter" (it kinda looks like a tiny cannon with two plastic missiles), a nice stick horse, a Little Man-sized wooden chair, and a book about ostriches.

Little Man enthusiastically to Brother: "You know what? God made you!"

Brother has been holding onto whatever is supporting him with just one hand and walking around. Sometimes he'll even let go and take a little step or two unsupported, but he still likes crawling the best.

Little Man finger painted for the first time this week.

[being silly with bows from Brother's birthday]

["helping" with the kitchen remodel]

Brother almost climbed onto the couch all by himself.

Brother drew his very first "picture" this week using colored pencils!

Brother has started standing up from the floor without any support.

Some friends gave us a big box of pluots (a cross between plums and apricots). The boys both love them, but Brother's affection for them is special. I think he would eat nothing but pluots if I let him. Anyway, one day he discovered the box, and we found him covered in pluot juice eagerly devouring pluots grasped in each fist.

[Daddy's arrival home from work is the highlight of their day.]