Some love for the boys too

I've had a lot of posts about Lexi all in a row, and figured the boys needed a little something too. I love my boys! They are good, sweet, caring little boys who are growing into little men way too quickly.

Tyler & Bryce love to help in the kitchen. They ask "what can I do for you?" (how long will that continue?) They have gotten really good at setting the table, clearing the table, unloading the dishwasher, putting things in the fridge or away in the pantry, and I even put Tyler to work on scrubbing the kitchen floor the other day. A few weeks ago, they helped Marc make some homemade oreos and we delivered them to the their sunbeam teachers. Each one took their turn going up to the door with the plate of cookies in their hands, knocked nervously and had the biggest grins on their faces when their teachers told them "Thank You!" They were so giddy about it! We talked a lot about how it made them feel to do something nice for others. They can't wait until the next opportunity to do something else like that. We got the tent out and had it in the family room for a couple of weeks. It was always entertaining to see what we would find in the tent, sometimes it was all 3 kids giggling at each other, sometimes it was packed full of pillows and blankets, but this time, it was Lexi's toy bin with a Bryce curled up in it with a pillow, what a goofball!

Bryce is the puzzle master! It takes him a few times putting it together to learn where the pieces go, and we think he memorizes where the pieces go in relation to the picture....but he can now do a 48 piece puzzle without help. We're pretty impressed!
Tyler is as fun-loving and giddy as ever. We love hearing what Tyler has to say, because he cracks us up constantly. The other day he told me "mom, I'm going to slowly stop wearing sweat pants and start wearing jeans" (coming from a kid who would live in his pajama pants if we let him). I need to video tape his laugh right now because it makes us laugh just hearing how much he enjoys laughing.

I try to have school every day with the kids and each day we talk about a letter of the alphabet. We sing, practice drawing the letters, color, and I have a bag that I put objects in that start with the letter of the day. Tyler is excited about school all day to find out "what is in your bag mom?"
He's getting very good at writing his name and is an excellent colorer.

Bryce looks forward to school each day and is always anticipating the next letter that we're going to talk about. He is really into asking me "what day is it today?" or "what day is it when we wake up again?" When I tell him, he asks "what do we do on _____?" Usually I can turn it around and say, "I don't know Bryce, why don't you tell me what we do on such and such day?" and he's almost always right. He is very good at writing his letters and picking them out when he sees them in a sign or something. Both he and Tyler love to read.

We love that the sun is coming out and we can play outside again!! The boys are finally starting to recognize how much fun it is to play outside (I had to force them out a few times and told them they couldn't come in until I said so) now they ask me all day if they can go out and I usually say "of course!"
They were late learners when it came to pedaling a tricycle (it took until the end of summer last year) We were very tempted to get them their first bicycles for Christmas but 1) didn't have the money for it, and 2) we figured they wouldn't be able to ride them until close to their birthdays anyway. Its been in the 50's this last week, absolutely gorgeous weather! The kids were outside riding their tricycles in the driveway and garage....and struggling because they are TOO BIG for their little trikes. We're faces with the dilemma of continuing to wait until their birthday (in May) to get them bikes, or get them now and see if they understand the concept of getting a birthday present early. I think if we get them bikes now, it takes away from the specialness of their birthday....ugh, decisions decisions.
We sure love these little boys, and they sure love each other! They take each other on new adventures every day. They make one another laugh, and cry. Bryce will hold Tyler's hand if Tyler feels scared going into a new place, and Tyler will gladly share his blankie or toy with Bryce if he's upset. Don't you wish you had a twin brother?