Grabby J = Crabby A

It didn’t take my meager calculus training to predict the end result of this particular equation. J has discovered the expanse of his personal wing-span and is determined to swat, grab or push anything he can reach. He’s impossible to hold while I do anything. And wearing jewelry is a pain (literally!). With this newly found “handiness” he has also realized that A.’s toys are often more desirable than his own rattles and books. At church yesterday he could NOT be distracted from A,’s clear-plastic backpack that we pack A’s toys and snacks in. Needless to say, A. is NOT impressed by J’s new interest. In the past A. has just ignored J. occasionally grabbing at him in loving interest as they drive the grocery store car-carts, but no more. I’m torn between my sympathy for A. having to put up with a harassing baby and my determination to teach him that baby’s don’t honor “personal space”; get used to it. Anyone else remember how A. used to hate it when kids tried to hug him? He certainly grew out of that. Now he asks me if he can hug some random child we see at the park. (Usually girls... it starts young with this one). Every kid wants the toy that someone else has, but I didn't know it started so young. (Aiden helped do J.'s "dino" hair in the above pic. Nice, eh?)

I think the heat is affecting my brain processes. The other day A. asked for more milk and after he told me it was "yucky" I gave it a sniff to see if it had gone bad. But oh, as many of you know, there is no mistaking the inimitable smell of FORMULA. Woops! Couldn't get him to take another sip of milk for the rest of that day -- even in a new cup! Poor, J. having to live off that stuff. It is HOT here. Pretty much feels like AZ except that the cars cool down much quicker (thank goodness, since we don't even have a carport). It cools down enough that we can play outside first thing in the morning and its not bad, but oh the mosquitoes. How I hate mosquitoes! All the little girls at church sport an assortment of red spots on their exposed legs; a testament of their willingness to play outside. I keep having bug nightmares.

Our washer and dryer still haven't arrived. I feel like I'm trying to win a contest of who can go the longest without washing their clothes. (Ken is definitely gonna win since he just keeps exchanging scrubs at work.) Nevertheless, I think I'd rather have our dishwasher if I had to choose between the two. It is remarkable how much happiness one small appliance can bring to a person's life. Don't believe me? Go 5 years without one and throw in 7-8 baby bottles a day to be washed & sanitized. I think it saves me almost an hour a day; I really do! Not to mention I've been more likely to cook now that I have counter space and easy clean-up. Whats that compared to 3 hours at the laundromat every 2 weeks? Though I admit that's not cheap....