A Day in the Life of AJ and Dexter: Some April and May Shots of the Boys

These two boys of mine are so very very different. I may dress them the same, but they are not the same at all.

AJ is still very serious. Dexter is beaming all the time (unless he's teething). AJ was always so cautious when he was a baby, but Dexter is daring. AJ had a very large vocabulary when he was this age. Dexter is physically strong and agile.

I have two boys. Two boys who have a love-hate relationship. Best friends and loving brothers and then mortal enemies who only get in each other's way. Both of them can 'dish it out', but only one of them can 'take it'. Do you know who is who?

Having two boys is wonderful. They are both so sweet, but they're still mischeivous. Together, they can get into some trouble.

AJ knows darn well that he is only supposed to write on paper, but if you let him loose with Dexter in Dexter's room, somehow, he forgets the rules and the two of them write on Dexter's play table. The reason? "Well, Dexter was doing it!"

AJ is learning the blame game too.
AJ - "Dexter did it."
Me - "But Dexter can't get downstairs with the gate closed."
AJ - "Oh, he opened it."
Hmmmmmm. Or, my new recent favourite....
AJ - "Jack did it."
Me - "But Jack went home a long time ago."
AJ - "Oh! He got in his car and left Auntie Erica's house to come over here and do that."

So, I've been working on putting up all these pics over the course of a week and now that I've finally done it, there's already more pics on the camera that need to go up on the picture site to bring over to here.

I'll have to remember to update the 'milestones' in a few days. Dexter has added more signs like 'apple' and 'orange' and I need to write about how well he's done for 4 days without his crib. I thought it would get tricky on those rare nights that he wakes in the middle of the night, but so far, it turns out to be even easier. I come in, I give him a hug, I lay him down and say, "It's still bedtime", he starts to get up and cry, and I walk out and close the door. No more than 45 seconds later, he gives up and is bright enough to hop back into bed and go to sleep! This boy hasn't fallen asleep on the floor unlike his big brother on one of his first nights.

Okay, so the picture update. These are grouped according to events and such, not placed in any date order. Some pictures could be 2 weeks old and followed by some that are almost 2 months old.

Here we go...

Since fencing in the front upper yard, it means I have a safe place for the kids to play all while getting some gardening done. Richard and I lugged one of the backyard playstructures to the front side of the house and Dexter just loves it, as you can see!

I gave Rya a 'side pony' this day. What a cutie! And she knows it!

Here's Dexter serenading to Rya before we head to pick up AJ and Jack at preschool.

I just loved this picture of Rya.

These next three are Dexter and Rya on a different Friday as I had just put their shoes on so we could go pick up AJ and Jack from preschool.

Here are AJ and Dexter taking a ride on the vacuum. This is why I don't vacuum as often as I should. Yah, that's it. That's why.

Brothers shooting hoops before we head out for the day.

Brothers playing hand held video games in their jammies.

We have a really great path up behind our house. I love going for a walk here. I can let Dexter 'off leash' you could say....lol... and not worry about him running into traffic. In fact, on this path, AJ usually asks part way through to go in the stroller and Dexter likes to help me push him.

Here's AJ running at 3 year old speed.

Here's Dexter trying to catch up.

AJ makes the 'good choice' to wait up for Dexter for a bit.

Please mommy. I don't want to have my nap today.

Here's one of the Fridays that I had all the kids. There was a 'shirt incident' that caused me to put one of Dexter's shirts on Rya, so I tried to 'girl it up' with some big bows in her hair.

My boys. Hanging out together.

Well, jeepers. Under the circumstances, I don't want to get on Richard's case about not mowing the lawn, but.....

In this picture, Dexter is saying, "Seriously. Are you going to mow this?"

And in this picture, he's saying, "Fine, I'll do it myself."

Around Mother's Day, my mom came over with some flowers and plants from her garden to help me put into mine. It was a really nice day. The boys had fun too and took out about every outdoor toy we own and it was scattered on the the upper lawn.

Here, AJ is helping to water the ivy and the hydrangeas.

Mmmm. Gram hugs.

Gram is big fun. The boys do get to see her about once a week, and I so often forget to take out the camera.

Look at that lovely mess of fun!

This is a card that AJ made for his friend Grace who lives in Puyallup, WA for her birthday. We have wrapped the gift and made the cards, but man, I just can't seem to remember to mail it! Sorry Melissa!! He cut out paper and glued it down to make a dinosaur.

And for this part, he was trying to copy the picture on the front of the Crayola Wonders book.

Pretty good, huh?

Here are the boys getting into trouble together. No doubt it was Dexy's idea to put the stool up there on Dexter's table and then AJ came along and said, "Oh, Dexter, I'll help you get the blinds down."

Usually, on Friday afternoons, after the babies' nap and bottles, we head out to the front yard to play until Kevin comes to pick up Jack and Rya. The kids just have a blast with this crane and the sand.

Once Jack and Rya go home, the boys usually stay out here to play more, and when Daddy gets home, we all go out for a picnic dinner.

I wanted a picture of the two of them on the chair. AJ tries desperately to help me attain this, but to no avail.

Here's Dexter facinated by something in the front yard. In the background you'll see some of the little fence I put up to keep him from getting to the stairs.

He really doesn't like this fence.

He REALLY doesn't like it.

Okay, so this next picture, I simply call, "Fame." AJ had found his "baby legs" in his sock drawer. He wasn't quite into his jammies yet, kind of half changed. He was dancing and 'kung fuing' all down the hall.

AJ's wanted a stroller for a while. I told him that when I find one that isn't pink, I'll pick it up. Here it is. Both boys love love love to push each other down the hall in it.

I loved this. I walked into AJ's room to find Dexter all alone, sitting at AJ's table. He had obviously climbed up beside AJ's dresser, taken a paint brush out of the art basket, gotten the paint water cup off of the dresser, and put them on the table. And there he sat waiting. Waiting for someone to come along and get out a paint with water book, so he could get to work. Luckily, AJ and I noticed Dexter all by his lonesome and got him started. My boys.

Awww. They like each other here. Hugs.

Awwww. Reading a book together. Nice.

Awwww. Painting together. Sweet.

AJ prefers his water from his thermos. Cool, clean, and crisp...

Dexter prefer his from a plastic golf club handle that has been dunked into a bucket filled with water and sand and goodness knows what else.

Here's Dexter enjoying that slide a little more.

Do you see how delicously chunky these legs are?

This golf club is obviously pretty awesome.

I think they're conspiring with those water toys.

"Hey Dexter, you go squirt mom and I'll go dump this bucket of cold water on her."
"Okay, AJ."

We have a playground that we call "The Boat Park". The playstructure has a nautical theme and is somewhat shaped like a boat. This is the playground that's closest to the bridge at Mill Lake where we look at ducks and search for spiders.

AJ kept going down the slide on his feet and then walking up the slide backwards.

Poor Dexter trying to catch up to AJ again. He's probably yelling, "Da-Ja" which is what he seems to prefer to call AJ.

A couple weekends ago, after AJ asking lots to go to a farm, we decided to take the boys to Birchwood Dairy for some awesome ice cream, to play at the playground, and to see the cows and horses.

Dexter's trying to escape here, and Richard's trying to keep him corralled.