Life With 3 boys goes on!

So we roll into 2008 in our new house, with our three boys. Austin, in one day, started saying 3 new words: cookie, thank you, and kit-cat. It started one morning, he was looking at the cookie jar and was babbling, so I wasn't paying too much attention, but then, all of sudden, he said, "cookie" and pointed. So I happily gave him one, and said, "OK, Austin, what do we say? We say thank you." And he looked at me and said it. Sort of babbled it, of course, but you could understand him. Then, old Luck-luck came into the room, and Austin is just fascinated with him, and out of the blue, he said, "kit-cat!" Three new words, in one day!

One Sunday, Alex really hammed it up at Sunday brunch himself. We were with Aunt Chris and, as usual, we were the loudest, messiest people there. We always take a table near the back, so people can avoid us if they wish. Well, next to us one aisle over was a group of older ladies, just out of church, too, having a nice brunch. Very sweet, very peaceful (well, as peaceful as it gets sitting near us). Austin is going through a food-throwing stage and Alex is just Alex. Always a puddle around him. He likes blowing bubbles through his straw now. And Andrew dropped his bottle and the top came off and formula went everywhere. Napkins everywhere, straw wrappers everywhere, wet wipes everywhere, juice boxes falling over, food on the floor. A true zoo. So near the end of the meal, Alex gets down from his chair and is standing by Austin's high chair at the end of the table. Alex steps right into all the mess on that end of the table. Alex announces, very loudly, just so the whole restaurant can hear, "good heavens, Austin, what a mess! This place is a pig pen!" (Hhhmm, where do you think he picked up that, huh?)

Then, later that night, our grandson Jared come over to spend the night. Jared was 7 to Alex's 3 years old at the time. Now, Alex had not managed to get a nap in this day, and was edgy and tired. However, he was so ecstatic to see Jared, he got just downright nutty. At one point, Alex and Jared were sitting together side-by-side on the couch, reading (well, Jared was reading, Alex was listening and looking at the pictures). Alex had a dirty (number 2) diaper and Jared smelled it, so he moved away. Alex scooted over by him. Jared got up and moved to the other couch. Alex followed. I finally got a whiff of the problem, and checked Alex's butt. Yep, time for a diaper change. Off to the changing table. Alex threw a royal fit, a real fit, struggling and crying and mad. He thought I was taking him away from playing with Jared. I tried to explain that I just wanted to change his diaper and would take him back to play with Jared, but the conversation went like this:

Me: Alex, calm down, I need to change your diaper.

Alex (crying): Why?

Me: Coz it's messy.

Alex (crying): Why?

Me: Because you pooped in your pants instead of telling your daddy or me that you need to go potty.

Alex (crying): Why?

Me: I don't know why, you know you should tell us and we'll help you go potty.

Alex (crying): Why?

Me: Because we want you to be clean and not poop your pants.

Alex (calming down): What you doing now?

Me: Putting a clean diaper on you.

Alex: Why?

Me (getting frustrated): Because you need a clean diaper on your bottom.

Alex: Why?

Me (very frustrated now): Why, what, Alex?

Alex: Why you puttin' a new diaper on me?

Me (exasperated now to the point of tears): Just because. You tell me why.

Alex: Well, I don't know why. Coz I'm just gonna poop it again!

Welcome to my world!