SS Mustache If You Like Green Beans

Of course when SS got big laughs for cleverly making a green bean mustache, BB followed suite.

SS has been making simple jokes since he could talk, and we treasure his goofy, joyful spirit.

BB used his green beans to turn himself into a walrus! 

ISR with SS

Just some quick pics from the end of SS's ISR refresher this summer!

Happy boy in the water with his Mama. 

(All lessons were not this smiley, but he likes when I get in the water with him on Fun Fridays.)

Since then he has been fairly fearful in the water and needs lots of firm encouragement to do his swim-float-swim to practice. Once he starts swimming back and forth from J to me though, he almost always remembers that he likes it and gets smiley. He loves to just play on pool steps and splash.

BB Built a Boat

One of BB's birthday gifts from Nacky and Papa was a toolbox, tools, and some building kits. A few days after his birthday, BB and Daddy spent an afternoon in the garage doing manly things.

This is basically my favorite picture ever. I love the unrestrained glee on his face, and the mad-scientist-with-a-hammer vibe.

The kit

 

SS's First Haircut

I like my little boys' hair long, especially when they're toddlers. My brother had long, blonde curls when he was a toddler, and there is something so baby-sweet about a little boy with long hair to me. I waited until BB was over two to cut his hair for the first time. But SS is nearing THREE and I still hadn't cut his hair. Those long ringlets were so perfect and lovely that I just couldn't bring myself to do it. And c'mon, this kid is cute: 

See, perfect and lovely. And pretty. So pretty, in fact, that people started commenting on our little "girl". Which totally used to happen to my little brother too.

 Which understandably started to drive J crazy (and me too a little, but thanks to my little bro's long blonde locks, I was already a well-seasoned traveler on the correct-the-toddler-gender road.)

And then my sister came to visit and encouraged and guided me on how to cut his hair (using her Devacurl experience), and after a few tears at the realization that SS is no longer a baby and needs a big boy haircut, I finally girded up my loins and decided to go for it.

I had a little hipster haircut pinned on Pinterest, but when it came down to it, J wasn't ready to see all of the curls go yet either, so we settled on a short, curly, clearly-boy style.

Before:

During:

After:

After sitting still for 20 minutes, SS wasn't interested in sitting still for "after" pictures, but you get the idea. His hair is so much easier and quicker to style now, which we ALL appreciate. These pics are of his hair right after I wet it so the curls would re-activate, but one of the unexpected surprises of his haircut is that it's really cute when the curls are more brushed and dry and less ringlet-y - his hair looks very surfer cool, which I love - still need a pic of that look! 

The First Last Day of (Pre)School

Three weeks ago, BB attended his last day of preschool. We had such a great experience at his preschool and I am looking forward to the day when SS attends and we are part of the St. A's family again.

A week before school was out for summer, there was a Family Night. BB performed some songs with his class.

Posing with classroom art posted in the hallway for Family Night

While the focus of preschool is probably for the kids to make friends, I ended up making a dear friend as well. Here we are on the last day of preschool! What, you think I should be taking pics of BB with his friends on the last day of school???

Our boys aren't even in the same class, so it's a little mysterious how exactly we became friends, but one day we started talking and well, we haven't really stopped. We've logged a lot of time chatting in the preschool courtyard while our kiddos played on the grass.

Okay, okay, BB pics:

Leaving his classroom on the last day of preschool

Our kiddos playing in the courtyard

SS and his little friend L - this pic cracks me up!

SS & L again...the hug looks so sweet...

Except next thing you know, it's a full on tackle and she's down. Boys.

No longer a preschooler!

BB's loving and wise teachers

Thank you for an incredible first year of school Mrs. Koenig and Mrs. Champie! I have been spoiled by this wonderful preschool.