We have walking!!!

Finally, Payton has decided to join the walking world. He decided on a Friday to give it a try, and by Sunday, he was taking 10 steps at a time...what a cutie. Now I have to chase him even harder. Great for MOM. He is still eating everything in sight, and all the time. He and Otis are so different, but I guess that's what makes life interesting.
Otis has played two football games now, and did even better the second week. He is trying so hard, but his concentration level only lets him go so long. Thank goodness the games are only a hour, he manages to get through them well. Practice, not so much. We are working on that. After 45 minutes or so, he is done. Then he's just trying to find anything else to do. And I mean anything.
We went to Oma's and Opa's last weekend, and Michael and MikelAnn were there. Otis had so much fun playing with MikelAnn. It was great for him to get to spend some time with his cousin. I didn't get good pictures, but here is one. She is 14 and beautiful. Poor Mike.

First Big Game

I don't want to seem like an impossibly proud football mom yet.... but, today was our first game with flag football and Otis did great! He is number 15 and his job is to hike the ball. He has a little trouble focusing on the game, so the coach put him in the middle of the action to hike the ball, and he does it great! They won and made 3 touchdowns! After the game, the Coach came over to him and told him that he had hiked the ball perfect every time and that's why they were able to make touchdowns. Otis was beaming... I didn't specify which one here, because it was hard to tell which Otis was prouder..... Here are a couple of pictures. It is hard to focus on the one year old, cheer and take picture, but I am doing my best. Big O can't do anything else but watch the game. He is so excited.... We had a great time as a family and Payton didn't seem to mind not getting much attention. What a day.
Otherwise, Payton is taking two steps at a time and trying to get it. Maybe soon. He is getting two back teeth and is still eating everything he can get his hands on. I know this, because yesterday while I was carrying him in with my ice cream, he took the spoon and began to eat it before I could get in the house...

What a week.....

It was a busy week.... Here are pictures of Little Otis' first day at preschool. He was resistant, but finally gave in and posed for a picture. He is very happy in the 5 year old class... He feels like such a big boy and we are working on things like "responsibility" and "using our manners". He is really maturing.

We also have a new member of the family. It's larger than most of us, and it had a bumpy ride to our house, but it is here and now installed in our kitchen. Let me just tell you that finding your refrigerator dead on the first morning of preschool can be a bit stressful.... The only thing worse is to find that you have disposed of the only large cooler you have because it leaked. However, we survived and by 8pm that evening, we had a new refrigerator and a tired mom. Let me also just share with you that Home Depot does not stock "dream" refrigerators. You have to take what is there. So if you would like stainless steal or black, and can not live in a cooler for a week, order you new fridge before it goes out. Also, the Home Depot guys are not the smartest guys on the block (my dad pointed out that that's why they don't have better jobs), and when they say,"You don't need to tie that 2 ton appliance down", or "it will be fine if you don't go 100 miles an hour" they are incorrect. The last bit of wisdom I will leave on this subject is that you need to know how to tie down your own 2 ton appliance, or have it delivered. (Which if you can not live out of a cooler for a couple of days, again order early.) Well that was our week. Exciting huh?

Life is moving along...

Well, we got back from vacation and life has again begun to move along. We are all back to work and Wednesday, Little Otis will be returning to Preschool. He is excited to be in the 5 year old class. He is a little resistant to change, so his new teacher has come in and met him a few times to "break him in". He seems to like her. I was afraid that after being with Miss Paula and Miss Ginger so long, it would be hard to find someone he liked. But I think Miss Regina will be good for him. He is now formally getting ready for kindergarten. I can't believe he will be starting next year.
We ended the summer with alot of fun and Little Otis will be playing flag football beginning Sept. 15. If you know my husband, you know that this is very exciting for him. I think we will probably play soccer in the spring and t-ball in the summer.... Here we go on the sports whirl wind.... He is so in to the computer right now, he thinks everything has a .com. And just in time for his birthday(I'm sure it's for the Christmas rush, but he is sure it's for his birthday), Thomas the train has all new stuff... Great. At least he's consistent.
Payton is still not walking. I think he's lazy.... Everyone else just says it's his pace. We are encouraging him, but he is a little resistant. We took them to dinner at Joe's Crab Shack yesterday(Thanks Julie) and they both behaved like perfect gentleman. Imagine that. We had a blast. Our boys are growing....Well enough for now... Otis requested that his train table be moved back to his room, so here it is in use..