Thank Heaven For Little Cowboys

Before I get to my Cowboys, I had to reminisce a little. One year ago today we took this irreverent picture. Mike left later this particular day for San Antonio, where he would be presenting at a Stats Conference. My job while he was gone, was to NOT go into labor. I took this seriously, and lucky for us, Jake did too. He was born two weeks later. I look at this picture taken 365 days ago, and wonder where the time went. And then I marvel that the 3rd little cowboy to join are family is going to have a birthday in 2 weeks! WOW!

Now onto my Cowboys....

Found these pics tonight and it just gets me excited to go to a rodeo with my whippersnappers.

I love my boys. I love how my boys play together. (Most the time). And I love this stage of life. The time I take to sit back and really listen and watch the "going-ons" of these two brothers, I can't help but smile, laugh, and be amazed at their imaginations and the pure joy they get out of life. Here they are being cowboys.

They call this game the, "Cowboys, best buddies game." In this particular episode they are taking a much needed nap in their Jeep.

It is a fact that cowboys can drive jeeps when their horses are tired.

I'm so glad these cowboys have each other. I hope they are always best buddies.

Now this little fellow, hasn't quite discovered the joy of cowboy boots and a good cowboy hat, but he has discovered the joy of the bathroom and proper oral hygiene.

He loves this place, and is very, very fast in getting here when the opportunity presents itself.

He also likes the sandbox.

He got into the sandbox yesterday without me knowing. Yes, it was a very stellar moment in parenting. My visiting teachers were over for the first time, kids were running everywhere and somehow, the back door was left open (shocker) and this little guy escaped. I thought he was sitting right by me playing with his toys.

I was confused.

That tame child sitting by me, was my Visiting Teacher's daughter. As I was chatting away, my baby boy was outside, banging on the glass door to come in. Somehow, since the time he'd exited the living room the door had been shut (shocker). I don't know how long he'd been out there. Yikes! Usually mothers keep better tabs on their 11 month olds.

I think he rather enjoyed himself though because look at those feet!

I've payed better attention today and I can tell you where Jakes been.

He has mostly spent the day on my hip.

Aside from the bathroom and the sandbox, I think my hip is his favorite place to be.

And I'm hoping that carrying a 26# 10 oz, 11 month old around all day burns some calories, because that seems to be my workout of choice lately......when I'm not oblivious to his whereabouts.