Spare Time

I have been, as you've probably noticed, very lax in blogging and it's really been bugging me.  I do have a valid reason though.  Anyone with young children, active children, knows how little spare time you have left at the end of the day.  I had been using that little bit of spare time to keep you updated on the cute little stories and events of the boys' lives.  Somehow though, that little bit of spare time seems to have evaporated lately and I can't wait for it to come back.  I have a little bit right now and the energy to put it to use so here's a few stories for the past few days/weeks.

First, most of you know by now (or are finding out as you read this) that Ethan & Alex are going to have a new brother or sister next June (maybe that's why I've had no energy in the little spare time I've had to blog lately).  Trying to gauge Ethan's reaction to this news, I've talked to him lately at bedtime about how much we love him and Alex and how wonderful they are.  Then talking about how much he likes his brother and asking him if he wants another brother or maybe a sister one day - to have even more fun with.  He agreed that might be a good thing.  He's apparently pretty perceptive though or a really good guesser. 

He's in children's choir at church on Wednesday nights.  The teacher doesn't have a helper right now so the parents take turns helping out.  It was my turn to be the teacher's helper the night after this discussion.  After they sang, the kids each got to go up and sit with Miss Anne and tell something they wanted to share.  One little girl got up and said that she was going to have a new brother or sister.  Ethan got up next and said, "My mama is going to have another baby, too and I want it to be a brother.  That would be pretty cool."  I was shocked.  I said, "Ethan, who said that?"  Miss Anne looked at me as Ethan said with a grin and a shrug, "well isn't that what you said at bedtime that night?"  I just laughed it off and said, that wasn't exactly what I had said (which is true and yet not a denial).  Miss Anne just laughed and put me out of my misery by going to the next child.  I didn't discuss it with Ethan again until we were ready for him to really know.

That was this past weekend as we planned to tell our parents and then everyone else on Sunday.  Ethan was super excited.  Alex didn't know what to really think but followed his brother's lead on getting excited.  I asked Ethan if he remembered when Alex was a baby in my stomach and he used to give the baby kisses.  He didn't and wanted to kiss this baby so he & Alex both kissed my belly.  That night at prayers, we got to the end and Ethan added "and make the baby in Mama's tummy healthy, too."  So sweet.

Tonight was even cuter.  I got home from work and the boys came down to see me.  Alex had Ethan's toy tweezers from his medical kit and Ethan had the shot dispenser (whatever that's called) - both of them naked except diaper and underwear.  Alex came over to me and showed me his tweezers and then put it to his leg and giggled.  I said, "don't pinch my baby."  He looked right at me and pointed to my belly with the tweezer and said "baby" and giggled again.  Then Ethan came up and said, "can we kiss the baby again?"  They both did and Alex giggled again.  Alex now is fascinated with my stomach, pointing at it all night tonight and coming over to kiss it.  So cute.  This is a good sign.

So that's my update for tonight.  Hopefully I'll get the energy back soon to blog more because I really do miss it and now that Alex is talking more, there are even more things to share each day.