You might laugh, you might cry... I know I did.

Pencil has proven to be a most challenging baby. Perhaps I was spoiled with relatively calm and controllable babies the first two go-arounds. (perhaps...) This baby, however, seems determined to out-do, out-demolish, out-busy, and out-crazy his older siblings. This is him 'helping' his dad with breakfast.

"Here, Dad, I'll just eat this one for you."

I love The Doctor's expression.

This is his guilty face after restarting and then stopping the dishwasher. (I never know the state of my dishwasher. Not washed? done twice? only halfway? empty but still running? ARG!)

This was my brilliant solution to his love for turning off (or on...) the computer. One patio chair- wedged under the desk and around the computer.

This is his solution to my solution. (note the expression that seems to gloat: "TADAH!") Any ideas (short of duct tape...) are welcome.

Sockie Monkey has been busy as well. Mostly in good ways. A few weeks ago he woke up one morning and decided he wanted to wear his underpants. (here we go again, I thought.) Remarkably, for whatever unknown reason, he meant it. From that day on, he was Sockie, MR. The Potty. (his words, not mine) We have had a few accidents, and a few learning moments, but for all intents and purposes, he decided it was time and stuck with it. I am so very proud, and still a bit shell shocked. (I didn't blog it for three weeks because I didn't want to jinx anything...)

Can I tentatively whisper Huzz-ah! (?)

He also had me simultaneously ready to laugh and cry yesterday. I heard him in the kitchen getting a drink of water, but the water was running for a long time. As I wandered in I wondered if he had snatched a big cup out of the questionably clean dishwasher.

Surprise Surprise... he had no cup at all. He was just letting my filtered fridge water splash happily down his arm and into the growing puddle on the floor.

"Sock! What are you doing?!?"

"I wanna fill a house, mom. Make a like a sea wowol (world)"

"What?!"

"An I tan swim. Like a pell-o, mom."

"Pillow? what?"

"See- it tzange a tolor in a wadder! like a sea worol" He pointed into the family room, where one of my brown micro suede pillows was indeed splattered with what appeared to be a FULL glass of water. I could see a sea-weed type of look there.....

On the one hand, I wanted to wipe up the puddle with his little pants (while he was still in them), and then let him sit in the wet for the rest of the day. On the other, I was so entertained by his imagination and resourcefulness (he really thought to fill my house with the fridge water?? That's ambition, people!)

In the end I made him help me clean up the puddle (with a towel) and we laughed together while we did it. Kids, I tell you!!

And, as just a moment of catharsis, I want to express my gratitude for my WHOLE family. So many people- so many blessings. I am humbled by the opportunity to love and be loved by you. I am at a loss to convey the emotions (thankful, worshipful, clinging, liberating, motivating...) attached with my conviction that families can be together forever through the grace and goodness of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ.

It was one year ago that we lost my dad to an ugly battle with tongue cancer. I miss him.