Return to sender

Today if I could have traded any of my boys in for a girl I would have! More like I would have traded Logan in. Let me start by saying the past two days have been trying for me because I have developed Mastitis an infection in... well my boob. It hurts. And all I want to do is sleep with a hot pad or take hot shower after hot shower and nurse Grady as often as I can. So, I'll be honest I've been a bit lazy with my routine.

This morning while I wasn't paying close enough attention Logan decided our tv needed some decorating with his crayons, and the glass entertainment center, too. Later this afternoon, while Grady was napping, I decided to set up the baby monitor and take the older 2 boys outside to take advantage of the sunshine and let them burn off some energy. Logan hasn't been outside much since he began walking and does not understand safety boundaries so this was quite the endeavor on my part. With my mommy senses on high alert we headed out. Instantly Logan ran for the 50mph road in front of our house. Then, he dove into the dirt pile retaining wall Jared had just built. Next, it was off into the orchards picking up rotten apples from last years harvest. Oh, and there was something he ate off the front porch, to which he said yum with a bit of surprise in his voice, like even he couldn't believe his good fortune at finding something edible. (Luckily, I'm pretty sure it was a piece of a cookie Hunter had been eating earlier.) Then he & Hunter were playing in the dog run filled with pea gravel, Logan couldn't help himself from wanting to run his fingers through the little bits of heaven. Otherwise known as previously pooped & peed on rocks. At one point I realized he was rolling something around in his mouth, but of course, it was one of those disgusting morsels. We did have a moment of glory when Gunner, Grammy & Papa's yellow lab that Hunter has adopted for his own, was playing around in the yard with Logan. Logan rolled around with him smiling and petting him in a sunny patch of grass underneath the apricot trees. Gunner was gingerly & playfully pawing at Logan and accidently scratched his face, poor Logan let out the most sad cry.

Back up on the porch a minute later with dried tears Logan discovered Gunner's water dish and couldn't resist the temptation of putting his hand inside the bucket. It's just like the toilet bowl water I'm always yelling at him to stay out of. Marvelous! I scolded him for getting wet and the minute I turn around he's back up to his elbow in the water splashing away, soaking the front of himself. Once again, I scold, this time with a little higher pitch & a bit louder to drive my point home that this is not for playing but is Gunner's drinking water. I stepped off the porch to put some garbage in the can and when I look back at the porch Logan is on all fours lapping the water out of dish and then starts to spit & cough after he got some water up his nose. UGH! More scolding, yelling and utter disgust on my part that I could be raising such an animal. At this point I took him inside and drew a bath to try to cleanse the horrifying germs I know he collected throughout his hour adventure in the yard. Sigh... why couldn't I have had a girl who's only vice was she wanted to change her princess clothes 10 times a day? A precious little one who plays with dolls quietly in her dollhouse, wants to play hairdresser and colors for hours on end.

Instead I have a boy who demolishes my make up vanity by systematically opening each eye shadow, digging his finger in the precious packed powder and breaking it into a hundred pieces rendering it useless. Who takes each lipstick or chapstick extending it to the highest setting and bites off the end like it's a push up popsicle. Who finds enjoyment out of coloring on anything but paper and who's thought of reading a book consists of tearing out the pages for closer inspection. He throws the biggest tantrums if you ever stand to correct him, he kicks, screams and throws anything he can get his hands on. When he's done eating rather than politely signing "all done", decides to throw all the contents of his high chair onto the floor for you to mop up later.

But, to all his 15 month old faults he is also the cutest, sweetest cuddler you'll ever find. His bright blue eyes look like a robyn's egg. And he can give you the biggest grin with this look in his eyes that is both mischieveous and endearing. He has the most adorable belly laugh, especially when his big brother Hunter is clowning around for him. When he wants to he will snuggle up next to you and want nothing more than to nuzzle his nose into your neck and stay there in your arms for an hour. He gives the sweetest squeezes and sloppiest kisses. He can be absolutely adorable. I think this is by God's design, the worst acting one's are usually the cutest. It's His way of making sure you don't return them to sender or worse...