July 2020

As always, July started out with a bang and some excitement.

We had a gathering at our house and it was wonderful to feel normal again for an evening.  Our awesome friends brought some spectacular fireworks that made the night so special.

How we love this great nation of ours.  How worried we are about our freedoms and way of life- much of which has been threatened and altered this year.  I could write and write about the subject but I will spare you, for now.

Another highlight of the month was seeing our beloved Whitakers.  We finally got to meet their adorable, beautiful little girl.  Atticus was in heaven (so was Hinckley, for that matter!)  I have never seen Atticus play so patiently and maturely.  We can't wait to see them again!

Aside from that, life has been pretty simple over here.  My energy has definitely been lower now that I'm on the homestretch of pregnancy (a new body pillow has helped me get more sleep) so the boys have had to be patient.  Thankfully, they get along wonderfully most of the time.

One game they came up with this month is called "Jaws."  They've never seen the movie but have heard the main theme song and LOVE it.  Hinckley asks to hear it at least once a day.  They will take turns playing it on the piano and then they both act terrified and run away from the shark (or "the jaws!" as Hinckley calls it).  Our dog is more than happy to chase them up the stairs.

Atticus's behavior has, as ever, had its extremes.  Some days he is so considerate and helpful  ("Hinckley, Mommy is stressed out!  Stop ____________!"- fill in the blank.)  He finally got back to making a hat for his baby sister (it was a team effort, for sure!)  Then there are days where we get the scowl below.  One especially hilarious, negative interaction involved him drawing a picture of me and taping it on the wall and throwing weapons at it.  I had to leave the room it was so funny.

He has gotten far too mouthy with us and so we were trying to avoid slapping him but... it might be our only option.  He said something nasty one night and without our saying a word he grabbed a bar of soap and stuck it in his mouth.  "That wasn't that bad," he said afterward.  Another time I put hot sauce on his tongue and he told me it was "Yummy, yummy, yummy.  Guess you'll have to find something else."

Here he is posing for a "magazine article" he wrote earlier in the month.  Originally it was going to be about how hot it was and then the story changed into an invention where you could shoot snakes out of your armpits...?  Huh?  It changed so quickly I couldn't keep track.

He's still pretty obsessed with the idea of being a Green Beret or a Navy Seal.  Dane got an awesome book that I highly recommend, The Way of the Warrior Kid, and he LOVED it.  Unfortunately, there were some unintended consequences.  The Navy Seal in the book wakes up extra early for the day to work out and so we had a couple verrrry early mornings when Atticus woke his brother annnnnd... the rest of us.

Atticus-

• "I picked out an outfit for you- a black dress with eye makeup, lip color and tall shoes.  You’ll look great!"
• "I have the spirit!" (After studying the BOM for ten minutes.  He even took it in the car with him so he could keep “reading.”)
• "You’re my best brother, Hinckley."
• "Mommy is stressed out!  She’s already having a horrible day, so don’t make it worse!"  
• "Hi!"  (Said to a neighbor on a ladder.  We passed him again...)  "How’s it going up there?"
• ("I’m not a fan of spiders.")  "Who IS a fan of spiders?!"
• "I'm going to have 3 girls and 7 boys.  We'll live in the woods.  The boys will be hunting during the day and making spices at night.  The girls will be weaving baskets..." 
• "I want to do everyfing when I grow up.  Build houses, be in de army... But there's one problem.  When will I see my kids?" 

This month was huge for Hinckley and his ability to swim.  He went from only bobbing across areas (it was painstakingly slow and yet he would refuse help!) to going at a pretty good pace for his age.  He can swim across the length of the pool but usually goes from step to step.  He even started jumping off of the wall at the back of the yard (it's pretty high for a 2.5 year old!)

There isn't a ton more to report.  He did start to get sick yesterday, which is never fun.  Then again, our family hasn't been sick since February, so we aren't surprised or upset.  Hopefully it doesn't get worse and is only a simple cold.

Hinckley Speaks:

• "K?!"  (After demanding something angrily.)
• "I’m cold...No, I dead. Monsters kill me.”
• "I love you Atticus, you’re my best bwudder." (While hugging him at least once a day.)
• “Can I?” 
• "Get my feeties.” (While being tucked in.)
• "I have idea..." (Sometimes his "ideas" make sense.  Often he just wants attention and makes something up.)
• "I die him."
• "I Santa!" (Whenever his t-shirt gets stuck on top of his head.)
• "Look, I Jesus." (He had made his towel look like a toga.)
• "I be like Jesus!  I grow beard!"
• I love you, you’re da bes brudder (to mom and dad)
• Thank you for your help. 
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