Summer Update

Two days ago I peeked on Collier, as he played on the back porch. I found him sitting in the chair like a big boy. He learns new skills almost every day, as he continues to prefer walking to crawling. He's housing seven teeth now, and he's still drooling enough to warrant a bib.

No, I haven't cut his hair yet. How can I cut those few curls in the back--I mean, my kid has some curls! (It's so unbelievable as to be untrue, so I keep them for cuteness and for proof.)

Collier is even cuddlier than Hamilton, which I'm loving as he's still so little compared to his big brother. He often lays his head on my shoulder even if he's not tired. It's just for a few seconds, just like a hug. He loves food, and he'll still eat anything you feed him--you just better have a lot ready to give him.

Despite the heat, the boys have LOVED playing in the dirt area I cleared for them. We hope to fill it with sand soon, but both sure love the dirt. Several times this past week we bathed them/hosed them off on the patio before they stepped one foot inside.

I so enjoy this view out our double window: I can keep an eye on the boys while they play in the dirt and heat, while I'm cooking dinner or cleaning up the kitchen. I can also intervene as Hamilton steals Collier's toys, flicks dirt in his face, or whacks him with a plastic shovel. All of those things happened this week. Hamilton now understands that I can see him, so he often takes a quick peek toward the window if he's just done something questionable.

Claire and I went to earthArt on Thursday for some much-needed away-time from the boys. We painted our clay pottery from our last girls' trip, so in a week or so we can pick up our creations. I'll be sure to snap some pictures of our handmade treasures to share. We ate lunch out before our pottery time, and we finished the afternoon with frozen yogurt before heading home.

The boys love to play in the little pool, so unless I want wet boys when they're done playing outside, we have to empty the pool before venturing into the backyard. Hamilton likes to jump in onto his knees splashing water everywhere.

Hamilton's so much bigger this year in the pool than last year; I can hardly believe it.

Collier tries to climb everything, so he wasn't detered by the lounge chair.

Isn't this a determined face?

This past week Mr. Morgan and I ate breakfast one morning with just Hamilton, since neither Claire nor Collier were awake yet. As we dined on fresh blackberries from Mimi and Pops's garden, Hamilton said sweetly, "I love you."

He does volunteer this phrase occasionally, so I replied as usual, "I love you, too."

He corrected me in a serious tone, "I was talking to the blackberry."