We've had a fairly mellow and healthy couple of weeks, we almost don't know what to do with ourselves!

Josh has officially started reading. His interest level isn't as high as I would like (meaning he'll entertain you through a few words and then he looses patience, I can't imagine where he gets that from...) but he'll let you read to him all day long plus progress is progress and I'm pretty proud of him! He points out letters everywhere and his favorite book for me to read to him is the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (by C.S. Lewis). A non-picture book. I'm so proud!

He has also been praying some very entertaining prayers recently. Some snippets are: "please help the people in Haiti and watch over my family and help none of their cities to catch on fire." and "please help Sonic and all my superhero friends beat up all the bad guys" plus " please help my head to feel better and Dad, don't EVER do that again, okay?!".

The last one he was praying after him and Chris had been building Hot Wheels race tracks and he was standing on a chair to reach the tracks. He climbed up too fast and fell between the chair onto the fireplace. Scared us really bad we thought he had dislocated his shoulder or broke his arm or something, thankfully it was just some really bad bumps and bruises on his head, shoulder, elbow and hand.

Jack's letting more and more of his personality shine through and there is a lot of feistiness coming out in it (I personally applaud a little feistiness so don't read that negatively). He knows how to pretend to fuss to get Josh in trouble, he can fake cry or pout to try to get his way and he also will come lean on you and look up at you with his adorable baby blue eyes and just gently rub your leg until you cave and pick him up. The boy knows how to work it.

He's also reached the age where he has the patience to read books so it's been fun getting to read to both him and Josh together and working on creating a bedtime routine that we can do with both of them. Transitioning Jack out of the rocking phase into the bedtime story phase.

Jack is also fascinated with the potty. He follows everyone in there when they go and comments on whatever business you're doing in there. Whenever someone goes he always wants us to take his diaper off and let him try to go too. He's also started going off in a place and standing with his knees slightly bent when he has to go #2. It's really funny to watch if you catch him, but if he sees you watching him he freaks out and starts crying and won't stop until you change him. I'm not sure if all that means anything, he may very well not end up being potty trained until he's 2 1/2 but it's interesting to see him catching on so quick and being aware.

That's pretty much life with us. We've been doing some painting around the house as well and it's nice to start getting (and having the time to) get some things done around the house again. I think I've gone through almost every closet and gotten it organized in the last two months. I'm not sure what it is about Christmas that makes the amount of stuff we have more noticeable, but I'm not a fan of clutter or junk so there have been lots of Goodwill trips.

I find organization with two boys plays a large role in my sanity. Now if I could just figure out what to do about laundry.