April 30

Sorry it's been awhile since I last posted. I got a pretty nasty cold and then was very busy finishing the stole and then with trying to catch up on the housework that had been neglected during the illness and the completion of the stole.
Brendan and Luke are both doing great. We recently discovered that they both have wide feet. So we've spent a little extra money to buy them each a pair of Stride Rite shoes in wide-width. Brendan's look a lot like Daddy's, which he thinks is really, really neat! Luke's arrived today and he was so excited, he was trying to put them on over the pair of shoes he was wearing! He's recently decided that he really likes to wear shoes. He likes to stomp around the kitchen in them.
Brendan decided that he needs glasses like Mama and Daddy. On Saturday, we went to Cape Girardeau and stopped at LensCrafters to have Michael's glasses adjusted. I let Brendan try on a pair of kid's frames. He was thrilled and was quite upset when I took them off and put them away. So today at WalMart, we bought him a pair of sunglasses. They were even on clearance, yay! He was so excited to have his own pair of glasses! Oh, and Papa Tupper, he even figured out how to hang them from his shirt, like you sometimes do!
Luke has begun to talk a little. He said something sounding alot like Hello today. Yesterday, he said Austin, well, "Ah-tin", as in the kangaroo from the Backyardigans. He also has a word for peek-a-boo, but I'm not sure I can accurately write it down, so I'm not even going to try right now.
Yesterday, I was folding laundry and Brendan came in and started putting things away without even being asked! I was so proud of him for being such a good helper.
We've moved Luke into Brendan's room. So far, they're thrilled, but it's making for a very difficult bedtime. It's getting better, just very slowly. Brendan's being pretty good, but Luke keeps getting up, singing, bouncing, rattling the doorknob, etc.
This morning, Brendan drew a picture of church. He had been sitting at the table with a piece of paper and pen and called me over to show me the picture. There was actually part of the picture that vaguely resembled a steeple. He asked me to draw a cross there for him.

Family Photos

We had our photos taken by Olan Mills yesterday at the Parish Hall. It was the first time that the boys have had professional portraits done. They refused to smile. The photographer did get some good ones, though. I hope that at least one of the family photos turned out well. There's one of just Michael and I that I think was really nice. I know there's a really cute one of Brendan giving Luke a kiss. There's a really nice one of just Brendan. I'm not sure if any of the ones of just Luke turned out well. Either way, I know we're going to be spending way too much money!
During the family pictures, Brendan started to get a little upset - he wanted Teddy. Luke picked up on the fact that Brendan was upset and had a meltdown. It reminded me of a couple days ago when Luke woke up from his nap in a terrible mood. Brendan tried giving him a pacifier to calm him down, but Luke refused to take it. Brendan was just devastated that Luke was upset and he couldn't make Luke happy again. It's so sweet to see how much they care about each other.
Oh, and I did eventually get Brendan to smile at the pictures by saying hamburger and french fries.

April 1 - Update

Tonight as I was saying prayers with the boys before putting them to bed, I said the Invocation, then the Apostles' Creed, then the Kyrie. As I was saying the Kyrie, "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy", I realized that Brendan was whispering it right along with me, "Ohd ah essy, Eist ah essy, Ohd ah essy." He looked so proud of himself too!