Carter is playing soccer...

Ahh- spring is here, and so a new sports season begins. What can be more entertaining than sitting in the spring sun, wind and rain? Watching a group of five-year olds run around, after a ball, near a ball, or not even know the ball is there anymore.

Carter is one of the tallest boys on his team, and can run really fast. Turning 5, and turning 5 1/2 today has pushed Carter into a new realm. Where he was once shy and tentative, he can often be one of the loudest, most gregarious members on his team. The coaches always comment that he is always so happy when he is playing. Even though the details and nuance of soccer are perplexing, when he isn't thinking too much about it all, he is having a blast.

See?:

My Morning, by Adine Stokes.

Nolen is sick and Matt is on a business trip (...in Vegas. Seems a little sketchy to me...!)

Nolen's sickness does not actually impact him too much during the day, but it seems that his ear infection is most annoying after a night of laying down. As a child who had constant ear infections, I remember this being the case as well - sometime around 2:00 or 3:00 I would be very uncomfortable. Luckily, Nolen has been waiting until at least 4:00 to wake up and inform me that he will no longer be sleeping, rather he has chosen to read. In his room. Until 6:00. This is not outside the realm of possibility, his reading alone in his room for two hours. But with my heavy sleeping, and no other person to have an ear to the ground to listen for mischief - I requested that he either sleep in his room with the lights off, or come to our room and sleep with me.

Understand now, that Matt is in Vegas...at this very moment...reading this groaning audibly. In fact, you may have just heard it. Nolen loves snuggling, sleeping with other people, and most of all, is impossible to break of these habits - so getting my bed back will be challenging - to say the least. "Whatever. It worked. He slept, he is sick and he needed the rest!" I say confidently now, but rue this decision over the next few days when his medicine kicks in and he no longer needs to be up at 4:00 because of pain.

At 6:05 this morning, Carter joined us in bed and we all had a big morning hug. I realized that with two dozey Heinrichs', I could take advantage of the sleepiness and have a shower. As I crawled out of bed, Nolen and Carter joined together and snuggled for all get out. They were hugging and cuddling and then, even more sweeter, professing their "best friend-iness" to one another and kissing each other on the forehead. I wish I captured it on film - for at least the potential of blackmail in 10 years. I enjoyed this brief love fest, as it ended as soon as it started with tickling, then crying and then all out, "Go to your room and get dressed...and leave each other alone!"

I love having two boys.

 
 
 
 

Boys and Guns

I always claimed our kids wouldn't have guns. Clearly, I meant no camo for my babies, and no guns under the age of 3, because we are in the realm of "pchew!pchew! bang!bang! phow!phow!phow!" with the kids. For those who may not read gun noises, that is a lazer pistol, a gun and a bomb.

Regardless, guns are in our lives to as small degree as can be for two boys, exposed to video games and summer water guns! I don't love it, but like other things I have had to let go, this is was/is a loosing battle.

Cousin Erik was visiting this weekend and the kids had a blast together, and this is the first visit they have all had where they *all* played together. It was amazing to see! Guns aside, much mentoring was done by each cousin to the other. Although there were some obvious victors, each n00b pwnd.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Nolen's New Jeep Bike (it wasn't Jeep!)

 
 
 

Pre-K Graduation