Classic Will (and other updates)

Just a few classics from the past few weeks...

1. We often go to Northam Park in the afternoons to meet up with friends and since it is now fall (and we live in the mid West) there is often PeeWee football practice going on while we're there. Will thinks he's at least 5, and that's probably because he has the physical capabilities of at least that age. He's slow in speech, potty training, and other vital intellect like colors, but when it comes to coordination, my kid has it down.

So back to football practice... Will was immediately drawn to the 8 or 9 year olds and he ran over to the sidelines and started doing all the drills with the kids. Squats, lunges, jumps, etc. Every now and again he'd stop and clap his hands and say, "ok, go!" as if to cheer on the team in their combined effort in doing these exercises. Cortney has said since the time Will was born that he didn't want him to play football because of the high likelihood of injuries, but I don't think we'll be able to pull this kid away from it. Good luck, Cort.

2. Yesterday Will was down in the basement while I was finishing up something upstairs. I can leave him down there for a good 5-10 minutes before something goes totally wrong. It was getting to this time when I heard screaming. It was pretty loud screaming too. Not the i-just-broke-my-arm screaming, but more of a my-foot-is-stuck-and-i'm-scared-and-need-you-to-come help-me scream. I ran down stairs to find him sitting on the couch watching espn. He was watching a baseball game and screaming at the players to "GO!" and a big "Ahhh!" when they got out. Completely true story.

3. The first BYU football game of the season started late at night, so Will had to go to bed during half time. He was not happy about this. At all. But somehow, he still was able to go to sleep. Almost exactly one hour later, he woke up crying saying "baa-ball, daddy!" aka football daddy. He wiped his tears and wandered downstairs to Cortney's lap, exactly where he had been before he went to bed, and watched the rest of the game with Cort. I couldn't bear to make him go to sleep again after it was so obvious that he just wanted to be with Cort and watch a game.

And other randomness... Will and I still watch the Food Network together almost daily. And I just love that. It started when Cortney was working at the Limited and we'd watch the Barefoot Contessa because that was on for the 30 minutes before Cortney got home and it was kind of our celebration that Daddy was almost home. We have since spent about a half hour each day watching the food network and Will is just as happy watching Paula Dean as he is the Smurfs. This came in really really handy when I was huge and pregnant and couldn't stand being outside in the heat. We'd waste the afternoons away in the cool, dark basement salivating over Ina's creations, with no regrets.

It's also become very apparent that Duke knows and loves Will very much. When Will lays down next to Duke 80 times a day, and says, "hey Gooke", Duke smiles and coos and laughs. Pretty much the best thing ever.

And Duke, gosh that kid is just too cute for his own good. He's chubby in all the right places and he is just so gentle. Everything about him just says, "mom, i'm just happy to be here". He loves to cuddle and loves to lay next to you, if we give him the chance. He's at my favorite baby stage right now. Big enough to laugh and smile, but small enough to hold all the time and you can take them wherever and it doesn't matter. I just wish I could pause him right now for a few months so I can get my fill at this age before we move onto the next stage. He just seems to grow so fast and I want to just hold him forever. He's such a sweetheart. He's so special and I'm so glad he was able to come to us. He has some weird calming/healing power. When it seems chaotic and hectic, and I pick him up, instantly everything seems to calm down and the world is peaceful. I wonder if he'll have that calming influence his whole life. I hope so. His cheeks are so full. And when he laughs, you think they're going to pop they're so squished and forced. And his laugh! If a baby bear and a smoker got married and had a baby and that baby laughed, it would sound just like Duke. Its raspy and yet, perfect in its own way. He's losing his dark hair, and he'll be a toe-head shortly. It's coming in white on the sides! I love these boys. They're perfect for me.