Surviving the Heat

We have survived, so far.  It's been incredibly hot out. Very humid, minimal cloud coverage, and blazing temperatures. Lucian says it's too bright outside! At least it is no longer cold. That's how it is around here: complain about the cold, complain about the hot. Rain and storm weather are the only rejoice. We haven't been caught in any more storms recently, but we certainly have had tornado weather. I like to talk about the weather we experience. I find some of it quite odd. Plus, it is interesting to live in a tornado region where it isn't uncommon to hear sirens go off, to see tornado inducing storms, and super strong winds with freezing sideways rain. I've stayed up some nights just to watch in amazement. It truly is neat.

Ok, back to the boys. Lucian recently went through kinderstart, a two week kindergarten prep class. He liked it. Well as he put it "It's ok for one day". Not sure how he is going to do with 3 more hours of it each day for a full school year. Around here they start at the end of July and get out in, I think, June. It's a very long year for kids, and I don't really the all year round mentality. Kids need summer. They need a break just like adults do. They need to experience being a kid outside of an institution. Every time I go to the school I envision Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'. It truly is fitting. School is nothing like it was when I was a child. We didn't have desks, dress codes, and safe spaces. He did get a cool Minecraft back pack and was able to utilize his R2D2 lunch pail. He made some friends in his class, but he doesn't know any of their names (heh that's my boy). He seems to like his teacher as well, which is good. Right now, the plan is to start again in Fall and see how it goes.  I think it is going to be hard for him to go everyday all day, especially in winter when it gets dark so early. Joseph thinks he will do fine once he gets used to it. I guess I am just unconventional (and nonconforming). Worse comes to worse, I think I could be a really good teacher ;-)

Apollo is Mr. curiosity. He gets into anything he finds. He wants to eat everything too. It he sees food, he wants to try it. He has tried more things than I can count. There is very little that he doesn't like. That kid loves greens. Bitter? No problem, he will eat it. He pulls chard and mint from the garden and eats it. He loves plants and being outside. It makes him so happy. Even more than Lucian at that age. Being outside is instantly calming for him.  I'm starting to wonder if it has something to do with all the time I spent in the garden when I was pregnant with him. We go outside and walk everyday. We check the mail 3-5x a day. The neighbor probably thinks I'm nuts.  But he loves it, so why not? Now if I could only get him to keep a hat on his head. I'm always worried he is going to get burned on his head. He has strawberry blonde hair, so his scalp is still very visible. At the end of June, this little bugger will be 8 months old. He is able to crawl, he has mastered climbing the stairs, he can pull himself into a standing position, and walk with assistance. Lucian was definitely the better walker (he never crawled), but Apollo still loves to move like his brother.

They certainly have brotherly love. Lucian loves to go up to his brother and give him hugs. He has saved him from falling and hurting himself multiple times. He even includes him in games. Apollo gets a huge smile every time he sees his big brother. He always tries to crawl or walk to him. He loves to make his way into Lucian's bedroom to visit. Apollo will definitely be looking up to his brother. Lucian is such a good kid and brother. I don't know how I got so lucky.

We aren't without triumph. We have hard days too. Or, as Lucian puts it, "bad days". Days when Apollo refuses to nap and is cranky all day, or Lucian gets upset because we have to leave the house, or Mama and Daddy are frustrated because we can't get anything done. In the end, it doesn't matter. We are just blessed to have each other and the time we get to spend together. Even if it doesn't turn out the way we hoped!

Lastly, Happy Father's Day to Joseph! The Father of our house and our beautiful boys. Even when we all give him a hard time he is there for us. So thank you, for sticking with us even when the times get tough.