Big Brother Ben (week 202)

Boys love dirt! Christopher took full advantage of the mud left behind from the weeks of rain. This week, we spent a lot of time outside exploring the yard, chasing birds at the beach, and playing in the park. We rode our bikes, kicked field goals, and shot hoops at the playground courts. Most of all, we got our hands, fingers, and faces in the dirt.

One of the most amazing things about having three boys in the house is just how much laundry must get done on a weekly basis to keep everyone clothed. On a typical day, dada goes to the gym, I go to school, and Chris has changed at least three outfits and two baths by lunchtime. There are at least 5-6 loads of laundry throughout the week that must be washed, folded, and put-away before Sunday night. The only question is how they do it in families with eleven or twelve people? We only have four and we can hardly keep-up.

Another new issue that has emerged is the struggle over toys. While Christopher would be happy enough taking the pictures off the bookshelf and throwing them on the floor, he seems to want anything that I am playing with from balls, to cars, to books. But it also goes both ways. If Christopher is playing with the orange garbage truck in the corner, I will get off the couch (even if I am watching Bolt or Toy Story 3), and take the truck away from him. The only guarantee in the Keisler household is that someone is going to be crying within fifteen minutes. All fun things end with crying.

With only two months to go before I turn four years old, I am 44 inches tall and 42 pounds heavy. This translates to almost four feet tall which was my goal by February 22, 2011. I still have the reputation for being a terrible eater, although I will negotiate for some protein if it can be proven that "Players" eat it to become stronger for football and baseball games. Almost everything in my world hinges on what they do in professional sports. If they do it, I am willing to try it: cut my hair, eat my chicken, hit the showers after playing in the backyard. I still love to sing, don't like dancing, and spend most of my quiet time reading books about baseball stadiums.

At just over one year and two months old, Christopher is a whopping 29 inches and about 25 pounds. He is obsessed with getting himself into the garage, and cries every time anyone opens the door to the garage to do laundry, opens or closes the front door, or goes into the backyard. Chris is known for being a prolific eater and really enjoys anything green or orange: peas, broccoli, sweet potatoes. He also loves barbecue. His legendary performance over Christmas included eating two pulled pork sliders, a rib, and a basket of french fries at SmokeQ Texas Barbecue. If he had his choice, Chris would spend his day naked in the backyard eating mud and wood chips. He still loves to dance whenever he hears music, puts everything into his mouth, and runs laps around the living room and kitchen table every night just before going to bed.