The "Finnster, et al."

We have very few bathtime rules in the Begley home.  Baths are warm and fun and all around wonderful, so I want the boys to enjoy them to the fullest as I often do.  One of the few rules in place is "don't drink bottom water."  "Bottom water" is defined as any water that touches your bottom, i.e.,  pool water, lake water, ocean water and bath water.  Having physically and emotionally wrestled with Will over literally every other rule in our household it should come as no shock to me that Will disregarded this one as well.  During his bath last week I look over to find Will laying belly down in the bathtub drinking bath water by the mouthful.  Upon realizing what he was doing I sternly said, "Will, are you drinking bathwater!?"  He sat up, looked me in the eye and said, "I sure is." He then immediately assumed his previous position and recommensed his drinking session.   On to potty training.  Potty training Will has been one of the mo...

Yesterday was Spring picture day.  He was all smiled all morning until it was time for his picture.  At least three day care employees told me how funny Will's picture looked.  He would not smile to save his life.  That same day as I was dropping him off, Will acted uncharacteristically needy.  Usually when I drop him off at school he will give me a kiss, a nose kiss, and a hug.  Then he waves and tells me "bye" as I walk off.  On this particular day Will wouldn't let me go at just the one hug.  He hugged at least five or six times before I made a break for it.  As I was leaving he followed him and started hugging my leg.  I asked him what was wrong and he said, "I'm just worried about you mom because I love you."  It was precious.   

Finn, on December 6, 2009, Michael and I dedicated you to the Lord. On March 24, 2019, Finn made a public profession of his faith in Jesus.  To God be the glory, for this has nothing to do with our parenting skills or your worthiness - this is the gospel. Christ died so that you may live.  Raised to Life! (This was my Facebook post). Finn was baptized on March 24, 2019, at Long Hollow Baptist Church.  Michael was able to baptize him. John Steen was the minister in the baptism with them.  Finn had tons of family there to watch - Nana, Papa, Quinn, Sam, Gran, David, James, Chelsea, Grandad and Gigi.  Pa able to watch online. Finn waited a while after accepting Christ to get baptized.  He was nervous and didn't want to get up in front of our entire church. I have prayed pretty consistently over the past several months for Finn to feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit and follow through with baptism.  One day, out of the blue, Finn approached ...

On Friday Michael and I went to get pedicures for Valentines Day.  We really enjoy doing this together.  We get coffee and sit in the massage chairs and get the hard parts of our feet softened up.  Afterward we went to get dinner at Avante Grille and then we watched "Bohemian Rhapsody."  It was a great VD day.  (Side note:  Finn and Sam found the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" to be hilariously weird and wanted to listen to it over and over.  Sam likes to sing to himself when he is using the bathroom and started singing the sillier parts of that song.  Not realizing it, Sam combined Bohemian Rhapsody with Handel's "The Messiah." So instead of singing 'Halleluiah" he sang "Galileo." He had no idea he was singing it incorrectly and it was so precious.) The next night Finn and Sam started synchronized vomiting at 11:00 p.m.  It was so awful. Sam started first and right after we got him cleaned up and his bed changed Finn started.  They ...

Sam has finished his first chapter book.  He read a chapter to us every night for a couple of weeks.  I think this book had a mystery component - they were looking for the "scribbler." Since Michael and I both help Sam with his reading, neither of us heard the entire book.  After Sam finished the book Michael told me "I don't think I ever found out who the scribbler was.: He seemed so disappointed.  Turning to Finn, his teachers requested a parent/teacher conference to discuss his bad habit of blurting out.  Everything that crosses Finn's mind comes immediately out of his mouth.  We have noticed the same thing at home; he is argumentative and tries every way in the world to convince us that his position is correct and is more grounded in logic.  I am glad that Finn thinks on his feet, but  he needs to learn when to keep his opinions to himself.  His teachers assured us that he isn't mean spirited or trying to be disrespectful, but tha...

Potty training is not going well. Will has absolutely no interest in potty training.  Whilst sitting on the potty, Will demanded "Put my diaper on me!" I asked him why, and he responded, "So I can poop in it."

Upward Basketball is here again (and almost gone by now).  The boys are both playing again on teams coached by Michael and Pastor Robby.  Sam's team is called the Grizzlies and Finn's team is called the Dolphins.  Finn has improved a lot since last year.  Sam is still a little out of it.  But the one thing I love about Sam is that he is as happy when his teammates score as he is when he scores. Even though he looks really precious, Will really tried my patience at the games.  He doesn't want to sit -EVER.  It is rare that I get to sit and watch more than a period.  Sometimes I have no other choice but to put him on my shoulders and let him fuss while I watch the boys play.  Maybe next year we will be a little more manageable. After one of Sam's games we took him to First Watch for breakfast.  (I think Finn went home with Luke that day.)  We had a nice breakfast - we played "I Spy" until our food arrived.