Melissa -
You always make me smile w/ each and every one of your posts! I hope you are having a better day when this reaches you! Oh and by the way that is why they say don't spend so much on toys and just save empty boxes... because they really do work! MandyJO

Terminator II, Rocky II, Land Before Time II (& then some), Home Alone II...why not Master of Disaster II??? Can we say "paying for our rasing"? Ok...well, maybe not paying for "our" raising, but paying for your little brother's? Just wait until he hides your keys under the dryer, only to be the one that finds them & claims the reward -- clever, huh? The one that really puzzled me, was when he turned the freezer off & everything ruined (all those delicious frozen, fresh peaches) -- now what would prompt a little fella to do that? Just hope he doesn't hide on the bumper of his grandmother's car....when she's backing out of the driveway. And then there's the time, he dammed up the drainage ditch in front of the house when he was playing to make a waterway for his toys, that caused Dadaw's garage to flood -- now that was an innocent one, but it took Dadaw a while to get over that one. And that's only to name a few...and only some that I know about. See why I'm so tired? Maybe your little challenge is coming at the beginning, like mine came at the end...not to say that there weren't challenging moments with you, Christopher, & Sarah, but at least the challenges weren't quite so challenging in my memory. The flip side is that Iliya's probably been exposed to toys, but maybe not all of the other things you named, so this is a time of discovery; plus these are things that you are connected with, so he's connecting with some of the things that he connects you with...just a thought maybe. You'll have lots of folks this weekend to keep Iliya entertained, so...don't worry, be happy :o) Just think of all the discovering he'll have to do at our house -- I've already had a talk with our houseplants -- so they're prepared to lose a few leaves :o)

Ohhh you ain't kiddin'! My home had to be stripped of most things and my dining table is now piled with things he found and manipulated that I took away during the day.

I am proud to tell you...you have a NORMAL...HEALTHY...Little BOY!!!! It's Murphy's Law...can't expect anything less!!! (0:

Oh! And the roller coaster...it only get's better from here!!! (((0:

Oh yes, the joys of motherhood! My favorite always was (only pertains to those under 2) when ever they recieved a gift they always enjoyed playing more with the box than the actual toy itsef. Enjoy that cute little man of yours. They do grow up so fast!

Oh but they do grow up fast! Before long-he'll be going to get a driver's license!!!!!!!!!
Just kidding, though they do grow up faster these days. And before too much longer, the day will hold 999 times of asking "why"?! And for every answer you give, it's another "why"!HA!!! I remember those days the best. And the days that I would have liked to have changed my name from Momma to something else. But looking back I never would have done that, cause I had two very good children who got along wonderfully. Most people thought my kids were strange because they never did fight like normal brothers and sisters do. I guess we got lucky in that!
Can't wait for this weekend. See you all then.
Love, Nana & Papa

I feel ya! Vinny has started biting things when he gets mad, we're working on that one. He's as sweet as he can be but once you make him mad this boy has a temper! Then he does like you were saying crawls on your lap and gives lovins, then you can't be mad!!
- Bethney

Yes, little boys don't like the hear the word No. No means to look sweetly at mother with a sly grin and then do it anyway.

Wait until you get to the "one more time" phase!!