Summer Fun

We are in full summer swing at the McCormick household. 

Brock is REALLY into cars, trucks, trains...pretty much anything with wheels.  He is also deep into imaginative play.  He could spend a large chunk of his day playing with his toys by himself.  Brock sometimes, not often, will even allow Cade to play with him.  He chooses which toy Cade gets to hold and naturally, Cade wants the one Brock is holding.  Crying, screaming, and pouting ensue....

Outdoors, he still loves going to parks and playing in the sandbox and play structures.  He also loves to swim.  After being in the YMCA's Little Splashers class for over a year, Brock graduated and had his first session of instructor-led swim classes.  Teacher Daphne was patient with her class of four boys!  I'm not sure how much Brock learned in class but he sure had fun messing around with his new buddies. 

Like any toddler (especially boys) Brock is in that stage where he hits, throws tantrums, screams...you get it... He has been called an "aggressive toddler", a "spirited toddler", and a "typical boy".  Seriously, when did strangers decide it was okay to approach me and lecture me on how I should raise my child?  Is their kid perfect and therefore they have earned this right?  (Breathe, Lori, breathe...).  Brian and I aren't always happy with Brock's behavior but every day is a new chance at helping him grow and learn.  Forget the Terrible Two's; those were easy compared to the Terrific Three's. 

One thing is for sure, Brock is funny - and clever - and cheeky and - oh, I can go on and on about how fun he is. I  LOVE this kid!!

 Cade is already 10.5 months old.  He has two bottom teeth but there are a couple on the top that are about to burst through the gum any day now.  Poor kid drools like a St. Bernard.

Drool baby, 10 months old

Cheerios. That's all I have to say to get this little guy to stop fussing and smile.  If it were up to Cade, he would live on Cheerios. To be fair, he enjoys pretty much anything to offer him.  He's a good eater.  Finger foods in particular are his favorite - peaches, mangoes, banana, zucchini, bread, sweet potatoes...really, anything.  I usually cut up some fruit or well cooked veggies and throw them on the high chair while blending up our evening's dinner in the Cuisinart.  Cade will happily nibble away on his appetizers, then eat dinner with the family.  He loves to be a part of the action. 

And some days he eats Cheerios off the floor.  Yep, 2nd kid syndrome...

Cade is a full blown crawler and a partial lifter-upper (like that?).  He has this silly scoot/leg drag he does, which you would think would slow him down.  Not at all.  This kid can move.  He is firmly determined to follow his brother around, even if that means dragging that lazy leg.

Toys are different for Cade than Brock at this age.  Cade basically wants to play with whatever Brock is playing with.  I guess that is good for us because we can start to pitch some of the "baby" toys and go right to the trucks and cars.  Both of the boys LOVE to read (or be read to...).  Brock can go through 10 books in one sitting.  Cade loves to hold books and point at pictures. 

Every day (seriously, not kidding here...) some stranger tells me or Brian how cute our daughter is. I think it's funny but I'm pretty sure it annoys Brian.  People tell us it is because of his curly hair that they mistake him for a girl.  This "issue" brings us to the great battle of the Mc Cormick's.  I think his hair is perfectly charming and the curls, while maybe bring out the feminine side in him, are adorable.  He's my pretty boy.  Brian wants to cut the curls and make our boy look like a burly man. 

We lowered his crib after this picture was taken - he was about to climb out!

Well, curls or no curls, Cade is one happy baby and we are madly in love. I think Brock is secretly in love with Cade, too.  Cade is ga-ga over Brock.  He would follow that boy to the moon and back.