Manners.

On our quest to teach Wesley manners, it appears that he has caught onto things very quickly. Wesley's two favorite phrases throughout the day are "excuse you" - which sounds more like "excuuuuuuuse you" - and "bless you." He gets lots of opportunities to say these two new phrases thanks to his baby sister and her many noises. During Julia's burping sessions, Wesley repeats over and over, "excuuuuuuuse you, Julia," and laughs hysterically which makes me laugh and then the cycle repeats. Just thinking about this makes me smile, but what is even more endearing is when Wesley says, "bless you." He says this anytime Julia makes an unusual grunt, snort, sneeze, or sniffle. The most adorable part about this is that he will actually stop what he is doing (which most likely is playing with cars and trucks), look up at her, and say "bless you, Julia." This can happen up to ten times in one afternoon. All I can say is, "bless you, Wesley" for being such a loving big brother.

Julia Marie.

Or, as Wesley and I like to call her, "Princess."

Julia's Bottom Lip.

Our daughter isn't too subtle about her moods.

Thank Heaven For Little Girls.

Waiting In Line.

Why are kids afraid of the very thing that they absolutely love, like Santa Claus or Mickey Mouse? As in Wesley's case, his number one passion is trucks - anything and everything to do with trucks. This 4th of July Wesley had the opportunity to hold and spray water out of a fire hose from a gigantic fire truck. After waiting patiently in line extremely excited about the opportunity to be a fireman, Wesley became the exact opposite when it was his turn and would not go near the hose. I've heard the same story about moms waiting in line for their child's favorite Disney character, the Easter Bunny, and of course Santa Claus. Although I will no doubt experience this sudden change of heart again, I will stand with Wesley as long as he wants to just to witness his joy and excitement waiting in line.

A Newer And More Resilient Baby.

Being the second child is very different from being the first, we're finding. Case in point: Wesley loves his sister Julia. However, he is still learning how to express it. It is a pretty common occurrence to see Julia sitting peacefully in her swing or bouncer when in comes Hurricane Wesley into the room, barreling into his sister with a big hug. This monster hug often includes an incidental headbutt or unintended rough contact. But to her credit, she seems to tolerate more from her brother than she would anyone else. Accidental little smacks coming from Wesley will often illicit a knowing look or even a smile. It seems that by the mere fact that she has an older brother, Julia is growing up in rougher surroundings than Wesley did as a baby and as a result has become a little more resilient.

Wesley's Walks.

A few times a week when I get home from work, Wesley asks me if we can go on a walk. A walk for Wesley consists of a casual stroll around the block, with stops at such notable landmarks as the cheap plastic owl sitting in a neighbors tree, the truck with a blanket on it (otherwise known as a car cover), the fine collection of rocks and ants beside a stretch of sidewalk, and a stop at the neighborhood park. To top it all off, on the way back he enjoys a luxurious ride atop the shoulders of his father, as he is far too tired at this point to walk the steep uphill sidewalk home.