love these boys…

i haven’t been taking a lot of photos lately because we have been so busy and it has been so hot outside that i can barely stand to be out there! but i feel like these boys are changing by the minute and just growing up so quickly that i can’t stand it! sometimes i wish i could freeze the time!

nathan has been saying “i hode you me” when he wants me to hold him for the longest time and the other day he started saying it the right way – “hode me, mom”. and of course, i want him to learn the correct way to say things, but i also just hate it when they stop saying those cute little phrases because it means they are growing up!!

so, anyway, we went out on the back patio the other day — totally spur of the moment — and i took some head shots of each of them. they were hot and sweaty from playing outside and their hair wasn’t done or anything but i wanted to capture them just as they are right now. and truly, it is an exact picture of them during this summer — shirts off all the time, hair not done, red cheeks, dirty hands and feet…

our backyard isn’t landscaped yet but they still love it out there – dirt, rocks, weeds and all! they could play out there all day long (if it wasn’t so hot)!! they have to come in quite a bit right now because the temperatures are up around 110 or so every day. they go out for a little while – shooting hoops, playing in the dirt, racing each other across the yard – and then they come in for some cold water and try to cool off before they go back out again! they are all boy i tell ya! nathan even brought in a huge shovel full of dirt today and dumped it right on my kitchen floor – lovely!! 🙂

i got a lot of fun shots of them – some serious, some cute and, of course, some goofy! i just wanted to share one of each of them for now. there will definitely be more to come as i get to editing them.

i love the one of tyler looking down – just seems so “him” – always thinking, contemplating, doing his thing. we love him and love the boy he is growing to be – so smart, so sweet, so literal, such a good brother! he has grown and changed so much in the last year and is making so much progress in things like reading and writing. each day i find new things that i am so proud of!

and then matthew, he is such a little poser and charmer. he gets behind the camera and starts to pose and turn his head this way and that. he just gazes into the camera with those amazing eyes! we are going to have to watch him around the girls as he grows up! people are always telling me what a little flirt he is! he just has this charming little look he gives people!

and finally, our sweet little baby nathan who we can only call our baby for a few more days now! he really is nothing like a baby anymore and he is at such a fun stage! i don’t know who ever named this age the terrible two’s because it really is a joy for us to have a two-year old around! we think this is the greatest stage – not terrible at all! he is so fun and funny and full of personality – learning to be independent but still relying on us in so many ways and still wanting to cuddle and all of that. he is such a polite little guy – always saying please and thank you and he says “yes” just so proper and formal when you ask him if he wants something. he’s such a sweetie!

man, we love these boys to pieces! something i always tell them when i tuck them in at night is that i am so thankful to be their mom! i really am so blessed to have them!!!