The Dudley Four: Outside

"Outside" is Little Bud's new favorite word. He's still selective about talking (he knows quite a few words, but would rather whine when he wants something - we're slowly working on that), but he asks to go outside at least 54 times a day. As soon as I open his curtains in the morning, he says, "Outside!" (and he also usually points to his diaper to let me know he's got a dirty diaper for me to change!). Unfortunately, the weather has been unusually wet and cold the last month or so, but this past week we've had a nice stretch of decent days and both kids have spent hours soaking in the sun. Little Bud loves to push Big Sister's old bubble lawn mower around the yard. He's so proud of himself, since he's being such a big help to Daddy (if only that thing really cut grass!).

On Saturday, Big Sister had her first "work" experience. We have several sweet gum trees in our yard that provide us with great shade in the summer, but in the winter they drop tens of thousands of little gumballs into our back yard (and they HURT if you step on them without shoes on!). So, we offered to pay big Sister 1 penny for each gumball she collected. She agreed right away, and picked up 334 gumballs in about 45 minutes. Her plan is to spend that money on presents for her cousin, Little Bud and her Papa, who all have birthdays coming up (I'm hoping the Dollar Tree and/or the Target Dollar bins will be good to us - she has no understanding of what a dollar actually buys, or in most cases, doesn't buy). She says she wants to keep working a little every day so that she can save up to buy a rainbow bracelet loom (she is super impressed by her cousins mad bracelet making skills and wants to get in on the craze herself). I was proud of her hard work, and even more proud of the fact that she wanted to spend her hard earned money buying gifts for those she loves.