Backyard Camping

 

To keep my sanity this summer (and to keep the house somewhat clean) Carter has a job chart.  He puts away the silverware, waters the flower pots, brushes his teeth, etc.  When the work is done the fun begins.  Yesterday, he earned a backyard camp-out and fire.  We had Ryan and Kelly and Cindy (Kelly's sister) over for a weenie roast and then Dean slept over.

Chris slept in the tent with the boys.  Chris said that it was so cold that the boys kept snuggling closer to him and pushing him off the air mattress.  Anyone who has slept on an air mattress knows that when a 200+ lb man gets pushed to one side and the children who weigh less than 80 lbs are on the other side, physics will kick in and the man will reach the cold, hard ground.  Needless to say they awoke early and were ready to come inside.  

Carter adores his cousin Dean.  Ever since Carter was a baby he wanted to be around him.  Whenever we do anything, Carter asks if Dean can come "if" us.  They are cute together.  Carter has such a competitive personality.  He is constantly trying to be "as big" as Dean.  Last night they kept having races.  They raced to the tree, then the fence, then the swing-set.  Any time Carter "lost" he insisted on doing it again.  Carter is a pretty good runner and can keep up with the 5 year olds.  Almost daily, Carter asks when he will be "as big" as Dean.  I keep telling him that Dean will always be 2 years older.  But it is a good way to get him to eat protein; "If you eat your protein then you'll grow big and strong." 

The ironic thing is, I don't want Carter to get bigger than Dean, and I don't want Dean to get any bigger.  Wasn't it just yesterday that Dean was my brand new nephew? And it was just seconds ago that my Carter was born.  They are growing so fast and it tears on my heart to think they want to grow up fast. 

 Just be little...my little boys.