Matthew and James visit

Over the past several days I have gotten a taste of what having four children would be like since we were watching our nephews Matthew and James. Let's just say, a lot of work! I talked to a couple of friends of mine who have five children and they both said it's different when they are your own because you establish a routine. It's hard to develop that kind of routine over only three days. I was just getting the hang of it when the boys went home. It was fun though! And yes, I still want ten kids (that is, if things work out that way.) It's okay if you think I'm crazy!

Well, I thought I would post a few pics of the kids having fun over their stay. All of these were taken at home. We did go to the local pool one day, and to McDonald's and the public library the next day, but I forgot to take the camera. (Of course, I had my hands full anyway, so I don't think I would have had a free hand to take pictures.)

We begin with James's hunger strike! We were totally surprised that James initially refused to eat the first night the boys were with us. Not that missing a meal would hurt him in any way, but every time I've seen James with food he enjoys every last bite. Eventually he decided that the food must be okay since Matthew ate it and was still alive, and he chose to try it for himself when nobody was watching.

The next morning when I got up I came into Little Robby's room to check on Robby and Matthew, and all I saw was an empty room. I could hear voices coming from the closet, so I opened to see what was going on in there only to find Robby and Matthew squished in a corner reading a book together with a flashlight.

Bath time for the boys!

Look at me! I'm sitting in a box!

First Robby started playing the piano, and then everybody wanted to play! Aaaahh! Harmony!

On the last day the boys were with us Big Robby got the grand idea of setting up a big tent in the living room. (Yes, those are food storage boxes for the walls.) In order to get in you have to go through the Bob the Builder door. Needless to say, all the kids thoroughly enjoyed the tent!

Here's Matthew in the entrance way to the "main room. " Matthew had such fun playing in the tent that when his parents called that morning he refused to come out and talk to them. I had to chase him down, and then all he did was giggle and jokingly call his Dad a "turkey."

James crawling around in the main room of the tent! "Oh what fun!" he says.

We did learn during their visit that Jenna can get very jealous. She really didn't like either Robby or me picking James up. As soon as he was in our arms, she would wail at our feet insisting that we put James down and pick her up instead.

One thing I enjoyed while having them was being asked on two occasions when we were out if they were all mine! I think the fact that Jenna and James are close in age made some people do a double take. I will say that if they were all mine I would definitely have a double stroller!