Sibling Rivalry

My first experience with sibling rivalry as a parent has begun...on Wednesday Charlie started trying to take out his brother Sam. Evan has never displayed any jealousy or agression towards either of his brothers, so this is a new one for me. Charlie alternates between hugging Sam and slapping him. While grocery shopping on Sunday, I had the babies in the double stroller, and I put Charlie in the back seat in the hopes of keeping him from shoplifting things off the shelves. However, he just found a new way to be naughty. He discovered he had easy access to Sam poor bald head, and he let loose and just WHACKED him as hard as he could. Sam looked at me with such shock that anyone would not love him, it was heartbreaking. He burst into tears. I felt horrible. And Charlie is such a darn stinker. After you say no, or give him a time out, be looks at you out of the corner of his eye, AND DOES IT AGAIN!!! He is really going to give me a run for my money. I am really boping Sam is going to be my easy kid. Everybody gets at least one easy one, right?

Life at the Kleffman House

So much has been happening lately...I haven't had time to write! Our major project around the house has been building our own fence. It is a 6 foot privacy fence, in a shadow weave design. We got all of the posts dug and cemented last weekend, and this weekend we completed the entire back side of the yard (minus the gate). That leaves one more side, and three gates. We are saving about $1600 doing it ourselves, but yikes! What a lot of work. Jeff even used power tools!! I was proud yet terrified to watch him! I tried to include a picture, but so far it's not working.

What is a worse idea than 2 babies under 2 in one house? 2 babies under 2 and a puppy. I was nervous about adding a puppy into the mix, but I thought that so often Evan's needs get pushed to the side for the babies, that this time he needed to come first, so last Tuesday we got a little Wheaten Terrier puppy, 10 weeks old. Her name is Sophie, and she is adorable. She is also very calm, very patient with the kids, and never ever barks. Her only issue is she COMPLETELY does NOT understand potty training. We have heard from training videos, training books, the pet store, etc. that a kennel is the way to train. It does not deter her at all though from going where she sits. She is more than happy to dance through her own excrement. UGH! Hopefully this will get better.

Charlie is getting tubes on May 31st, and Sam will probably also get them the same day. Sophie is going in to get spayed the same day, so it should be a painful day at the Kleffman house!!!!