Doesn't Everyone Love Wrinkles?

I am allergic to cats and most dogs.

Pet ownership has been at a low.
Then along came Wrinkles.

Wrinkles was my favorite Beanie Baby from my husband.
He was 20 bucks at the height of the Beanie Craze.
I decided to let the kids play with my treasured collection,
potential for child entertainment
exceeded monetary value.

It was hard to share Wrinkles with the kids, I wanted to keep him safe.
I think Griffin took a great liking to him because he knew he was my favorite.
The World Wide Web assured me
an additional Wrinkles could be purchased for a mere $3.99
and I decided I could share.

A decision I have not regretted.

Wrinkles is currently the treasured family pet.

Griffin has been creating forts with him.
Today I couldn't find Griffin.
I called out for him and he responded from under his bed,
the blanket was creating an underground fortress.
Griffin and all of his favorite stuffed friends were in seclusion.
I said, "Oh, are you building a fort under your bed?
Have you brought all your friends?"

Griff said, "I am giving Wrinkles aloneness time, because he wants to be alone."
Wrinkles has also been joining us on adventures.
Griffin leaves his back pack open
"So Wrinkles can breathe."

This afternoon Griff and Linc were outside
jumping on the trampoline.
Griff came in and said, "Can Wrinkles watch us?"
My reply, "No he will get dirty."
Griffin's answer?
"No he won't, he can watch us through the window!"

Griffin went outside and carefully examined Wrinkles.
Adjustments were made to ensure Wrinkles, was in fact,
Watching.

Like any great watch dog
He never even blinked!

When It's Time to Change

Aren't these puppies and boys so cute. It is amazing when you think these puppies are just a couple weeks old. Then over just 1 month basset hound puppies look like this...

Still adorable.
Everyone loves puppies and babies, but seriously, how do their bodies grow so fast?
It made me think about the growth of my 3 boys.

Little Lincoln. Child number 3.
What a sweet little guy.
At first all he wanted to do was cry.

He gives out hugs, kisses, and "I love you" more than any child I've known.

Now he is so spunky. He makes us laugh on a regular basis. Unfortunately, he has learned to open the freezer, there is no end to how many popsicles he thinks are reasonable! His language skills have developed more quickly than the other boys, which is a blessing and a curse!

Next up Griffin Mazer.

Griffin was a little too easy as a baby. I was lovingly tricked into thinking he'd be easy forever! It was a shock to my system when I discovered he saved all his zaniness for Lincoln's arrival.

He has an undoubted zest for life. We have survived pacifier extraction, potty training, and cereal bag explosions with minimal residual damage.

The wheels in his brain have been turning. He says the funniest things. This week he said, "you want to hear something really funny? Lincoln Mazer. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha."

Saying his brother's name and including his own middle name, is just SO funny to him.

Brian number 3 is our oldest and proudly inducted us into parenthood.

He taught us about patience and Advil. We must have opened every parent self help book looking for answers to thrush, ear infections, colic, teething, etc.

He turned 2 and life got a little too easy. I just loved every minute of that stage with him. I still regularly get reports from parents about how sweet and thoughtful he is. He is a great helper and I will miss using him as my errand boy when he returns to school next week.

We all know they start out small and grow so fast. We know this, but it is still shocking when you look back at the pictures and realize just how much they have changed and grown.

When it's time to change you've got to rearrange
Who you are into what you're gonna be
Sha na na na, na na na na na, sha na na na na
Sha na na na, na na na na na, sha na na na na