Little men.

In my limited experience as a parent I think that kids seem to learn and progress in sharp inclines, followed by slow plateaus of growth. Currently we're on a steep incline and are feeling a little challenged by that.

Oliver's favourite new word is 'why?' and he uses it in most sentences. Conversations are getting a little ridiculous. I can't go into the physics of how the universe works with a 3 year old. Not withstanding I don't actually know any quantum physics. He asked me what a mortar was the other day after hearing the phrase mortar attack on the radio (must stop listening to the news on radio 4). Where do you start? And we are having countless conversations about wee, poo and bottoms. He still doesn't get how girls go to the toilet as they don't have willies. I didn't think this kind of stuff happened just yet. I was counting on a few more years to get my explanations right.

Pip, when not flirting with ladies, is perfecting the art of the command. Usually bringing books up to whoever is closest and demanding "read dat" or today it was "lie down". In the middle of the street I might add. His idea of paying attention to parental authority is to laugh and run away. I'm fast running out of ideas and tones of voice to try and get the message across. He also knows exactly when he's in trouble and has this very disarming way of saying 'nooooo' which is both cute and funny. You end up having to stifle your laughter which is never the most effective way of trying to discipline your child. He has also figured out that when he does something like push or hit, he has to smile, say sorry and kiss the poor recipient of his naughtiness. It's an immediate reaction of what-I-think-I should-do-when-mama-growls-at-me.

Sigh. But overall the good outweighs the bad. Mainly by being funny, but at least it's not a humourless house... They are essentially good boys who are just being toddlers, and it is so difficult not to kiss and cuddle them 24 hours a day.