Day Out With Dad

In mid-September, John and his Dad took the boys to their first home Texas A&M game of the year. We also went on this past Saturday, and they will get to go again with their Dad and PawPaw in November too. They had a good time, but it was REALLY hot - so they only made it through to see the band perform at halftime.

They are pretty much obsessed with all things about the Aggie Band right now, and knowing that their Daddy played with them when he was there is even more exciting. They've added a toy trumpet and saxophone to their Christmas lists -- which I may regret greatly come Christmas. It's pretty cute though, and I think that their interest in music is nice. I hope to find them a way to start learning how to actually play some instruments in the next couple of years.

These 4 are such a crazy set, but they love each other fiercely. I am so glad that they get to share this with their Daddy and grandfather. They are surely making memories for years to come, and it's a beautiful thing that they can capture it on the iPhone camera -- so they can watch it over and over again on YouTube too!

They were waiting for Spirit Walk which is where the Aggie Band leads the Football Team in to the stadium -- they get to high five the band members on their way in to Kyle Field. Oddly enough, Tyler is more interested in the band than the football team... He got all of the football player's autographs earlier in the summer, but I think that he would be more excited if he could get the band player's autographs!

Since it was so hot, they also went for ice cream after they stopped off at Double Dave's for pizza rolls. I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all! Tyler even fell asleep on the way back home.

The game started at 11 that morning, so they still had some time after they got home to relax -- and we got to see a rare moment where the boys sat together to watch a movie together on the iPad. I just love those two to pieces, and when they get along so well like this -- it just makes me smile.

Conversations with Tyler

This little guy slays me. I mean really - those cheeks! He has been struggling a little bit since we started Kindergarten - he doesn't like that James now knows enough to be able to answer questions more quickly on occasion. He likes being the star student and having Mom & Dad be proud of him. He is learning new things -- and you can often hear him working things out.

For instance, his great grandmother passed away this summer -- and for weeks afterwards, he would ask all sorts of questions about why things die. Which things can die. Just trying to understand it all. We took a good bit of time before the funeral explaining to him what would happen, and what he would see. That he would see Memaw in the casket, but that it was just her body because she had gone on to Heaven. Also, that when we got to the cemetery, Daddy and his cousins would have to carry the casket over to the burial site because they were pallbearers. Then that at the very end, they would lower her down into the ground where her body would stay, and that we could come visit where her body was whenever we wanted to. We actually stayed long enough talking after the burial service that as we drove away, they watched the workers lower the casket into the ground. He took about a month and a half to work through all of that even after it was all over.

Now that we've started school, we hear him working on his phonics -- he will just stop sometimes and tell me things like: "Duck starts with D, Momma!" He is always thinking about something. He is the more quiet observer -- especially in new situations.

Lately they've been going to football games at Texas A&M, and they are much more aware of the Band and all things Aggie related. It's funny though because he doesn't really understand the WHY of it all. Meaning that he knows that A&M has a band and a football team, but he didn't understand that it is a school or what a college is even. He and John had this conversation the other night:

Tyler: Why does the band go here?
John: What do you mean?
Tyler: The Aggies - is it a different team in the band?
John: No, the band and the football team are part of Texas A&M the school.
Tyler: What do you mean?
John: Well, you know how you're in Kindergarten?
Tyler: Yep
John: In a few years, you'll get to middle school - then high school - then what we call college. That's where you'll learn things about whatever job you want to have. What do you want to be when you're older?
Tyler: A Daddy.
John: Well, you'll want to be able to take your kids to dinner, and buy them toys, right?
Tyler: Yeah.
John: So, then you'll need a job to be able to make money to pay for things.
Tyler: Oh, but I don't know what I want to do, Daddy. For my job.
John: You have a LONG time to figure that out, but you like to cook right?
Tyler: Yes, breakfast.
John: Ok, so maybe you'll want to be a chef.
Tyler: I don't want to go anywhere to do it, just at home.

So funny. I knew he was struggling a bit with the fact that I went to A&M, but that I wasn't a football player or a member of the Aggie Band. Now, I think maybe he understands a little more. So he has moved on today to showing me "Miss Reveille Ma'am" ten billion times. All four of us are going to the game this weekend, so I know he is just trying to show me the things he already knows and doesn't think I know about. It's just so funny!