Dog Days

Tyler loves our pets. That is becoming more and more evident as he learns to crawl around after them, grab their tails, and play in their bowls. The latter expression of adoration happened many, many times today and resulted in Ty's first disciplining.

The little stinker would start to crawl off his playmat (where he was surrounded by about 25 toys, mind you) and head for Daisy's food and water bowls. I would say a very stern and deep-voiced "No sir!" Well, he obviously knew this wasn't positive feedback from mommy so he would stop and sort of look over his shoulder wondering if I really intended to stop him. Then, he'd go a few more inches. Again, I'd say, "No sir!" Again, he'd check my intentions. This little cycle went on and on until he would reach the bowls, at which point I would snatch him up and set him on his mat. This resulted in screams and crocodile tears. And, as you can imagine, we played this little "game" for quite a while when I'd had enough. That time, when I went to get him away from the bowls, I popped (read: barely touched, but in a quick, sort of aggressive manner) his hand. His reaction was no more and no less dramatic than the previous episodes, so I don't even know if he realized what I'd done. I tell you, it's tough to lovingly set boundaries when the little guy is so darn cute.

So, I spent the majority of my day chasing Tyler. I think that's going to be the new routine for a while. There's just something about Daisy that captures his attention, and he can't get enough of her. This afternoon, when I was trying to get him settled for a nap, we were playing in his room and waiting for exhaustion to set in. He crawled all around and checked out his bed and his drawers and the glider. Eventually, he made his way to the door. Daisy was sitting just outside his door in the hallway, but when she saw Tyler heading her way, she went to the foyer and took a left towards the living room. So did Tyler. I couldn't believe it! He has never roamed out of his room (in the whole two days he's been crawling), and I got tickled when he peeked his head back around the corner to see if I was still there. Very cute, but, again, I played "Go Fetch Tyler" for a while.

Even his singing puppy is a hit!

We did have some fun with household items today when we made homemade rattles. See for yourself:

Lastly, but most importantly, the Watsons are pleased to share in the joy of our dear friends, Bill and Julie Boucek and their daughter, Hendley, as they welcomed their first son and little brother, Trent Goolsby Boucek, into the world today (8:05 a.m., 9 pounds, 5 ounces, 21 inches).

Happy Birthday, Little Trent! We pray God's richest blessings on your life. You are loved so much already, and we can't wait to meet you in person.

Tyler is especially glad that there's another boy in his circle of friends. He likes all the girls, but he is thankful to have someone to play football and wrestle with (you have to be too gentle with those girls sometimes...).