How to Grow a Schneider: The Dondi & Matt Way: Beau Needs a Leash, Halloween and Gender Equality

Beau needs a damn leash.

Seriously.

Is this a thing? Do other moms think that about their one wild child? We thought Jack was crazy...but then Beau started walking. He is BEAUZILLA, y'all.

*stomp* *stomp* *stomp*

He will tear through this house tearing things off walls, pushing over chairs and barreling through Lucky, the Rottweiler.

And -- He doesn't want to be held! He will literally dive head first out of your arms, push off your chest, stiffen up, scream or climb over your head and down your back to get out of your arms.

Forget a stroller unless he's tired....which he never is.

He can walk and he wants to walk. He's frighteningly independent and demanding.

All of you need to stop laughing, smirking and nodding your heads. Just quit it.

He needs a leash.

It's a good thing he's so cute.

We have really been enjoying this fall weather. And by "fall" I mean 80% humidity (instead of 120%) and 70 degrees (vs 95).

Thankfully, "fall" made it in time for Halloween since Jack decide that he wanted to be a Cheetah. He kept asking us "what is the fastest animal?" We would say either a puma or a cheetah .... and then he wanted to see them race to prove what we told him. He's a "trust but verify" sort of dude. And, since we watch all sorts of random zoo animal videos on YouTube....seeing a puma and a cheetah in a 100m dash seemed like a completely normal request to him.

"Cheetah Jack"

For actual Halloween, he was Spider-Man, of course. "Spider-Man Jack" to be exact.

Showing Beau how it's done.

Jack....you are wearing a mask...stop lurking...people will get the wrong idea. They aren't home!

Up to no damn good...these two....Brenny and Beau!

Fellow supa hewoes, Brenny and Jack!

We get these boys outside a lot to run down their batteries....and we are lucky enough to have kiddos across the street from us and some good friends with kids the same age to help with the tiring out process.

Brothers on our run/walk home from school and daycare.

Big Head Fred.

Jack catching his first fish at the SPYC fishing tournament!

Typical Sunday for Beau

Typical Sunday for Jack

Preschool is a trip.

Is anyone else as shocked as I am at what 3 year olds know? I'm not talking about Jack, in particular, but all of them! Did we know our ABCs, 123s (to 100!) and how to argue our requests/cases at THREE? I don't feel like we did. I feel like I'm still working on counting correctly, some days.

Jack is doing really well though - thriving, minding, learning, helping, making friends and coming home to tell us all about it. He's been getting his "high five awards" each week and we like to celebrate those because we know he works hard for those. He loves his teacher, Mrs. Silk, who says "He's very task oriented, very organized in his thoughts and actions. He walks in and immediately wants his list of things to do so that he can check them off and achieve his goal/high five award for the day."

I don't know where he would get such a trait.