A Good Case of the the Smilies

Not to be outdone by his older brothers, Nate Dawg dons a helmet.

How fast these children grow! No more baby swings. Matt surprised them this week by bringing home two new swings.

I wanted to get a good shot of my big kids on their new swings. Thomas insists that this is his best side. There will be no close up of this picture.

  It all started with Joseph. When he struggles with behavior or attitude, he uses a phrase called "change your face". This sentence, spoken by Matt or myself, frequently gives him immediate calm and he can turn a frown into a smile. "I made a good decision", he tells us. 

The other children have implemented Joseph's strategy.
Even Nathan.

Yesterday, he was throwing a full-blown tantrum at the top of the steps. I asked him, calmly, if he could please make a good decision and change his face. The result? This under-bite smile with a hint of 'tude.

Is he mocking me? Most likely.
Do I care? Well, I took a picture.