Independent Bradley

See this boy?

I love him.

He's a quiet little fellow,

who is positively content with life.

He mostly spends his days cruising around the house and yard observing

and "experimenting."

I would pay $1.99 to know what he is thinking in that little head.

Those little wheels never stop turning, but being a man of few words,

you don't always get the privilege of knowing exactly what he is thinking.

When you do though, it comes by way of the cutest raspy "man" voice,

and in what sounds like a Brooklyn, NY accent.

(I am going upstairs would sound like, "I am going up-STAYS)

Positively charming if you ask me.

Well our little friend has been doing lots of growing up and has certainly gained some serious independence around here.

Besides mastering the art of painting his sisters' fingernails, he now also makes his own lunch!

Which requires us to have 2 jars of peanut butter and jelly open at a time.

One for knife-licker Bradley, and one for the rest of us.

He has also attempted to comb his own hair.

Buuuuut, that one needs a bit more work.

And a whole lot less hair gel.

It doesn't end there though.

Oh no it doesn't.

He is quite helpful with household chores.

He's in charge of putting the clean silverware away each day.

Which now that I think about it is pretty scary after our PB&J story above.

He loves to do the shredding for me,

all while keeping his fingers intact!

And recently he has grown impatient with my "laundry speed."

(Or lack thereof)

When in need, he knows right where the jackpot of clean clothes is.

I know I really shouldn't post it, 

but frankly he caught me off guard that day when I walked in the laundry room.  

And I've been laughing about it ever since.

He has also taken his older sibling role very seriously.

Not only does he swipe marshmallows for himself and Aubrey,

he teaches her the finer things in life.

Like smooshing play-dough on your face.

It's the thing to do you know.

Rolling pins and cookie cutters can only take you so far.

A true artist can create a masterpiece like this:

Creepy, right?

It looks like this was laid on this face, but he laid it out on the counter and smashed his face into it.

Those nostril holes are actually sticking up at you.

Can you see it?

And look!

It appears that his nostrils are kind of heart shaped.

All the more reason for me to love that little guy.