I don't remember loving this as a child

It's been a rainy week around here. Kind of nice, because it's cooled the air down a lot, but also a drag because it keeps me from getting to walk and it limits the kids' time outdoors.

Earlier this week, though, the boys asked to play outside in the rain, and since it wasn't a thunderstorm -- just a good old soaking rain -- I said sure.

They couldn't get out the door quickly enough. Nick ran out first:



With Nathaniel only a couple of steps behind.



Guess who felt left out.



OMG. Is there anything more pitiful than a little boy feeling left behind as his older brothers take off on a new adventure? Who cares if the "adventure" is just running down the sidewalk in the rain? IT'S STILL AN ADVENTURE WHEN YOU'RE FAIRLY NEW TO THE WORLD.

Nathaniel and Nicholas ran back and forth, back and forth, up and down the sidewalk and driveway.




At one point they stopped to catch raindrops on their tongues, but they quickly tired of that. "It just tastes like icky water."



I lasted about five minutes before I felt sorry for the baby and toted him down the steps.

PUDDLE!



He took off across the sidewalk and got halfway to the street before Nathaniel caught him.



Nathaniel carried him back to the sidewalk, but in mere nanoseconds Jake was running up the driveway toward the street again. DETERMINED MUCH?



They played for about an hour, and by then it was time to dry off and clean all the grass and mud from between their toes so we could go get haircuts ... but I'll save THAT titillating adventure for tomorrow.