a Little Bit Country

I guess that saying about the grass always being greener on the other side of the fence is true.  I grew up in the country and wanted nothing to do with it.  My kids are growing up in a very large city and LOVE the country and everything about it.  Celia's country obsession centers around horses and for Kye it's TRACTORS.  I was always jealous of my neighbors when they would say their son could spend hours playing with...fill in the blank (trains or puzzles or cars, etc.)  Kye would never play with any toy for longer than a few minutes and then it was on to something else.  I tried all sorts of toys with no luck.  Well, that's all changed since he's found his love for Mr. John Deere.

After spending a considerable amount of time with my Dad on the ranch this summer cutting, raking, and baling hay on "Poppa's Big Tractor" Kye has become a little obsessed.  He could ride on that tractor with my dad for hours.  It's crazy.  Of course here in the suburbs of Houston the closest thing to a tractor we get is the John Deere mowers that mow our neighborhood common grounds and golf course.  But my parents had already provided the child with about 45 tractor toys.  So now Kye has his "thing" that he will sit and do for more than a few minutes.  Thank you John Deere.  You now provide me with a few extra minutes to load the dishwasher or fold some clothes.

His big birthday present from my parents was his very own ride-on John Deere.  I thought it was a little too big for him when they bought it.  But they just had to get it for him.  I was wrong. Now he drives that thing all over.  And I am pretty sure he is the only kid in the Houston suburbs who "cuts hay" in his front yard.  He drives his tractor around and around our tree "cutting hay".  You can see him looking down to watch the cutter, rake, baler etc. just like his Poppa does it.

How did I get such a little "country boy"?  Speaking of... I do have pictures of their time in the country this summer to post.  But I just haven't had the energy to go through them all yet.  I'm hoping to get to that this week and then you can see Kye in action on the really "Big" tractor.