Summer nights

The weather has been so wonderful that the boys and I have been spending nearly every night out in the backyard.
Jay has been working late every night on The Table of Inordinate Size (due for delivery on Monday) and rounds in just before bath time. In order to keep the house tidy(ish), I pick up while the boys eat dinner, load the dishwasher and shoo them out the door as soon as they are done. We then spend an hour to an hour and a half playing on the deck, on the playset, in the sandbox. This serves many ends: the house stays at least as tidy as I left it, we all get fresh air, and the boys get worn out.
Allan is getting more and more mobile every day. He still lacks the confidence to head out solo but he now knows how to use the garden cart to keep his balance and get across the yard. This is not his preference, however. He would much rather you hold his hand and go where he steers you. The other night I kept putting his hands on the garden cart and telling him, Allan do. He got so damned mad that he turned, started yelling and, without realizing it, took about eight steps toward me without holding on to anything. You could see the shock on his face as he decided he had better stop that. Right now. And sat down.