The Boy-ohs

Wow, three posts in one week.  That used to be the regular goal.  Now . . . it seems excessive.

All three of my boys are sleeping at the same time.  I suppose it probably happens about once a week, and you can imagine how I just revel in it.  It feels so good.  I mostly want to just sit and stare.

But I think I'll write an "update" on each of the boys.  I bet my parents and sibs would like that.  Shoot, I will too.

DIEGO:
Age almost-6
(July 30th)

• Re-obsessed with butterflies this summer.
• Love playing with and holding his baby brother.
• Never wants to take a bath alone, or much of anything else really -- he loves people and wants to be around them pretty much all the time.
• Though he does regularly become absorbed in picture books and Blaine's old comics for extended lengths of time.
• Loves to snuggle.
• Still loves to "touch my neck".
• Invites Truen to play by saying, "My guys are about to land and blow up your spaceship!" and anything else along that line.
• LOVES trying to make Blaine laugh -- I often watch him eyeing his daddy while pulling out the old one-liners (or whatever funny quip) to try and get a chuckle.
• Has recently started HATING to see people kiss.  Whether his parents or people in a movie, he is repulsed and will avert his eyes while yelling, "Nooooooo!"  (LOL, he also said he "doesn't like" Uncle Erik because he kisses Ashley.  Riiiiiiiight.) 
• He also told me yesterday that when he gets bigger and has a girlfriend, he's not going to kiss her.  Riiiiiiiiight.
• Is embarrassed by his new hair-cut.
• Is very obedient and helpful.
• Tends to get too wild (his main downfall, sound familiar anyone...?)
• Still says, "schickens" vs. "chickens"
• Has resurrected my favorite nickname of all time, "Truen HisBees".
• Frequently calls Blaine "Da" and in the past has called me "Shaw".
• Regularly pats me to show his affection (and as a reassurance of his love if/when he's upset).
• Favorite color: blue

TRUEN:
Age 3

• Told the Story Hour reading volunteer this week that "the only thing I know how to make is scrambled eggs" when she asked the group if they liked helping in the kitchen.
• He does love to help in the kitchen and makes the scrambled eggs (almost) by himself.
• Frequently shows me affection by kissing my arms.
• Will ask, "Is your armpit available?" when snuggling down for bed or a nap.  (He still loves touching my armpits, of all things.)
• Has been saying, "I want to be alone" when feeling cranky, and frequently re-emerges cheerful and pleasant once again.
• Has been saying, "I'm too tired to walk to bed" and absolutely LOVES in being carried. [Adjustment from being the baby...?  Wow, I just thought of that!]
• Absolutely loves being babied by his daddy.  Squeeze will croon and fuss over him (Diego too) and I can tell, that kid revels in it.  Not much of a snuggler, but that will tip him over the edge and get him nuzzling.
• Always wants to make sure his daddy knows if/when he is hurt.  Again, the "fuss-factor".  Loves it.
• Still wears a 2T (three-and-a-half years old).  Wears clothes that Diego wore when he was two.  Likewise, the baby (at 5 months) is wearing things that he wore when he was 10-11 months.  He's tiny.
• Has the cutest little chipmunk grin.
• Loves to play with his baby brother.
• Very keen on concocting "magic potions" of whatever powder/liquids he finds in the bathroom.
• Calls me "Ma" (no joke!)
• Adores banana chips.
• Favorite color: purple

JAMIE:
Age 5 months

• Very interested in our cats, loves to watch them and will reach out to touch or grab them if they come close enough.
• Wiggles ALL. THE. TIME.
• Pukes ALL. THE. TIME.
• Loves to grab faces and suck on them.
• Smells so good, like a fresh bale of hay.
• Loves taking baths.
• Will grab Diego's face (particularly at night, when he's tired), scream, and suck on it ferociously (latching on in that back-and-forth motion when babies are looking for a nipple).  This pretty much always ends in him (the baby) getting so amped up that the happy screams turn into crying-screams.  It is the weirdest thing.  Diego thinks it is hilarious.
• Sometimes hums himself to sleep.
• Loves to be wrapped (arm-swaddle).
• So soft and fat and sweet-smelling.
• Nicknames "Stinky" (pronounced "Schtinky") and "Voos".
• Wiggles and smiles if he even hears Blaine calling to him from a distance, gives HUGE grins when he sees him.
• Thinks his name is Stinky.
• Understands 6 words: milk, Dada, Brother, Toots/Bay (the cats' names), Stinky
• Takes four naps a day: Two 20 minute morning naps, one 2-3 hour afternoon nap, and another 20 minute evening nap.
• Nap locations vary.  First morning nap: swing.  Second morning nap: my arms/swing.  Afternoon nap: bed.  Evening nap: swing.  (We keep the swing in the kitchen.)
• Gives a HUGE grin as soon as he wakes up enough to look around in the morning.
• Wake-up calls sound like this: "Ahhhhh . . . maahhhhhh . . . awwwwwhhh"
• Loves the reverberations of humming while sucking on his fist.
• His feet go *boing*, up in the air, the second his diaper is off.  He loves holding his feet and sucking on his toes. (and this is actually how we have relatively-peaceful evening meals of late, by taking his diaper off so he can have easy access to his tootsies).
• Sits very well by himself (with supervision).
• Rolls over either way, but mostly to his left, and always starts the roll-over by grabbing his feet and laying on his side.