Monday, November 03, 2008

The Good, the Bad, and the Boys

Zion David
1 month, 1 week, and 2 days old
Things I like most about this stage:

- soft little bendy ears that fold in half on my arm and stick there, and then slowly unfurl and pop back into place

-whisper-soft hair and a soft little head that bumps against my jaw as he peers wide-eyed over my shoulder, his head bobbing and weaving, and making soft little breathy huffy noises as he checks out the wide new world
-the sweetest little soft smooth feet ever with toes that fan out as he stretches out his legs, and that absolutely MUST be kissed

-sweet soft mouth and sweet soft cheeks that also MUST be kissed

-his fleeting smiles
-the way he nuzzles into my neck, grunting and snuffling, his little arms hugging my neck and making me want to just squeeze him and squeeze him

-the little hand that grips the neck of my shirt tightly as he nurses

Things I like least about this stage:

-his wide-awake period from 11PM-1 AM

-his late night tummy aches

-his "nap snacks". He doesn't nap for very long for the first part of the day.

-feeling like I can never really put him down and get stuff done while he is awake

Israel Caleb
2 years, 2 weeks, and 5 days old


Things I like best about this stage:

-his baby cheeks and baby legs that make him just so very squeezeable

-his grins of glee

-his belly laughs

-his sweet smelling hair, his bright blue eyes and transparent expressions

-watching him mimic EVERYTHING Gabe does, INCLUDING peeing in the potty!!! (I'm trying not to get my hopes up :))

-how he still snuggles into me and needs his mommy

-how he likes hats

-his words and expressions

Things I like LEAST about this stage:

-he gets into EVERYTHING and dumps it out, empties it, pours it on the floor - basically any mess-making description you can think of

-he gets great joy hurling himself off of perfectly good furniture onto the floor

-he has a great desire to put his fingers INTO Zion's eyes as he discusses them

-the snot, oh the snot, oh the snot snot snot snot!!!!!

Gabriel Timothy
4 years, 1 month, 3 weeks, and 6 days old

Things I like most about this stage:

-the way his brain works, making conversations move in unusual directions.

-he can actually help me! :)

-he is not as into challenging boundaries as Israel is right now

-his love of hide and seek
(Gabe making "sunglasses" against the sunlight on his face." :) )

-his gentleness and soft touch with Zion

-his love of chocolate

-his delight of new things

Things I like least about this stage:

-his lack of gentleness and aforementioned soft touch with Israel. He is all the time tackling him or pushing him over. ARGGHHH!!

-dwaddling and forgetting to obey quickly

-having me "make [his] blanket flat" about 14 million times every evening after he goes to bed. One cannot apparently sleep without said blanket being just right.

-tired crankiness/"but I want MOMMY to do it!!!"

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

love the sunglasses pictures.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe how those little guys keep growing. That was my sunglasses comment.
Anna

Anonymous said...

You with 3 boys, me with 3 girls...doesn't sound like life is so different for us! Some of your likes & dislikes are similar to mine in each stage!

MICHELLE CULLUM said...

your life sounds like mine...same likes and dislikes for Eli as Isreal as the same with Isaac as Gabe...at least I know I'm not doing an aweful job parenting knowing you and others are having the very same issues like not obeying immediately. some things begin to bother you so much that at least i begin to wonder "what did i do wrong" . all the boys are beautiful. love reading your blog.

StuckeyBlog said...

I love your post and the wonderful pictures! I want to hug and kiss those little boys too!

Carolyn Miller said...

Thanks so much for the pictures Carrie, makes a Grandma have tears of delight. So glad you take the time to enjoy the boys. Nice haircuts, whose cutting that hair these days?

Anonymous said...

I love these pictures!
emily

Rustin and Lynette Polinder said...

I would also like to say that the Sunglasses picture gets my vote. I love that Israel is really into hats these days...I may need to send him one for Christmas. And lastly Zion is soooooo frickin cute and I REALLY wish I could join you in kissing his little neck folds.

Anonymous said...

I love this post what a great idea to post all the these little facts about them..i cant get over how much israel looks like quentin! i love the sames things as you in the first stages the little bendy ears were always fun to play with =) im sure life is crazy for you as a mom of 3 now! do you ever look back and think "wow i really had it easy with just 2."? 2 seems so hard to me sometimes im not even sure i will be able to handle a 3rd someday but hopefully you adjust. i hope. =) loved the update and the pictures!