Just Life

Buddy Boy, though he still won't say a word, is such an effective communicator.  In addition to his baby sign language and his ever-ready grunts and growls and lots of pointing, he pantomimes.  Y'all, it is the funniest thing.  He'll act out some little scenario with gestures and noises (like, pointing and woofing and going to stand by the window to remind us that we saw a dog outside), and then, if you ask him a question about it, he'll pantomime back an answer (How big was the dog?  Oh, very big.  Hands held high in the air.).  It's the greatest. 

He also mimics every last thing he sees.  His favorite thing right now is to go climb on top of the toilet, grab a tissue from the tissue box, cough into it, and then stuff it in his pocket.  He'd go through a whole box if given half a chance.

Little Guy has developed an alias...Mr. John Parker.  He'll shake your hand and say, "Nice to meet you, sir.  My name is Mr. John Parker."

That's a nice, respectable name.  But the name he gives everyone and everything else?  Pweena.  He's pretty determined that his baby sister be named Pweena, too.  When I mentioned to him the name we are considering, he informed me that he would be calling her Pweena, regardless.

Another of Buddy Boy's favorite games is to crawl up in his high chair and work on buckling his buckles.  For twenty or so minutes at a time.  So, he's contained, he's relatively safe, and his brother is happy to unbuckle him repeatedly, so he can do it all over again.  Score one for Mama!

I love his sweet, happy self.

I also love his determination to do every last thing Little Guy does.

Which is A LOT of things.  They are constantly on the move.

Even though there have been a few more displays of brotherly conflict lately, as Buddy Boy has become a more active participant in everything we do, they are still really, really sweet to one another.  It makes me so happy.

We still have our Christmas tree up.  We're part of the loud and proud Epiphany crowd, but still.  Ever since we begrudgingly switched to an artificial tree, there's been very little urgency to take the thing down.  And the lights are so twinkly pretty.  It's time, though.

Little Guy said of swinging really high, "There's air in the sky, and it makes me feel fuuuuuunnnnnnny!"  Butterflies, my dear, those are butterflies.

I really don't think I could neglect to include in this random assortment of thoughts a big "ROLL TIDE, y'all!"  So proud of our team!  And only a bit envious of my cousins who are currently in school at the University of Alabama.  Why did my four years of college have to be just about the four worst years of Alabama football in the history of mankind???

The game started so late (8:30 Eastern time) that I was waaaay dubious about making it to the end.  It turned out to be so exciting, though, that I made it through with no problem and then talked the Mister's ear off until almost 1 AM.  Roll Tide Roll!

That brown orb, out of focus, but large and in charge?  Oh, that would be my 24 week belly, which just so happens to be measuring 26 weeks.  Some expectant women lose sight of their feet; I'm losing sight of my babies!