My boys

I think in my recent ramblings I've neglected to give many updates on the boys' new adventures and talents. Like all children their age, they grow by leaps and bounds every week.

Jimmy is as active and curious as his brother was at this age. At 7 months he "army crawls" quickly around the room, mostly looking for things to put in his mouth. He likes to get onto his hands and knees and rock back and forth, but is still trying to figure out what comes next. Jimmy doesn't have teeth yet, but is drooling and biting on everything, so I keep thinking his first tooth will appear any day. He loves to laugh and is a very good natured and cuddly little guy. He has a cooky smile and a loud voice and shouts happily throughout the day. I used to be his favorite person in the world, but I think I've been replaced by Charlie. Jimmy waves desperately and laughs (a little pathetically, I think) every time Charlie makes an entrance.

I don't want to jinx it, but Charlie seems to be moving on from his terrible twos. In the past month Charlie has matured so much--I'm sure preschool has a lot to do with it. He's helpful and eager to please us, and he loves talking about letters, rhyming words, how the people we know fit into our life (e.g. Emily is my aunt, Josephine and Vivianne are sisters), and other things he's trying to figure to out. He's very sensitive and doesn't like big crowds of people, but in small groups and one-on-one Charlie is outgoing and confident. He wasn't much of a snuggler as a baby, but these days Charlie is so affectionate and loves to express his love for us in long, wordy, and creative declarations. The other day he said "I love mommy because you have a long body, a long face, yellow hair, two eyes, a nose, and some legs." He's crazy about Jimmy, too, and he wants to be sure Jimmy is coming along whenever we leave the house. On Fridays, Grandma watches Jimmy while Charlie and I go to music class, and during our walk to and from class Charlie talks about what he imagines Jimmy is doing and how much hemisses him. During car rides, the boys laugh hysterically in the backseat and when I ask Charlie what's so funny, he says it's a joke for brothers, not moms. I was crazy when I thought I wanted girls. These boys have stolen my heart.