Snuggles

Life has been going by quickly. Nothing crazy but still going by so fast. I know I want things to slow down with the boys. I wasn't a huge fan of the infant stage (I think I always felt so overwhelmed and nervous with the 2 boys) so I wanted that to move along and some days it sure did not seem like it did so. I am LOVING this stage (the boys are 4) and the days seem like they are flying by. I want it to slow down so I can enjoy the moments; I'm not ready to move to the next stage. I think the more I want it to slow down, the faster it seems to go.

Take for example yesterday... the boys had a good nap and were sleeping when I got home. N woke up first (which is very rare) and so he and I were able to snuggle in his bed and read stories together. I love that he takes an interest in which book(s) we are reading, picks out the same ones that happen to be his favorites at the time, and comments actively on the pictures (points things out, asks questions, etc.). We read 3 stories (Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy - a current favorite of both boys so it is read at least once if not twice daily, Perfect Pancakes if you Please - library book that is such a random story but N sure likes it, and a library book we hadn't read before called something like Island Girl) and read Ladybug Girl twice. Then he was definitely ready to get up and play. So we hung out in the living room and he played with his Legos.

Eventually S woke up and was still really tired (it wasn't like him to sleep so late so he was extra drowsy). He came in the living room and I offered up to let him sit with me. He got up on my lap and snuggled in. We sat like that where he snuggled in and I rubbed his back for a good 10-15 minutes while N placed with his Legos. J came home and played with N outside and S and I laid on the chaise and read books (Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, Perfect Pancakes if you Please and then Ladybug Girl again). Once S was fully awake he played inside with his Legos while I got dinner going and then he eventually decided to go outside and play with J and N.

I know those snuggle moments aren't going to last forever so I am savoring each one I get. The boys definitely resist snuggling on my terms but are happy to do so when they initiate and are in that mode. N is exceptionally snuggly at night when I read him stories. After stories, he snuggles right up next to me while I rub his back and arms - he lays sooo still, likes he's in a trance. S is becoming less and less snuggly in the traditional sense but he has transitioned to more of an occassionally toucher- he will quietly touch my arm or kiss my cheek or give me a small hug (again, on his terms) and it is so sweet.

Quick catch up paragraph - my dad and stepmom came for their annual visit (they live in Texas) for the last weekend of May. It was interesting how the boys were so shy at first (that wasn't too surprising as they are that way with everyone unless they see them pretty regularly) but then once they warmed up they were not even close to shy the rest of the time. They seemed to really enjoy the visit.

Dinner: "special" scrambled eggs (essentially scrambled eggs made like you are going to make French toast - with a little sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, milk and salt), pea pods, yam hashbrowns, corn bread, vanilla ice cream with blackberry sauce (made from blackberries from our yard - mmm). The boys LOVE the blackberry sauce (it is so quiet while they are eating it) - it is just fresh blackberries, a little water or lemon juice, a little sugar. Boil that up and then frigerate until ready to use. Goes amazingly great with vanilla ice cream.

Books: Bedtime books - B is for Bulldozer (N), Alphabeeps (N), Polar Express (S).

Play: Legos, Nerf guns with the darts with J (we just brought out the darts a couple of days ago and they have really loved playing with those with J). A little bit of the Bug's Life movie.