8:54 AM

Seth at 8:54 AM, February 01, 2012. Exactly two years old.

• • • • • • •

For Seth, my last:

Two years ago at this exact time you were born. Your brother was the first one I heard cry, but you were the first one I saw and I always liked that it turned out that way, so that you both got to be first right from the start.

At two, you love to barrel through life. There is no around with you – you have always been my little bulldozer. You are physically confident and incredibly strong, despite a perpetual case of the skinny. I've made reference to you along the way as a "tough guy"– which you certainly are when it comes to physical challenges – and as much as I hate to blow your cover it's time to set the record straight for those who don't know you as well as I do and say that the "tough guy" stuff ends there since your insides are about as tough as a bag of kittens.

As it turns out, you are a pretty sensitive guy.

You aren't as big on kisses as your brother, but you sure do love your cuddles. Your Gamma Rita said it best when she said you fit like a puzzle piece. You really do.

While your brother might take the title of chatterbug, you have your own way with words and have an amusing way of alternating between your sweet toddler voice and resembling a drill sargeant. Home just wouldn't be "Hum!" without you.

Your favorite games to play with Mommy are "hiding" and "chasing". You would do both all day if I had the stamina for it.

Your favorite things to do include building things, the proper order of things (within the general chaos of course), puzzles of all kinds, "abbets" and "numbahs" (especially those bath toys!), managing your "library", and anything tactile. You love soft things on your face especially.

Flirting with cuties is also pretty high on your list of favorites. You have a swagger and a look that no one at two has a right to have, but you've pretty much had both since you were born.

You like to laugh, but love your own jokes best and are rather good at coming up with them.

You are ridiculously ticklish.

Your very favorite things are Mommy's eyeglasses, your aloo-shoes* and your combat boots. Your favorite color is also orange, you favor your right hand and I think your favorite number is 20 ("twen-twee!"). You love helping Mommy and I love that you love that.

You are the purveyor of leggy-bugs*, uh-oh's* and things that "go"*, as well as co-conspirator in the great tse-tse capers*.

Big cuddles to you today, Seth. I hope you have the happiest of happy birthdays.

All my love,
Mommy

All I Wanted...

*sigh*

All I wanted was a reasonably clear picture of Nate and Seth sporting their new onesies so I could wax poetic for a moment about how fast they've grown and what big boys they are now and so forth. Sentimental Mommy stuff basically.

Of course, what I wanted to take a picture of and what I ended up with are two different things. Sadly, the real world tends to trump Fantasy-Mommy-World more often than not.

About the onesies: my 16 month old future basketball all-stars have been sporting size 24 months of late and with that in mind I only ordered them one apiece since I realize the days of onesie wearing are about over.

These will likely be the last ones I ever buy for them. Ever.

EVER.

*sniffle*

Since I didn't have much luck getting any clear pics of the boys wearing them, here they are sans babies for posterity:

And I think this picture sums up why I'm feeling so sentimental: 

Those white onesies are the very first clothing item they ever wore. Ever.

EVER. 

*lip tremble* *lump in throat* *eyes getting misty* 

My wee babies (who will always be my babies just to be clear) have turned into such little boys overnight.

*sob* 

•   •   •   •   •

While I take a much-needed moment to collect myself (and before Gamma Rita gives me a verbal beating for making her look at a pee-stick for the past week), please enjoy my attempts to take some pics of my guys sporting their new attire. For the record, this was my third attempt (as in three entirely separate occasions on three entirely different days) to take quality photos and these really were the very best of the lot. 

Really.

At least Seth finally sat still, even if you can't see the front of his new onesie. Nate however, was busy running laps pretty much the entire time.

Wheee!!!

The one moment where Nate paused long enough he's only slightly blurry: 

Hi Nate!

Seth on the other hand is displaying his enviable posture to the fullest. As far as anyone can tell, this is not an inherited trait from either side of the family (hence our envy). Let us hope he never learns of our slouchy ways. 

– 'Dis my best slouch everyone. Don't worry, I not go over to slouchy dark side full-time. Is only because I is tired of posing for pictures that keep getting photobombed. I is giving good face here and everything! *sigh* Is OK though. In the end, I not get mad. 

– I get even. 'Dis what being a tough guy all about!

- L.

PS. Of course the "Tuff Guy" onesie is Seth's! How could I resist? He is a pretty tough guy after all.

(Un)Happy Hallowe'en Everyone!

– Well, 'dis is new. I wonder what I think of it.

– Oh, right. 

– I hate it! 

– I'm with you brother. 'Dis is stinkeroo! 

– Why mommy? Why??? 

Sound oddly familiar? Sometimes this blog really does write itself, but even I did not predict this reaction. Really. I thought leaves and pumpkins would equal a fun time had by all – or at least be distracting enough to snap a few photos.

Sadly, long gone are the days of placing Nate and Seth side by side and taking a few cute pics at my leisure. We are mobile and on the move now and we sit still for nothing and no one. And also... leaves are a little scary. Apparently.

Everyone did much better above ground: 

– I is doing better now everyone.

– I think.

– 'Dis is kind of fun.

– OK, maybe I not do so well with leaves everyone. And maybe 'dis outfit has a bow tie... 

– ... but I is still tough guy you know!

In the end, Nate at least made his peace with the leaves. 

Only to look like he was expecting trouble from... 

... this guy: 

It was an adventure to say the least, and at the end I had the worn out babies to prove it: 

And lastly (despite appearances), it really is a Happy Hallowe'en everyone! I'll be keeping my favorite treats far away from the scary leaves today while keeping an eye out for their regular trickery. So basically, business as usual.

Boo!

- L.

Next post: The Hallowe'en after party. Stay tuned!

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

... from the OP's resident leprechauns!

Just for the record, I don't know why Seth looks like he's sporting a green beard in this photo. It's probably a leprechaun thing since only the camera was able to pick it up – either that or his green shirt is reflecting off his very drooly chin. Except that's some pretty uniform drool if that's the case. Hmmm... now I'm back to thinking leprechaun. 

– 'Dis not what it look like everyone! 

Also for the record we have (diluted) juice in the afternoon now, especially while everyone is still sick, and I have to tell you Nate and his bottle are pretty inseparable. I hate playing into negative Irish sterotypes, but when he's clinging onto furniture for balance and stumbling around with a bottle in his mouth it makes me laugh and I have been known to call him "my little drunkard". 

Seth decided this corner of the nursery looked entirely too fun, so he decided to get in on the action too. And yes, he is sporting a new injury. From all the late-night brawling of course. Or perhaps a run-in with the edge of the bookshelf. Either way, it's totally from doing tough guy stuff!

If these two don't look like they're conspiring to get up to no-good then I don't know who does. It's surprising I don't get more shots like these because I see this look a lot. 

Finally we moved onto other things that were less about conspiring and more about entertainment. I know it looks like Seth is waving at you, but he's actually in the middle of his latest trick. 

I have a game I sometimes play with my boys called "stuff on your head" where, you know, I put stuff on their heads and see how long it takes them to notice and/or remove said stuff. It's quality entertainment, I assure you.

Long story short, Seth got a little inspired after I put stuff on Nate's head and decided he'd put stuff on his own head instead. In retrospect, I really wish I'd hit record instead of taking photos, but you get the idea. 

– I's putting stuff on my own head. Is it on yet, everyone? 

– How 'bout now?

- L.

Just In Case...

Just in case you thought Nate was the one to watch after my last post, rest assured his brother gives me plenty of reasons to fret as well.

Seth sporting the aftermath of his latest boo-boo: 

He didn't quite have his hand on the infamous white box when he decided to rest his weight on it and went down like a ton of bricks. He caught his lip on the way down. It wasn't as much of a bleeder as you might guess looking at these pics, but it left a pretty noticeable purplish bruise in its wake. 

Typical tough guy Seth, full of smiles regardless: 

- L.

A Full Serving Of "BONK!" (Hold The Itchy Nose)

Seth had a run-in with the butcher block table yesterday afternoon and while I'd like to say "but you should have seen the table!", unfortunately this time Seth took the blows when he collided with the metal bar at the bottom after a full-speed wipe out.

As is typical of a true injury, "itchy nose" is never part of the equation (also, real injuries are more easily ministered to than the fake kind which is a big part of the litmus test for serious vs. fake). Seth was up and having a good time once again in short order. I on the other hand was simultaneously wondering why Seth (or misfortune) has it in for that eye in particular and marveling that the goose-egg on his head had diminished as much as it had by the time I took some pics (approximately 90 minutes later when my boys were finishing up dessert).

Nate has unexpectedly turned out to be my daredevil wild-child and I guess he must be very good at it as I haven't reported any Nate-related injuries since the toe incident, despite many heart-stopping moments. Seth on the other hand is still my little bulldozer (skip to the 1:30 mark to see what I mean) and if there's the possibility of a way through something he's probably going to try to take it ("over" is not the preferred route in case you were wondering, but he did eventually settle for it in that instance at least). Also, he's a little bit clumsy as it turns out*.

I think I'm going to let the boys take it from here...

– Oh hi everyone! Is me, Seth. I attempt to move through table today and
it not go so well. 'Dis photo not show it off to best advantage though.

– I not asked to be in 'dis photo, but I decides to be in it anyway. Hi everyone!

– Mommy say 'dis photo reasonable interpretation of my spectacular "BONK!", but it not really since 'dis is only half of what it look like an hour before.
Good thing I is tough guy and not let it hold me back.
We is dueling for after-dinner raspberries and I more than holding my own.

– I not care about being is 'dis pic so much. Mostly just trying to keep from losing
spoon right now in epic raspberry battle.

- L.

*Seth inherited the clumsy from his Gamma Rita. Gamma Rita also prefers a route through things. Coincidence? I think not.