zach and dean

Since Jonny has started Preschool, I have been able to spend a little more one on one time with Zach and Dean.  I love this time with each of them and am discovering new aspects of their little personalities. 

Zach likes to bend his head back, look up at the ceiling, and blindly run full speed down our hallway. When he crashes into a door or wall, he laughs, gets up, and darts the other direction in the same position.

After finishing a meal and before I take him down from his high chair, Zach will grab every last remaining crumb of food from his tray. With fists full of food he will carry around his leftovers and in between playing periods will shove a bite or two into his mouth till all remains have been devoured. He is my resourceful-nothing will go to waste-little oinker- child. 

 I've observed that when just Zach and I are together, he's content sitting with a toy and playing on his own for a few minutes. He'll sit in my lap and read through an entire book before the wiggles come and he moves on to something else. When brother is home, Zach doesn't stop. It's go go go, and it's very rare to see him sitting still for more than thirty seconds

Zach is a grunter. We know he is capable of saying many words but prefers grunting over talking.  

He still refuses to refer to me as "Mommy." Instead, when I walk into a room he yells, "Hi Daddy!"We've tried explaining to him who is daddy and who is mommy. Still hasn't sunken in.

Zach is tough! He has learned to defend himself by using his over-sized head to head-but his way out of any situation. Falling off changing tables, beds, and chairs are a daily occurrence and don't phase him one bit. I remember one particular day I saw Jonny repeatedly stomping on Zach's back. It looked painful and I was waiting for the screaming to begin, instead Zach started laughing. About and hour later I was changing Zach's shirt and noticed he had five-toe foot prints all over his back. He really is a tough cookie! 

Zach is still my cuddle bug. He loves his blanket and binki, and for right now that is fine with me. His gives kisses to his baby brother at least 10x a day. He'll rummage through our DVD collection looking for faces on the case covers and makes sure to smooch each one. He has learned to apologize. I sometimes wonder if he repeatedly does something naughty just so he can kiss and make up afterwards. 

Zach is my sunshine. He is so animated and expressive.  I wish I could explore his little mind and view

 the world from his perspective. He is so full of life and loves the simple things it offers him. I love this 

little man of mine.

Dean smiles every time he looks at me. Even when I'm not paying attention, I'll catch him out of the corner of my eye with a big grin on his face. He is such a happy little dude.

Dean is tongue-tied...literally. His frenulum (the flap of skin under the tongue which connects to the bottom of the mouth) is at the tip of his tongue, which keeps him from being able to stick his tongue out of his mouth. If he tries to, it ends up looking like a lizard's tongue with the fold in the middle. He will have a procedure done where they snip the flap of skin. otherwise he will have a speech impediment when he begins talking. Poor little guy. This also explains why nursing never stopped hurting and why he struggles so much. 

He is my chill baby. He goes with the flow and never makes a fuss when being lugged around from place to place. Although the adjustment from 2  to 3 has been difficult, life is definitely more enjoyable with him in it. 

I love watching him watch his brothers. His eyes follow them as they dart from one side of the room to the other. Dean will laugh while they play, and hearing his laughter, his older brothers will try to mimic whatever it was that made baby brother laugh over and over again. 

He's discovered his toes. (This is one of my favorite stages-when my babies find their feet and are then determined to stick their entire foot into their tiny little mouth) I could sit for ever and watch him play 

with his toes.

He is a solid chubby guy with a huge melon of a head (just like his brothers) His two bottom front teeth are making their entrance this week. And he is grasping on to anything and everything within his reach, 

including mom's hair.

Dean is definitely becoming his own little person. I love it! I wish he would slow down and stay my little baby longer. I love this stage right now and just want to pause and take in every perfect moment he offers. He really does fulfill me as a mom in so many ways. 

When I watch these two interact I feel excited about a future friendship waiting to develop between two brothers. They are such fun!