My peeps.

Cameron

(Check out the eyebrows...)

Likes

• Coloring. Cameron could sit for hours with a stack of scratch paper and a box of crayons. He mostly draws super heroes, but occasionally will deign to draw pictures of family/friends. He gives me such enormous piles of pictures. I need to find a way to adequately show off some of them. Also too, Cameron loves to give his pictures as presents.
• Super heroes. Everything in Cameron's world is somehow related to super heroes. He comes by this naturally. His father is somewhat of an expert in the realm of super hero knowledge.
• Books. Cameron is a big reader and has always loved books. My favorite thing in the world is stumbling upon my children tucked away in quiet corners of the house engrossed in a book. Miles and Sophie have followed this pattern of book worship. I support it, naturally, with frequent trips to the library. But the beloved books on the shelf get plenty of play.
• His siblings. Regardless of how little they are, Cameron is usually quite patient (to a point, anyway) with them and is great at making compromises as the need arises.
• KINDERGARTEN! We met the teacher  tonight and Cameron is thrilled at the idea of starting school on Monday. He's counting down the days.
• Cars, action figures and the world of make-believe. Cameron is famous for setting up little towns all over the house. He'll clear a couple shelves on my bookcase, or use his megablocks to set the scene. Then his cars and "guys" can be found for hours on end in their own little world. If I'm being honest I'll tell you it reminds me of playing with my Barbie dolls; the cars all talk to each other. Though, there were probably far fewer threats of bodily harm issued during my Barbie play...
• Caesar salad. The kid loves caesar salad and would probably willingly eat it until his gut exploded.
• Taking showers. He thinks he's pretty cool now that he showers on his own.

Dislikes

• Going to bed.
• Most of the Newberry Award books (with the exception of Where the Wild Things Are) I try to read to him. He knows I'm trying to broaden his horizons and he's having none of it.
• Cleaning his room. He HATES to help me clean. He'll do it, but there's usually a fair amount of garment-rending, wailing, gnashing of teeth involved.

Miles

Likes

• Having his back scratched. He asks us so often to scratch his back I'm surprised there's any skin left.
• Staying close to mom and dad. He loves us. What can I say?
• His gee-gee (hard g sound). It's his blanket. It's in tatters and it's filthy from being dragged all over the world. But he loves it and he's only little once, so I don't fight that battle. He has to leave it in the car most places, but otherwise I'm cool with it.
• His thumb. Of course the Geeg and the thumb go together. So yes, 2018 Miles, go ahead and blame me for the dental work you're going through.
• Music. Anyone who has spent any considerable amount of time with Miles knows that he has excellent musical taste. He demands Keane, Coldplay, Radiohead and the Beatles. Oh, and the Move It song from Madagascar and "I'm Blue" from Eiffel 65. But that's because it mentions the color blue.
• The color blue. Miles is insane about blue. He loves Sonic the Hedgehog because it combines the color blue AND music. His favorite outfit is blue shorts and a blue shirt. He loves brushing his teeth because our toothpaste is blue. When I pick him up from nursery I never have to guess which color page is his because it's always the one that's entirely blue. The kid just really, really loves blue.
• Songs at bedtime. yes, more music. But he REALLY loves his bedtime songs. He just lays there looking like an angel and snuggling up close, having his back scratched and listening. It's the best time of day for everyone in our house. The song "lullaby" from the Children's Songbook is his very fave.
• Swords, nun-chucks and other ninja paraphernalia. Just because.
• His trike. The look of sheer joy on his face when he's riding like the wind is a better gift than I deserve.

Dislikes

• Stuff that's not blue.
• Not being allowed to watch TV/Movies all day.
• Sophie getting in his face.
• Time-outs.
• Eating vegetables except broccoli and asparagus.
• Large groups of noisy people. It's just overwhelming, poor guy.

Sophia

Likes

• Being a diva. Girlfriend is a diva. There's no other way to say it.
• Getting her way. See above.
• Telling her brothers what's what.
• High heels. She was in Drama Queen Heaven (not to be confused with Dairy Queen Heaven, which is where I live) when we went to Nana Rawlins' house tonight and discovered high heel dress-up shoes! There was so much strutting going on tonight.
• Following Miles and Cameron around and taking their toys and then acting like a victim when they take their toys back. See above.
• Babies. She loves seeing real-life babies, and she loves playing with her doll/animal babies. She pulls out her old baby bathtub and bouncer chair and plays house. It's suuuuuuuuper cute.
• The thumb and the gee-gee. Our future orthodontist can go ahead and plan that Caribbean cruise anytime.
• Books. Sophia is also into books. As soon as I sit down to rock her before bed she points to the stack of books on her dresser and says, "book!" I'm not complaining.
• Eating three calories a day.
• Dancing and jumping. Dancing is at least safe. And it makes my heart hurt it's so stinkin' cute. She especially loves to get on my bed and hold onto the footboard and wiggle her bum. Oh thank heavens she was blessed with a cute bum. I think I would miss it if she didn't have it.

Dislikes

• Eating any kind of food unless it contains mass quantities of artificial preservatives. What's with that anyway, Soph? Enjoy your starvation diet. I'm not giving in.
• Getting her diaper changed. We're in the limbo land of not wanting diapers anymore but not quite ready for potty training yet. It's going to be a fun couple of months.
• Being carried. I'm thinking of changing her name to Kelly Clarkson she's been so independent lately! She screams "WALK" the minute I unbuckle her carseat. If I dare try to carry her she flails and flips and makes an enormous scene until I put her down - which I absolutely do.