Boys & Bellies

What's the deal with boys and bellies?  After bathtime, Layne and Everett love to run around naked slapping their bellies shouting "Ah-ah!"  Even in the dead of winter on the coldest days, they are topless.  Mama thinks they must be free spirits.

Telling Mama How It Is

This morning Mama got up and was greeted by Layne in the hall.  Layne informed her that she was supposed to be downstairs making him breakfast when he wakes up in the mornings.  Mama said, "Okay, well, go back to bed for a little bit and then come downstairs."  He did.  Quirky little guy.

You've Come a Long Way, Baby

Everett started talking later than Layne did as a baby.  It wasn't entirely his fault.  The poor guy had a continuous double ear infection from age 7 months to 13 months...prime time for listening and learning to talk.  At 13 months, Everett had tubes inserted in both ears.  Almost instantly, he began walking and talking.  For some time, he wasn't able to pronounce consonant sounds - only vowel sounds.  It didn't take long though and he was calling his Mama, "Nay-na".  Eventually, he did say "Mama" when Dada was on a business trip in New Zealand.

Now, Everett is quite the chatterbox and tries to pronounce just about everything he hears.  Sometimes it doesn't sound just like the real word but Layne can usually translate for Mama and Dada.  Here are some examples of Everett's favorite things to say at the moment.

"Mama, air-AW-yew?"  (Mama, where are you?)  He likes to say this even when Mama is 2 feet away, making direct eye contact.  He thinks it's funny.

"eye-YEW"  (I love you.)  He says this every night before bed to Mama, Dada and Layne.

"pee-pee-yay-yuh"  (Pennsylvania)  This one makes Layne crack up.  Everett's Mimi and PapPap live in Pennsylvania.

"tuh-tuh-tuh-cuck"  (T-t-t-truck)  He's trying to say truck and really emphasizing the "t" but can't get the "tr" sound out.

"arf, arf" (Arf-arf)  He's pretending he's a puppy down on all fours.

"M-ow" (Meow)  He's pretending he's a kitty cat down on all fours.

"Cack"  (Snack)  He wants a snack...and he wants it now.

"Nay-ain"  (Layne)  He's calling for Layne to play with him.

"Uh-see, uh-see"  (I see, I see)  He wants to see whatever you have.

Snapshots of a Solar System Party

Layne wanted a solar system party for his 5th birthday.  Mama hung inflatable planets and a fabric garland.  She made a rocket cake complete with boosters.  Dada constructed Mission Control from cardboard boxes, tape and lots of tin foil.  All the kids played Asteroid Toss and received time capsule treats for participating.  Layne had a blast but mentioned, "Mama, it's kinda funny that Saturn is closer to the sun than Jupiter."  He doesn't miss anything.

Funny Valentines

Mama made Layne and Everett hold the infamous "Be Mine" signs and smile at the camera for V-Day.  E refused to hold a heart but insisted on wearing a hat, sideways. 

Happy Valentine's Day from Mama's Funny Valentines.

Five Years Ago Today...

Five years ago today, Layne Andrew Miller was born in Peoria, Illinois, weighing in at 5lbs 13oz.  He was 3 weeks early, jaundiced, cone-headed, badly bruised and his first Apgar score was 4.  He was born head first but face up... "sunny side up" they say.  Dada took him off to the nursery so the nurses could watch his oxygen levels more closely and, sure enough, in only a few minutes his Apgar score was 8.  Mama later found out that Layne's posterior position was what had caused all that back labor!  She also learned later that Dada had nearly fainted given the full responsibility of holding his newborn son in a very warm room (i.e. the hospital nursery). 

As a newborn, Layne was very colicky and didn't like to sleep.  Once his Mama discovered the act of swaddling, however, all that changed.  Everyone slept better.  By 16 months, Layne was speaking in full sentences.  His vocabulary was that of a 4-year-old.  He's been talking ever since.

Today Layne is a very intelligent, well-spoken, creative, observant and feisty 5-year-old.  His love of cars and books still remains.  He tells his Mama facts about the solar system that she didn't even know.  He can out-UNO anybody.  Not only are his Mama and Dada surprised by how much Layne has learned over the last 5 years, they are more surprised by how much they have learned from him.

Snow Day

After much Wii-ing and UNO-ing, Mama was happy to bundle Layne up and send him off into 8 inches of snow.  Layne insisted that he wasn't going out to play.  He was going out "to shovel the driveway with all the other men."  He was the only one under 30 years old shoveling.  However, he was quickly distracted by a 6-foot-tall mound of snow at the end of his neighbor's driveway.  Climbing and jumping ensued.

Everett watched, entranced, from the living room window.  Mama still hasn't bought him any snow boots. 

But he did try his first taste of (white) snow and liked it!

Wise Words from Layne

Layne says to Everett at dinner tonight, "Everett, ya know, someday you're gonna meet a girl and if you eat with your hands, she's not gonna be impressed."