Let's Hear it for the Boy

I feel really lucky that I have a boy and a girl. It's so much fun for me to see the differences between the two. James and Kate, though best buddies, are just about as different as can be. James is such a funny little guy and is really starting to get a personality.  He is a rough and tumble boy who loves to play in the dirt (and dump it on his head.....or his sister's head), and play with any kind of ball he can find. He is constantly scavenging for food. I swear I feed this boy on a regular basis, but the second the refrigerator door opens or I put the diaper bag on the floor, he's there trying to find a snack. The other day I left the fridge open for about 5 seconds while I turned around to get something and this is what happened:

 

For some reason this kiddo is obsessed with garbage cans. He loves finding them all over; at the grocery store, the park, and the zoo. One day we were at the zoo and the lions were out moving around. James started to clap his hands. I thought he was excited to see the animals. I then looked down and realized that I had parked the stroller next to the garbage can. Go figure. He also gets a real kick out of putting things in the garbage can. When he's grumpy, I ask him if he wants to throw a scrap of paper or a wrapper away and he lights up like it's Christmas. I have to watch him closely, though, because the other day he tried to throw away his toothbrush.

 

James is a total flirt. He waves to everyone in the grocery store and knows how to get a smile out of just about everyone. This morning I caught him trying to stick his hands in the toilet. I went to tell him no, and he looked up at me with the most innocent happy smile. I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

As much as he is a flirt, this boy is also a champion pouter. When he's mad, he will definitely let it be known. If Kate wants to read a 'big girl book' (a.k.a. a long book like the Bernstein Bears or her Disney book) and James is more in the mood for a quick and easy board book, he grabs Kate's book, chucks it across the room, pushes her off my lap, and climbs up with the book of his choice.  This is the face he gives me when he is not impressed when what is going on.  

James is still a thumb-sucker and he still has a Mohawk, even though we've had it cut twice. Most of the time he loves to snuggle. If asked to give a hug, he leans in and says, "Mmmmmm". He's been adding several words to his vocabulary, including his own modified versions of dog, banana, ball, football, basketball (ball is bal, football is bot bal, and basket ball is ba ba bal I think it's really funny he has three different words for ball!), snack, lunch, pictures, down, Dad, that, and my favorite, uh oh! He started to knock things over just so he could say, Uh oh! and make me laugh.

I love my little boy and I am so glad that he is a part of our family!