Many years ago, Whitney Houston popularized a song all about loving yourself. I think this is an important message and one that we all need to remember from time to time. Kids especially, I think, should be shown how to love their own strengths and gifts...maybe not compare themselves on every level to their peers. I’m thinking that I may not have to worry about Brady much in this department. Over the past few days, he has systematically removed all of his pictures from the console table on the landing at the top of the front stairs and has brought them down to the living room for prominent display on the stand in front of the TV. He hugs them, carries them around, took one for a car ride and yells at us if we try to move them. Pictures of Logan, Aiden, Logan/Aiden/Brady were left on the table…but any pictures of just Brady are now front and center in our house.

Since I love Brady probably more than even he loves Brady, here are more fun things I jotted down this week:

I think I’ve posted before about how Bear will NOT let us sing. Every time Brian or I start humming or singing (unless it’s bedtime and we are singing night-night songs in his chair) he gets angry and says “NO seeng-ing!” Well…the other day I was bopping him around on my hip and he informed me that there was also “NO dan-sing!” Fun hater.

Brady loves gum, but I refuse to give it to him because he eats it. When I try to fish it out of his mouth, he clamps his teeth shut and swallows it just so I can’t have it. This past week my purse was on the island in the kitchen. I found Brady standing up there, contents of the purse all over the place with a piece of gum in his mouth. He had pushed a chair over to climb up. He also raided Aunt Diana’s purse on Monday which was sitting on an entirely different counter top by climbing up on a bar stool. I would be happy to let him have it…if only he would spit it out after he chews it!!

Every few days, Brady decides he wants to pee in the training potty. This past week, as he was peeing, I told him “Someday you can also put your poops in there buddy!” You know what he said to me? “Oh!? Ok! GREAT! Tank-yew mommy!”

Refuses to wear shoes. hates them. takes them off or yells to have them removed. It was freezing one day at soccer and he, sitting on the sidelines, sat down and tore off his shoes & socks so that he could happily run around…freezing. I sort of understand. I think I was also that kid.

Despite the overall tone of this post, Bear is a super happy and funny kid. He is totally my comic relief and my protector. He pulls me away from even play fights where he senses possible danger and is never stingy with hugs and kisses for mommy. Sometimes, especially after I’ve just been yelling about something, he will come to me, wrap himself around my leg and say “it otay mamee. you happy? you happy!” One of his favorite things to say when the other boys are playing too rough is “CUT It Out!” If mommy is yelling too much he says, “Top it maaameee!!” (stop it mommy). Peace Keeper.

Every morning, Brady is the last to rise (God love him). I’ll get him dressed and send him off to go meet his brothers downstairs. Most mornings, he will stand at the railing along part of the second floor and yell down to Logan and Aiden, “dood morneen brudders!” (good morning brothers!)

One day I was in my room and I could hear Brady NOT taking his nap. Instead, he was loudly talking to himself saying “I Bat Nan! du-nu-nu-nu BAT NAN!” Bat Nan = Bat Man and the du-nu-nu-nu is the actual batman theme song. Oh…so YOU can sing, but not me? ;) He was also doing this while running through the field towards our garden plot last weekend…complete with arms out to the sides like wings and a “whooshing” sound to represent flying. The whooshing was throw in between stanzas of “du-nu-nu-nu BAT NAN!”

Once this past week, I dropped the side of Brady’s crib while he was in it to change his shirt. He thought it was the coolest thing ever and begged (in his Brady way…which is sort of yelling) for me to leave it down while he slept. I thought for sure it was going to be a nightmare. I was having flashbacks of Aiden climbing out of his crib 18-20 times during a single 10-minute period (with the side fully up that is). Brady, however, stayed put and has slept that way for 4 days straight. weird. But, as we always say…he may look exactly like daddy, but he sleeps like mommy!