Birdy

I think they are brothers....

 

                         Christopher Matthew 7 mos.                                Oliver McRae 7 mos.

Third Time's a Charm

Christopher Matthew Higginson is three.  THREE!  I feel like we are crossing a threshold here.  He is no longer a baby and now it is time to shift from all baby things to boy things.  Big boy things.  I panic a little when I think about it.  We are in charge of helping him turn into a man, a good man.  Wowza.

If I had to describe Topher right now it would be a 45 year old man stuck in the most energetic 3 year old body ever created.  He is really fun to be around and a really good kid.  Sometimes he is a little too smart for his own good, and it gets him in trouble, but he is still very logical and can be reasoned with.  He is very sweet and loving and good to his little brother.  He rarely sits still and is always up for a good time.

Topher:

• LOVES music, and loves playing guitar and drumming to the Black Keys (he especially loves family dance parties and audiences who clap unabashedly)
• He's playful
• Loves people and playing with kids
• Obsessed with all things sports.  All day he wants to play baseball, shoot the basketball, ride his scooter, play soccer.  His energy never ends and I feel very accomplished if I can outlast him and get him to sit down and take a rest first
• He is all boy
• Loves his brother. Sometimes he will ask to hold him but mostly he likes to do a dance and play peek-a-boo and tickle him to make him happy 
• I hear all day, "So, Mom, what we do now?" 
• Observant, stubborn and smart 
• Does really well, with one on one attention
• Like things done a certain way
• Always tells me we will do something "next yesterday" (which is mind blowing if you think about it--Matt thinks a black hole must explode in the cosmos every time Topher says it)
• Has had his first road rash, loves riding his scooter and being outside, tough and gets up when he falls on his new bike 
• Is 37 1/2 inches tall and almost 33 pounds 
• Has chewed up every sucker he has ever been given.  He isn't the type to just wait for it to slowly dissolve... 

My sweet Topher boy always looks at me and says, "Mom, we are friends!" and "I love you!".  I am so beyond grateful he is my friend and my son. I love every inch of that boy. 

Evidence of said road-rash...

Party Time

Topher is THREE!!

Matt was out of town on Topher's "real birthday" so we decided to celebrate on the following Saturday.  If you know me, you know I love holidays and love celebrating.  Plus a little extra time to spend thinking back on the the last 3 crazy years is something I enjoy.  So, it was hard for me to postpone said merry-making activities, but Topher doesn't know the difference and we wanted to wait and celebrate with everyone! I was glad we got to go to sports class on his "real birthday" as a consolation, its his most favorite thing, and then I would know he had a good time on his actual birthday, even if he didn't know.

Well, sports class didn't go as planned... a bloody, fat lip later we were leaving sports class early and injured. Topher is a trooper and SUPER tough though, and he is practically good as new!

When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, Topher said he wanted birthday hats, a birthday cake and an orange bike.  Yep, an orange bike.  Talk about a tall order!  Lucky for him, orange is my favorite color so I was extra invested to find an orange riding machine, just as he ordered.  Also, Matt is an online shopping master and he found just the right bike!

The orange bike in all her glory.  

It was like Christmas Eve the night before I was so excited to give it to him. 

We had a great celebration with firehouse subs, dessert by yours truly (soy free, diary free, egg free and still yummy!) and the wonderful company of Buzz and Noni, and Mei Mei and Truman.  All morning while we were getting ready for the party Topher asked when his friends were coming over, he loves company and a good time!  Expect some amazing photos of him donning some of his birthday presents soon!

My "decorations".  I am easing very, very slowly, into this birthday thing.  

Ready to blow out the candles. 

The big boy on his bike.  

He looks so old to me in this picture, I can see glimpses of his 18 year old self in this photo.  

Today

Today my house is messy, the laundry didn't get put away, there are dirty dishes sitting in the kitchen sink, and I didn't get all the groceries put away. Instead of remedying these travesties upon humanity like I wanted to, Matt and Topher dragged Ollie and me outside to the likes of a glorious Vegas sunset and some splendid weather. Rather than trying to clean up the house (which as Matt told me today, "Will never be done, ever"), we played outside together as a family, and I was showered in flowers from my little buddy who stopped playing just to say, "Mom, you're my friend.  I love you."

 

I don't think I will remember the laundry and dirty dishes in 20 years, but I will never forget holding captain giggles Ollie McRae on my lap while we watched Matt teach Topher how to skateboard and the true satisfaction of spending time together as a family.

6 months

Time seems so relative.  I cannot believe my sweet baby Oliver is already 6 months.  I swear it took three years for Topher to turn 6 months, and yet, I feel like Oliver has always been a part of our Higginson tribe. (I also feel like sleeping through the night was a pleasant, VERY distant, dream and may never happen again.)

It has been really fun to see the differences between my two boys, and wouldn't you know, they were both blessed with strong personalities.  Oliver is a fun-loving, happy guy but he does have some strong preferences and one would be wise to follow suit.  I have a feeling dinner conversations will not be lacking in our house full of opinions and observations.

Oliver is very quick to laugh, giggle and talk.  Even when he is sad, you can get him to giggle through his tears.  It is hilarious to watch the antics he has us all performing.  We are all guilty of doing the goofiest things, over and over and over again just to get him to laugh.  Topher can always get him to giggle and never runs out of energy to keep the games going.  These two are a good match.

Just last night as I was trying to get the boys ready for bed, Oliver started grabbing Topher's hair.  Topher would pop his head up and say, "Hey!" and then they would both laugh and laugh.  Oliver was laughing before he even grabbed Topher's hair because he knew how funny it was going to be.  It is awesome to watch them play together.  I love that they are already buddies.  I don't love that they are already tag-teaming me for staying up past their bedtime.  I'm tired, remember?

Some tid-bits about Oliver:

~ He still cries EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I get him dressed.  One would think he would be used to this aspect of life by now, but he hates clothes and he hates me occupying his hands - even for just a second- even more.  (He is very good with his hands.  He almost seems cavalier about it, it's pretty funny to watch)

~ He LOVES the water. Bath time everyday is a riot.  He squeals every time he gets naked, and splashes like there is no tomorrow.  He loves the way the water feels and sounds and I always catch him turning his head into the water to get half his face in.

~ He is hungry. All. The. Time.

~ He gives hugs! I love having a little guy who wants to snuggle with his Mama.

~He is content to hang out by himself, as long as he can see what everyone is doing and feels like he is part of the group.  If he is eye level, even better!  His favorite place to hangout is in his little red chair on the island.  Right in the middle of all the chaos.

~ He is a chewer. He will munch on anything.  Half the time he takes his pacifier and holds it to the side so he can chew on it.

~ He weighs in at a whopping 17.11 lbs and is 25 inches long.

~ He is so smiley and happy, but I think he may have a bit of a temper.  Once something upsets him, say getting shots, he doesn't easily forget.

He melts me!